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I was asking about contingencies in the company I work in at the country and local level. Apparently our country lead is spending a lot of time talking to politicians about this!

We have already closed one manufacturing plant and there are rumours that some manufacturing at another plant will be moved to China. This is based on it being expensive to make things in the UK but easy to do business internationally. If it becomes harder to do business internationally, then we may well move things to somewhere were it's cheaper to make things.

At a local level, we have many EU employees based in the UK and the focus is very much on staff retention - we don't want talented staff to leave the company and about 20% of the workforce are non-UK EU citizens. Our company is offering to support and indeed pay for any residency applications for EU staff. Some staff have stated they want to leave the UK and we have offered remote working from their destination countries as an option again to retain talent.

I am sure the question will come up - why can't we employ UK staff and the simple answer is twofold - we want the best people in their roles and the need for language skills

All of our distribution is from an EU country but we do already have experience of shipping to non-EU countries of all flavours so this is more of a training and staffing issue for our UK customer service team. We will almost certainly need to take on more staff however.

We have already passed on costs to our customers due to the drop in GBP and have adopted a flexible pricing strategy rather than setting one price in January to allow for currency volatility as we don't report in GBP.

There's a lot going on but luckily I work in a company big enough to absorb the difficulties

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Seems to me that no one knows what the hell is going on and I'm including all the political parties,the media,the public,business and the EU..It's a confusing mess.

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Go on then. Other than changes in rates of tax, name one.

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As far as recruitment and retention of non-UK staff is concerned, surely that is dependent on our immigration policy. As long as that is carefully constructed with the emphasis on skills and labour shortage areas, Brexit doesn't actually need to be a problem.

Abandonment of free movement will just mean that we don't give rights to people who want to live in this country if they don't have the qualities that we need.

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That's because it's a negotiation, Maggie. Each side is trying to unnerve the other before finally agreeing on a solution.

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No I think they genuinely don't know what they are doing..After all it's a first.

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Absolutely, but at present, no one knows what the situation will be. Most importantly, the current employees don't know. The fear from a company level is that these employees may choose to move out of the UK, leaving the company before the final status is known. We have lost a few staff already due to this. These tend to be customer service staff who are young and mobile. These staff were almost all recruited in the UK as this is much easier than recruiting abroad

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OB, you are constantly saying that Brexit will be fine, we will prosper, etc. with nothing tangible to underwrite the claim. Yet when someone says that we will suffer under the current plans, you say "I think these forecasters are simply making it up as they go along."

You can't have it both ways :)

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If someone says I am hard of thinking, I'll reply that they are talking tripe. If that's the level you want the debate to descend to then you need to reassess your approach.

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Yes, but European workers have already received an assurance about that. They can continue to live and work in the UK.

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I appreciate this is the appearance of the situation. However, TM knows what she wants to achieve, but it is the Parliamentary arithmetic that is hampering her every turn. That is the problem.

I've said it before and I'll say it again. Minority and coalition governments create chaos because just a very small number of MPs can create such mayhem that it is difficult to get through any controversial decision. This is a case in point.

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Which of course is totally possible as a member of the EU:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politi...endum-36449974

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I am not trying to have it both ways. I am suggesting that nobody can give detailed figures to show the 'disadvantages' of Brexit. There are too many imponderables.

However, the issue is not how much worse off we will be, but how much better off. The opportunities are amazing, but just remember one thing. Similar levels of trade with the EU + new opportunities arising from a new, outwood looking UK = more trade (and therefore income) for the UK. It really is that simple. The detail is for the politicians to sort out, but many of the problems that we hear about are just being bumped up for effect.

Not long now, and you will see what I mean.

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That's true, however the feeling at the coal face doesn't have much confidence in those assurances. I had lunch today with some French and German colleagues who work in the UK and they are not reassured to be honest. Whether those fears are justified or not is by the by - they want something in writing rather than promises. They feel they are being held hostage to Brexit negotiations.

They also commented on how the atmosphere and attitudes have changed towards them since the vote. Being asked when they are going home by other parents at the school gates in front of their kids was not a nice feeling...

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That's about job seekers' allowance and being sent home if you have not found a job by the time limit.

However, under Brexit, surely the point is that you would not be able to just come over and find a job and then you'd be all right. Under Brexit, you would have to apply for a visa and you would only be allowed to enter the country if you had the skills and qualities required. I would imagine that you would also need a firm offer of a job.

That is a big difference, and would help to ensure better opportunities for UK workers, who complain that Europeans are taking their jobs.

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And, I assume, the same rules would apply to Brits who want to live in any of the EU countries.

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Well, I don't know what you expect the government to do, given that these assurances have actually been given and well publicised. Maybe the companies employing these individuals could do more to publicise what the government has said, in an effort to make them feel more secure.

