So the UK is finished says Theresa Mayhem

[sir nige]

11 hours ago, woolley said:

That's politics. She was an unlucky politician. She had a Parliament full of loons who thought they could overturn the referendum result. She called an election and ran a shocking campaign, finishing up beholden to the DUP. Johnson is a lucky politician. He's teflon. Was saved from the backslider Parliament by the treachery of Gove. Galvanised the party in his leadership campaign and the country in the election. Transformed Parliament, and purged virtually all of the sourest Remainers. Even the appalling Bercow saw the writing on the wall and departed as Speaker, further improving the atmosphere. It's funny now seeing him whining about them trying to stop him getting a peerage. I hope he stews for a very long time.

The WA and its contents are immaterial to the ebbs and flows of political fortune.

the man that said "conventions are there to be broken" now complains conventions are been broken......

funny.....

[TheTeapot]

Picture of the new cabinet. 

[sir nige]

27 minutes ago, mojomonkey said:

So you are saying that the EU still stopping the UK from concluding deals with any country? Are you purposely missing the parts were I've said it is still early days and I'm sure better ones are sure to come? You do come across as a rather negative new forum member. Be positive, the UK has got what it wanted, the time is here for them to step up and show what can be done. Why are you so seemingly worried?

until the 31st of jan......yes....

21 minutes ago, Freggyragh said:

Nope. Fox was working at it for years. It’s a mix  of countries in a more desperate trading position than the U.K. and opportunists who could see how desperate Liam Fox was, eg; South Korea. They’ve nothing to lose from free trade with the U.K. - because apart from Scottish whisky the trade is pretty much all one way.

no...the uk could only work on eu trade deals.......some have been dumped now by the uk......

[woolley]

9 hours ago, P.K. said:

She was unlucky in that the divisions in the tory party, which have been there for years over Europe, united to vote down her deal. Which even you admitted was about as good as it was going to get.

Totally amoral narcissistic serial philanderer and inveterate liar Boris Johnson is as populist as they come. Reducing complex issues into brainless soundbites and promising all sorts without a second thought as to whether they were affordable or deliverable because to him it doesn't matter. After years of unnecessary austerity Johnson et al blamed the EU and put brexit forward as the ticket to salvation. 

Unfortunately we now have a populist narcissist having to face reality. Of course, if it all bellies up he will blame the EU. After all, it already worked for the referendum so no doubt it will work a second time. Can't fault the logic.

The other day in the European Parliament the President of the European Commission (for those that don't know that's the biggest market for UK goods on the planet that's sitting right on our doorstep that we're leaving) was openly mocking Boris Johnson, our actual Prime Minister, because he was saying that the UK would happily accept a deal with the EU that was the same that Australia had with the EU.

Only Australia doesn't have a trade deal with the EU. It's all on WTO terms that any Entity could have.

Notwithstanding that Johnson was talking pure bollox it should be extremely worrying that he is being openly mocked on the world stage which is an indicator of just how low the esteem of the UK has sunk due to brexit and Johnson.

The best thing Dominic Cummings could do is stand at Johnson's shoulder and constantly tell him " Remember you are mortal. Remember you are mortal. Remember you are mortal. Remember....."

So what you have said in all of those words is that you agree with me. May was an unlucky politician while Johnson is the opposite. I shouldn't worry about what the world thinks of him. Nothing turns on that. The world thinks Trump is a buffoon but America is doing OK. Your final three lines might invoke recollections of "Remember you're a Womble."

[mojomonkey]

16 minutes ago, sir nige said:

until the 31st of jan......yes....

Ok, but there is nothing stopping them being lined up and ready to go as soon as the transition period ends is there? The UK has the power to step up and go get those agreements and deals ready, stop being so negative about it all.

 

Didn't Prince Andrew used to get sent on these type of business missions? Perhaps best not use him though.

Edited February 14, 2020 by mojomonkey

[Rog]

2 minutes ago, manxman1980 said:

Evidence?

Which is why people on the Isle of Man who had no vote in the referendum are somewhat concerned about the direction of travel by the UK Government.

Heavy industry died because the UK has to import so many of the raw materials (iron ore, coal etc) largely thanks to Thatcher who oversaw the closure of the mines.  The steel industry is well and truly on its last legs in the UK.  Leaving the EU is not going to change that because Chinese Steel is still cheaper.

Manufacturing companies did not only move to the EU.  Dyson moved their production to Asia despite being a bit supporter of Brexit.

The automotive and aerospace industries rely on "just in time" so any delays at borders are going to be an issue within the supply chain.  If the UK does not want regulatory alignment on manufacturing standards etc then there will be checks at borders which will further challenge business.  Exporting to the US, China, Australia etc may be an option for some but others will not be able to absorb the increased costs of shipping products that far.

 

As for the noninvolvement of the people of the island with the UK referendum - why should they?  This was a UK referendum. 

The perennial Thatcher whinge, it was the Thatcher government led by that wonderful woman that cut out the horrendously damaging sectors that resulted in product that cost more to produce than could be sold for such as coal and had the country to within days of collapse, in a couple of cases quite literally, and although some communities dependant on eg coal saw the industry they relied on close overnight it was a case of tough. The country can't afford to subsidise you any more. There was no alternative.

