Brexit MegaThread - part 14

[Peregrina]

Thread 13. We had a debate about whether there should be a new one but if no one answers this the whole series after 8 years plus will come to their end.

Brexit happened, although one time Leavers do not seem to appreciate this.
It's worth noting I think that Brexit was a Tory initiative and the Tory party has just received its worse electoral thrashing since 1832. Could it be entirely unrelated?

What next? A gradual rapprochement with the EU? A Norway style agreement?

You would be fucking bonkers to build a key part of western infrastructure in a country as unstable as the UK. Or (sorry to our own manufacturers) rely on the UK as a supplier.

I refer posters to my comments of a few hours ago about pressure mounting on Sir Keir Starmer and his rejection of the SM. I really don't think the UK can afford his principles.

They've even lost the Torygraph now...

The word salad spotter really cannot cope with oblique references, can it !

Not without training.

Still no working definition of "intelligence" I see. Which doesn't bode well if you are looking for it extra terrestrially. (See also: life).

Rumours that Kamala Harris will talk of economic populism tonight. No free trade agreements. Sorry Louise. Your best hope is a Trump presidency. Hmmm. He was an economic populist as well…. Looks like we’re back looking across the channel at our biggest trading partner.

It's behind paywall but the Times is reporting that free movement curbs could be relaxed under EU reset

The policy would grant 18 to 30-year-olds visas for up to three years to work, study or volunteer in the UK, with a reciprocal agreement for young Britons

That would be a step in the right direction @DuncinToffee

Maybe the young Europeans want to come and work in McDonald’s here? Clearly McDonald’s doesn’t think the UK economy is growing anytime soon.

www.theguardian.com/business/article/2024/aug/21/mcdonalds-24000-jobs-uk-ireland-expansion-200-restaurants-plan

Didn't Starmer tell them to do one ?

Or was that part of some clever negotiations ?

This is a youth mobility scheme that makes it easier to obtain a visa rather than free movement

So a start, and maybe a start to clever negotiations

I know Starmer ruled it out with Spain ...

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/keir-starmer-brexit-eu-visa-scheme-b2587556.html

I want to give the man some time and space, but already his appearance of dogmatism is too reminiscent of the Brexiteers and rather starting to grate. If taxes rise and benefits cut while the almost free money of the SM is making siren songs out there, then I can't see this government getting another bite of the cherry in 4 or 5 years time.

I guess there is some political philosophy here about whether to deliver early on or more towards the end ?

The elephant is still in the room.

I can see a very real danger that come next election, the Tories could suddenly become the party of rejoin and fuck Labour over big time.

I can see a very real danger that come next election, the Tories could suddenly become the party of rejoin and fuck Labour over big time.
Well they may LIE about the possibilities BUT they will still have the massive hurdle of trying to convince 27 Sovereign countries that in many subjects work together as ONE that the uK has learned to be a CO Operative entity who might be taken seriously. The Last 50 plus years of UK negativity and UNcooperation will take a LOT of effort to be smoothed over. Louise and Globe can rest assured that as far as the EU is concerned the uk is out and will stay OUT.
The EU does not want the negativity shown by Loiuse and Globe.

I didn't say they could do it. I know it seems incredible to believe but they might - dare I say it ? - lie to the public they can ? Shocking behaviour I know. They might even have no intention of doing it.

However if the public want it, and Labour ain't giving, it's an angle for a very quick return to power.

Seems Starmer is doubling down - dated today

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/article/2024/aug/22/uk-ministers-rule-out-joining-eu-youth-free-movement-scheme

Maybe they will change their mind again when they see the huge drop in migrant health and care workers and embrace FoM and the single market

One can hope

Seems they are still fighting the last election!

Alternatively, maybe they have bought into the idea that a shortage of labour is good for wages and the economy.

I didn't vote Labour because I have much faith in left wing economics. It was part of a deal I made with the devil to get the tories out.

As Y'all know I'm a bit of a local councils obsessive

getting NMW staff gets harder by the day
and many public sector areas (care, cleaning, bins, teaching assistants) have no dosh to raise the pay

and with reducing cohorts and less Ukranians and Hongkongers over the next three years
<30 FOM would be a godsend for UK employers

(and, declared interest, both my kids)

If Starmer thinks small businesses are magically going to raise wages because of said labour shortage, he’s going to get a shock. I’m involved in a small business and between energy and rent increases, we’d just have to close shop if we were expected to pay higher salaries.

@DrBlackbird
Its a nightmare : "NMW" is now £23k a year
so to give managers increments (adding in ERS NI and pensions) its ££££
at a time when shrinkflation is biting everywhere

My household income is still 60% down since pre COVID due to austerity

Councils have tax raising powers, right?! "No dosh" is absolute bunkum. Council tax, setting business rates.

For the private sector either put your prices up or stop doing whatever you're doing.

The big problem, IMO, is the sky high cost of paying interest on borrowed money. The root cause of that issue is borrowing that money in the first place.

Councils have tax raising powers, right?! "No dosh" is absolute bunkum. Council tax, setting business rates.

Probably best not mention Birmingham to Louise then.

JRM being made a laughing stock here

Council's can raise Council Tax, I think, to whatever level they see fit. If they raise it by more than 5% a public referendum must be held.

Also, 18p vs 74p for pig meat for sausages

Times Radio on X: "“Keir Starmer is banned, he’s the first person to be banned.” @JeremyClarkson won't let Keir Starmer in his new pub until the prime minister does something to turn around farming in Britain. 📻 https://t.co/t4wyLzNYdk | @CathyNewman | #TimesRadio https://t.co/BSJtULnIPM" / X