I have nothing but contempt for those individuals being nasty to foreign workers, but the government can't do very much about them that they haven't already done.

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Presumably, and I see nothing wrong with that.

My parents emigrated to Australia in the 1970s, but my father had to demonstrate first that he had the skills that they needed.

Perfectly reasonable in my book.

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To be fair, the likes of Denmark have been planning for a no deal Brexit, as they will be particularly hard hit as the UK is one of the main markets for their bacon.

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One of the reasons why, ultimately, a deal with the EU will be done.

Incidentally, I don't see how a WTO Brexit is going to help the Irish border situation (from the EU's perspective) which is another major reason why the EU will find a way of resolving their red lines.

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Oh, I agree with you and the company I work in has been proactive at sharing information at every level up to and including our CEO and country lead stating that EU employees are wanted and will be supported by the company. I am not sure what more they can do to allay the fears of these employees. I have also seen the governments advice to employers and it looks good. That said, many in my company have doubts despite all that has been done.

As an aside, you mentioned skills shortages. When I run the country, I would annually assess a 10 year skills plan and pay the tuition fees for any university course that addresses those needs. Short of doctors? How about free tuition? Not Brexit related, but a fun idea

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This development is looking bad news for the wannabe expats

UK nationals would suffer under skills-based immigration, EU tells Javid

Sort of obvious really ...

Of course when we go abroad to live (and maybe work), we are "expats". When someone from abroad comes here to do the same, they are "foreigners" ...

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I trust that this comes as no surprise. Does anyone really expect that if we tell the EU we will take people in according to their skills that the EU won't do the same?

I have nothing against that principle, frankly, and I don'r see why anyone would have any issues with it.

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I have nothing to take issues with over your post!:D

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Mr K, I've found you an upside to a no-deal Brexit! It might even persuade you to become a Leave supporter! ;)

https://www.theguardian.com/politics...no-deal-brexit

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Another one of those scare stories which is actually quite laughable. Made my day, that one!

The more ridiculous these Project Fear stories get, the less people will believe them. So that's good as far as I am concerned!

Incidentally, if Question Time on BBC1 is anything to go by, there seems to be pretty strong support for the idea of leaving on WTO terms. Project Fear has failed, big time.

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That Labour Trot (Ian someone) on QT got a good going over from JRM and the audience. What a lot of Commie reduce us all to nothing poop he came out with.

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Actually, it’s about 80%.

http://www.countryfile.com/article/can-uk-feed-itself

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The whole food import/export thing is quite interesting and very much consumer led. According to this report - http://beefandlambmatters.blogspot.c...w-zealand.html we were the second largest importer AND third largest exporter of sheep meat which of course doesn’t make sense until we look at consumer trends. Cuts like legs and chops are popular but other cuts not so much so we are not self sufficient in the cuts we want and sell on what’s left abroad. Remember when the lamb shank used to be a cheap cut of meat until demand here in the uk rose?

Another example is with fish where we export a hell of a lot of fish but also import a lot of cod as this is what the consumer wants.

We could probably be more self sufficient in many foods if we are flexible in what we eat.

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You are right, but you forgot to mention that really small US market!

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Water finds its own level and so will foodstuff. That has to be obvious.

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We will presumably be able to fish more cod for ourselves once freed of the common fisheries policy.

There is far too much emphasis on the negatives of leaving the EUB without balancing these with the positives. We all need to lighten up!

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The chlorinated chicken one? ;)

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A bizarre preoccupation that Brexiters have with the fishing industry. It turns over just £725m pa. As others have pointed out, Harrods, by comparison, turns over £2bn pa.

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Andrew, really? Please, first of all, tell us what the problem is with chlorinated chicken? It’s the chlorine that makes it safe!

As for the fishing industry, I would just love you to experience the reception you would get from the fisherman if you talked to them directly about the existing EU arrangements. Where exactly are you cocoon led at this present time?

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The US has different food standards than Europe. Importing their food would decimate our farming sector. The chlorinated chicken is an example of our divergence in standards.
You and other Brexiters seem obsessed with the fishing industry which contributes a very small proportion of GDP to the country - about a third of that contributed by Harrods! Maybe that's because it's the only industry that favoured Brexit. But now, many fishermen are now facing up to the bleak reality of no deal and realising that it will destroy their livelihood. https://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/10...e-deal-eu-deal

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I think you need to go and read up on chlorinated chicken before making pronouncements like this.