It was also industries that had become dead ducks because of changing world conditions, that's life.  But it was cheap labour in the EU, especially as it expanded, aided by "investment" from the European Commission. Investment that included OUR MONEY!

[Rog]

4 minutes ago, mojomonkey said:

Ok, but there is nothing stopping them being lined up and ready to go as soon as the transition period ends is there? The UK has the power to step up and go get those agreements and deals ready, stop being so negative about it all.

That is happening now.  Not everything is or should be put on display at this stage.

[mojomonkey]

Just now, Rog said:

That is happening now. 

I know it is. I merely commented on the deals/agreements already highlighted. Anyone being honest would agree those are that impressive but I'm sure that there are better ones in pipelines.

[P.K.]

1 hour ago, manxman1980 said:

Given those at the top of Government in the UK now my suspicion is that the UK will aim for a low tax, finance friendly market.

From yesterdays Grauniad:

In wake of Brexit, EU to put Cayman Islands on tax haven blacklist

Decision on British overseas territory comes less than two weeks after UK left bloc

In a clear indication of the country’s loss of influence on the EU’s decision-making, the bloc’s 27 finance ministers are expected to sign off on the decision next week.

Territories linked to member states have also avoided the blacklist and the UK had heavily lobbied to protect its overseas territories from such scrutiny in the past.

The EU’s draft negotiating mandate, due to be finalised on 25 February, stipulates that it expects the UK to maintain high standards on tax when the transition period ends in 2020 amid concerns that Boris Johnson’s government could seek to be a “Singapore-on-Thames”, undercutting the European model.

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2020/feb/13/eu-to-put-cayman-islands-on-tax-haven-blacklist

[woolley]

3 hours ago, mojomonkey said:

Firstly, the countries in that list are fact, there is no project fear about that. Would you class any of them as particularly impressive? Secondly, and more importantly, I recognised in the very next sentence that it is still early days and stated my believe that better is still to come. I may not always agree with you woolley but I have pretty much always found you to be fair in your commenting, please don't attribute things to me that I have not said or expressed.

 

Notwithstanding the above, as I have previously said I find this whole project fear a poor get out excuse for things. The majority of those who voted in the referendum voted leave, that decision was correctly followed and the UK has now left. Now is the time for the UK to stop looking for excuses, it is now the time to s

I didn't intentionally put words in your mouth, mojo. I inferred from your post about those countries that you believed that they would be the only countries the UK would trade with if the transition period ended tomorrow. My contention is that there are so many vested financial interests in the UK and its trading partners around the world that the imperative will force deals to maintain pretty much the existing terms.  

[P.K.]

20 minutes ago, woolley said:

So what you have said in all of those words is that you agree with me. May was an unlucky politician while Johnson is the opposite. I shouldn't worry about what the world thinks of him. Nothing turns on that. The world thinks Trump is a buffoon but America is doing OK. Your final three lines might invoke recollections of "Remember you're a Womble."

Only to the uneducated....

[woolley]

1 minute ago, P.K. said:

Only to the uneducated....

Or those with a sense of humour. 

[P.K.]

Just now, woolley said:

Or those with a sense of humour. 

Which conveniently excludes Roger.

Just for the record it was  "Memento Mori"

[mojomonkey]

1 minute ago, woolley said:

My contention is that there are so many vested financial interests in the UK and its trading partners around the world that the imperative will force deals to maintain pretty much the existing terms.  

Possibly, but I really don't think the UK can afford to be complacent and assume that it will all be alright in the end. The deals are needed, only idiots want to go onto WTO terms or worse still gain embargoed status. My concern is that the Government only has until the end of the year and experience has shown their pace to be glacial. Still, I guess we must have faith.

[manxman1980]

17 minutes ago, Rog said:

As for the noninvolvement of the people of the island with the UK referendum - why should they?  This was a UK referendum. 

The perennial Thatcher whinge, it was the Thatcher government led by that wonderful woman that cut out the horrendously damaging sectors that resulted in product that cost more to produce than could be sold for such as coal and had the country to within days of collapse, in a couple of cases quite literally, and although some communities dependant on eg coal saw the industry they relied on close overnight it was a case of tough. The country can't afford to subsidise you any more. There was no alternative.

It was also industries that had become dead ducks because of changing world conditions, that's life.  But it was cheap labour in the EU, especially as it expanded, aided by "investment" from the European Commission. Investment that included OUR MONEY!

Rog I was not someone who celebrated the passing of Margaret Thatcher, neither do I worship the ground she walked on.  You are correct that many of the mines etc were running at a loss and would have shutdown anyway. 

I have worked around the UK Steel industry to see that there has been very little investment into this sector over the years.  One plant still has camouflage paint on the exterior walls from WW2 and has a section called the "tank bay".  It is known as the tank bay as that is where they used to produce the armour for tanks during WW2.  UK steel is on its knees and Brexit will be a death blow.

UK businesses were quick to take advantage of opportunities to move production overseas to reduce their production costs and they still are!  As I have said Dyson has moved production from the UK to Asia despite being a big supporter of Brexit.

Did I say that the people of the island should have had a vote?  I said it is the direction of travel of the UK Government that is a concern.  On the plus side we might get rid of comeovers....