Westminstenders: Tachographs and Empty Shelves

[pointythings]

So Grant Shapps' solution to the shortage of lorry drivers is to allow them to drive longer hours.

Leading to more accidents and deaths on the UK's roads. But Brexit is Job Done and all is well - isn't it?

It's interesting though that the comments say that some of the increased costs are due to the lack of shipping containers - but is fresh fish brought in by container? I would doubt it myself. The stallholder at least attributes it to Brexit, and it's what people believe is the case which matters. But then, she was in Manchester and Manchester voted Remain and I think doesn't run to any Tory MPs.

Dh and I watched that very clip live on BBC Breakfast yesterday (which was shortly followed on the live feed by a protestor interrupting, complaining about the anti-Brexit BBC and they had to cut away ). We commented at the time that a) the BBC would cut her obviously very sarcastic comment that it was nothing to do with Brexit and/or b) that written reports of what she said wouldn't include the sarcasm and use it as "proof" that the problems and price rises they are experiencing are "Nothing to do with Brexit"

Maybe prettybird, the penny is dropping with the voters - if the pandemic is over but there are still shortages, then that can't be due to people isolating because of the 'pingdemic'. Yes there were valiant efforts to blame the container shortage, which would certainly apply to goods brought in from the Far East. How much of our fresh food comes from the Far East?

I see also that Johnson is bigging up this new military deal between supposedly the US, UK and Australia. Which of these three is likely to be playing gooseberry? They didn't bother to consult New Zealand either.

BTW what is the mood re Independence in Scotland? Our English press definitely seems to be talking it down, saying that the desire for it has waned. I am not so sure myself.

I think the assessing the mood re independence is tricky: there are a lot of angry and vocal people because of Covid. The Scottish Government has done - and continues to do - lots of unpopular things to mitigate the effects of the virus, which I'm sure they'd rather not have to do despite what some of the "frothers" claim .

Having said that, last week Sky reported on an opinion poll that they had commissioned and which they trailed as very. bad. news. for the SNP.

When they did report the figures it was 51% in favour of independence and 49% against and that "only" 44% supported the agreement with the Greens and that 33% were against, with 23% "Don't know"

Given that we're still in the throes of the Pandemic whatever BJ & Javid might want to portray and that there hadn't yet been a full scale campaign, I actually think those stats are pretty good . Especially since the last Indyref campaign started with Yes support at, iirc, 37% I haven't looked at the breakdown of the figures but ds tells me that the support for Independence is heavily weighted to younger people. So one issue will be ensuring that they go out and vote.

Having said that, I know that Nicola would prefer support to be closer to 60%, to be sure of winning. So in that respect and to the frustration of some Independence supporters, especially Alba BJ is playing into her hands by resisting the Section 30/"permission" to hold the Referendum. By delaying it, he gives time for Scots to feel the effects of both Brexit and WM policies and for older Unionists to die of natural causes

I’m just home from a hospital admission and staff informed me that, not only are blood test vials in very short supply but also IV hydration and other fluids, it’s a big worry

Well M&S are blaming Brexit for having to close 11 stores in France.

www.thelondoneconomic.com/business-economics/jacob-rees-mogg-takes-dividend-hit-as-somerset-capital-profits-slide-290747/

As the article says: get out your smallest violin

My heart bleeds for him: however is Smugg going to survive on £600k plus his MP and Government salary plus expenses per year?

I know that Nicola would prefer support to be closer to 60%, to be sure of winning.

Which is important because it was only in Brexit circles that 52% was 'ovewhelming support'.

At what point will the people who have influence suddenly realise they was conned ?

Greed is a powerful motivator - like hatred. But it's also very fickle.

Well M&S are blaming Brexit for having to close 11 stores in France

On the other hand:

20 August 2021
British high street staple Marks & Spencer has lifted its profit guidance to around £350m for the year as its sales have begun to recover, inching towards its pre-pandemic recordings.

