Forum Topic

Brexit

Its finally been admitted there will be border control posts at Belfast and three other locations. And goods crossing the Irish Sea will be subject to checks.

Nicholas Beard ● 1810d17 Comments

The Home Secretary says Dover delays are not a consequence of Brexit. Sim on Caulder sees this is differently as does the CEO of Dover. Simon points out that in November all 3rd country nationals entering the Schengen area will have to have a biometric PHOTO taken as well as fingerprints. Of course the ques this will cause will have nothing to do with Brexit.

Nicholas Beard ● 756d

Although we have a deal people are surprised to be getting customs duty demands when they purchase from the EU. And indeed people in the EU are getting the same from their customs when buying from us.

Nicholas Beard ● 1571d

The 750 billion € fund has been approved!

Nicholas Beard ● 1797d

Having watched a programme about electric cars it seems there is a battle going on in Europe to produce electric cars and more importantly the batteries. It seems to be Italy, Germany, and France that are the players. It is like we are not interested. Boris said we had battery technology and would be a producer, however a few weeks after that Tesla announced they were building a battery plant in Germany because of German engineering and Brexit ruled us out.  Why are we not seeking to build electric cars here.  France is offering money to car makers to relocate there as they want one million electric cars built there.  What are our government doing to take agdvantage of Brexit.

Nicholas Beard ● 1797d

I have been looking at some of the post Brexit tarriffs. What surprised me was that we are going to continue to pay farmers the equivalent of the CAP payments for the life of the present goverment. Also any benefits of tarriff reductions will be dependant on the business concerned passing them on. Also as I read it a tarriff will be put on lamb in order to protect British  farmers. What have any of you understood or am I wrong.

Nicholas Beard ● 1804d

Raymond,I read the BBC article as reporting a joint proposal from France and Germany for the EU to fund this:"Mrs Merkel, who had previously rejected the idea of nations sharing debt, said the European Commission would raise money for the fund by borrowing on the markets, which would be repaid gradually from the EU's overall budget."This would need consent from the other contributor nations. Katya Adler has posted a piece exploring the politics of this:Politics and PR"At the other end of the spectrum, you can expect the Dutch, the Finns, the Austrians and others dubbed "the frugal north" to have something (pretty negative) to say about grants v loans."

Andy Riley ● 1805d

That we have not taken up what we could have done is a very important point. In Scotland I have noticed signs in parks and on roads saying this was built with the aid from the EU. Not in England so much

Nicholas Beard ● 1805d

It's Germany and France funding this.As the UK was the 2nd biggest economy in the EU it would have been expected to fund this not be the recipient. The recipients are the weaker Economies of Europe.Not the most affected.However Italy which is the current 2nd biggest economy ( Not France surprisingly) has a much weaker infrastructure so will be a beneficiary.That's been one of the big problems with our membership. We have a very aged infrastructure from being one of the first industrial economies but a mix of not being eligible for EU grants and also successive UK Govt's not taking up what could have been granted over 40 years has left us in a much weaker position than statistics show.

Raymond Havelock ● 1805d

Indeed. And the UK is a net contributor to this budget.

Andy Riley ● 1805d

"... the dim crew who ..."We (as a Country)have just voted them in in December. We will now get what we deserve.

Alex Shpinkov ● 1805d

It is a joint proposal now. It was announced yesterday and I saw it on tv euronews. Also it will be paid back out of the EU budget.

Nicholas Beard ● 1805d

Nicholas,As you seem to have problems giving references for your posts I'll do it for you:Coronavirus: France and Germany propose €500bn recovery fundIt is a proposal."Mrs Merkel, who had previously rejected the idea of nations sharing debt, said the European Commission would raise money for the fund by borrowing on the markets, which would be repaid gradually from the EU's overall budget."So the UK - if it were to remain in the EU - as a net contributor would most likely be paying for poorer countries' recovery.  It is a political move.Katya Adler says:"Mr Macron badly needs to polish his European credentials at home. He already has an eye on his re-election bid and so far the self-styled Mr Europe's attempt at European reform has failed rather spectacularly to take off.Chancellor Merkel, meanwhile, is in her last term of office. She's clocked the headlines predicting the EU's demise in view of the bickering and a lack of EU solidarity during the pandemic. She has her political legacy in mind."

Andy Riley ● 1805d

Just seen a 500 billion € recovery package for EU member states will not be in the form of loans but GRANTS. Just think we could have applied if the referendum had seen a different outcome. However I suppose our goverment would probably have refused as our ecconomy is so strong!!

Nicholas Beard ● 1805d

Yet another thing that Boris had lied about.

Elizabeth Price ● 1809d

I'm surprised that the dim crew who breezily delayed reacting to Covid, kept bungling PPE supply and testing, ignored care homes, made us European champs in total deaths (remember "under 20,000 would be good"?) and mortgaged the economy for our descendants to pay back are still insistent on dragging us over a second economic cliff come January. Happy New Year everyone! Meanwhile they are making no serious efforts to negotiate. No deal will be great for some spivs but very painful for most.

Eric Baker ● 1809d

In other words they lied - well! There's a surprise.

Vanessa Smith ● 1810d

The only surprise is that Boris and chums are now admitting what we've known all along.

Paul Scullion ● 1810d