M&S’ food revenue has lifted 9.6 per cent in the 19 weeks to 14 August, in comparison with income seen in 2019.

www.cityam.com/ms-lifts-full-year-profit-forecast-to-350m-as-sales-begin-to-rebound/

Today, 18th August 2021, M&S has launched an expansive range of M&S food products on worldwide export platform British Corner Shop...

From the iconic Percy Pig to M&S’ Luxury Gold Teabags, the range is made up of over 800 different M&S products to offer customers the best and broadest range of M&S food, with many firm family favourites in the UK now available for international customers to purchase.

Through British Corner Shop’s export platform, customers from the United States to Australia will be able to purchase a tailored M&S food range for the first time and have it at their door in one to three days.

corporate.marksandspencer.com/media/press-releases/5ff7017fc6fe1bc26cb21d12/m-and-s-launches-food-range-to-150-new-countries-for-the-first-time-with-british-corner-shop

Another sign of Tory MPs abysmal lack of knowledge of geography
(Westminster cedes 70 miles of English territory to ‘Greater Wales’ in petition blunder.)

Opposition MPs make up almost half of the members of the Petitions Committee - including the Labour MP for Gower and the Labour MP for Neath (Port Talbot);

committees.parliament.uk/committee/326/petitions-committee/membership/

Clavinova scrapes the barrel again. M & S say that Brexit is the cause of their pulling out of their stores in France, but it can't be so because it doesn't fit with the Brexit is wonderful category.

As for the Petitions committee - 6 Tories, 4 Labour and 1 SNP - a majority of Tories so surely one of them had enough knowledge to say - Wait a minute - the Severn flows in England too.

I have to pick up the dc now - long drive - I'll pop in later.

As always - Clavinova has to go out. Much better than trying to defend six geographically challenged Tory MPs.

Oh.

Our wonderful government has announced plans to make it much more costly and difficult for UK companies to trade in the EU.

Much of that sounds like wishful thinking, or doesn't really tackle what is necessary. Take Transport

"Transport to unleash the UK’s potential as a world leader in future technologies like autonomous maritime vessels, self-driving cars and drones by modernising outdated EU vehicle standards."

Autonomous maritime vessels when most ships are now built elsewhere.
Self driving cars, when most volume car manufacturers are foreign owned, and the UK market is not big enough to sustain the industry on its own.

Notice the absence of what is required: complete the electrification of Great Britain's railways. Upgrade the trans-Pennine links - two areas which are desperately crying out for investment now.

Farming - when we have driven most out of business.

But this comes from the Lord Frost stable so did we expect anything else.

Theresa May asking sensible questions about what would happen if China attacked Taiwan

Given how well we have defended our ex-colony Hong Kong, I don't think we need too much imagination as to what the outcome would be. The US certainly will not want to make sacrifices for another Vietnam style adventure.

But but we will have a world class border by 2025

And he is going to set up a standards commission to which any member of public can suggest legal reforms.....

The UK FUKD is going to need a world class border for when Scotland votes Yes

But seriously, that is one of the many major downsides of Brexit, even if the fact that Scotland was pulled out of the EU against its will might help with persuading some No voters to vote Yes this time: that there will need to be a hard border on the island of Britain

At least it's a shorter, more straightforward border, with less violent history at least in recent centuries than the Irish border. It's apparently one of the "oldest" borders in the world with only a short distance that has changed.

For info, British Corner Shop, the company whose platform M&S are henceforth using to sell their "iconic" products in the EU, are a UK firm who recently had to move their warehouse to the Netherlands in order to carry on trading in the post-January 31st context.

Which is doubtless a Brexit win for someone, somewhere...

Maybe the proposed 'Britishness' will also sway some Scottish voters

www.cityam.com/new-britishness-requirements-for-public-service-broadcasters-set-out-by-govt

But Dr Who (which is quoted) is full of aliens foreigners!

What about GBBO? I am sure they even made stroopwafels.

[quote DuncinToffee]Maybe the proposed 'Britishness' will also sway some Scottish voters

www.cityam.com/new-britishness-requirements-for-public-service-broadcasters-set-out-by-govt[/quote]
Given that Whittingdale was sacked today, who knows what the Government plans are????