Even the EU doesn’t think chlorine-washing chicken is chemically harmful to humans, though if you listen to the remainer hysteria on this point you’d be forgiven for thinking otherwise. Their objection is either simple protectionism, or else it’s because they genuinely believe their own claim that lessening protective measures in the factory is a good idea because it forces farmers to be more careful. I know which I think is more likely but YMMV. Whatever the truth, chlorinated chicken carcasses typically have a prevalence of 2% salmonella while chickens treated the EU way have 15-20%. If raw chicken is carelessly handled in the home environment, guess which one is more likely to spread infection: chlorine-washed, or water-washed?

We really have to get away from the idea that EU regulations are automatically better than American ones.

Source

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The public don't want chlorinated chicken or hormone mass produced beef. Quality not quantity. Mind you, if they had any sense, they wouldn't touch meat at all or vote for Brexit ;)

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Andrew, no! You have so many misconceptions!

First of all, on the chicken issue. So we have different standards. So what? Do you really see that as a barrier? If so, why? Please explain.

As for the fishing industry, this is just one small part of the problem we have with being part of the EU.

I don’t know you, but by the sound of it, you are left leaning politically. So your apparent dismissal of the plight of our fishermen does make me wonder which side of the fence you are actually on. These people have been sacrificed for the sacred EU, despite any principles toward the plight of the working man. I don’t know how any Labour supporters can seriously agree with the policies that have inflicted upon the fishing community. Seems like their only hope lies with the Conservatives.

Maybe other working class people should ponder that, too. Labour policies make the poor poorer.

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Your above comments bear no relevance whatsoever to my post! :confused:
I said "The US has different food standards than Europe. Importing their food would decimate our farming sector. The chlorinated chicken is an example of our divergence in standards."

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So we merge the standards. Andrew, rules can change.

My response was totally relevant, although I accept that they may not have been welcomed in your house. Sorry about that.

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I suspect you won't find many left-leaning people on a pay-TV forum and I'm no exception to that rule!
Regarding fishing, it makes up less than 0.5% of the country's GDP so in terms of importance other industries are far more important to the country no matter how many times you borrow Diane Abbott's magic calculator! Put it another way, there's about 11,000 people employed in the UK fishing industry compared to 856,000 in the wider automotive sector. Leaving the EU is a threat to this important industry and our tax base as once jobs leave, they don't tend to come back. Greg Clark seems to be belatedly waking up to the facts.

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I quoted and commented on Chris's post not yours, Old Boy. When would you ever be anything except relevant? ;)

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So, the fishermen don't count, then?

That was just one small example, of course, but your response to the plight of these people was interesting. And just a little disturbing.

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I know, old chap. But your response was well worth commenting on! ;)

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The fishing industry is one of the totems that illustrate the intrusion of the EU into British industry. It has thus hit a note with the public, at least the 52% that democratically voted for Brexit despite the Project Fear documentation delivered to each home by the then guvmin.

I understand that leaving the EU might bring disruption to important parts of industry, but that will resolve itself. By closing down for a month (automotive) the sourcing adjustments will be made.

The Remainers on this thread need to respect the Referendum result and stop whinging.

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It's not whinging old chap, its genuine concern for ourselves and families that we've made a terrible irratreivable mistake which was is going to affect generations to come. Mostly based on lies and power seeking self interested politicians, and general xenophobia. This will affect us all no matter how we voted -no winners, just losers. And yes, the EU isn't perfect and does need reform, but we have cut off our nose to spite our face.

I for one am not going to stop 'whinging' ;)

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With you on this.

Brexit has been an absolute shambles from the start. I just wish the Tory party MPs would split, rather than do as they are doing, dragging the whole of the UK into their marital problems.

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It is whinging. Even the guvmin shambles doesn’t invalidate the Referendum. The EU were never going to reach agreement with us except on their terms. Varoufakis made that clear pretty much on day 1 and we would be where we are now had we heeded him - albeit with better preparation, perhaps.

Thwarting a democratic vote or supporting that cause is a disgrace.

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Yet we are governed by a party that got less support than remain did in the referendum.

Democracy, shamocracy.

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...Who are trying to implement the will of the electorate despite the difficulties presented by the lack of a majority in the House of Commons.

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On a large council estate a few miles from where I live, a great many homes are adorned with a satellite dish. Things aren't always as simple as they seem.

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You may criticise, but I suspect your solution to this referendum vote would cause riots on the streets!

The electorate voted for Brexit and that is what the Government is attempting to deliver, despite the constant obstructions of the Labour Party, who have no appreciation of how flawed their current position is on Brexit and who seem to change their policy direction like the wind.

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People have been discussing our ties with Europe forever and this will not cease, particularly when the evidence shows the country taking a short-term and long-term hit. Currently a hit of £500m per week and rising! Not an issue if you're one of the global financial elite making a killing on speculation or a country like Russia that benefits from distracting the West from other matters like Ukraine and Syria but a concern for the rest of us trying to earn an honest crust.
If you prefer the kind of environment where people have to pretend such things aren't happening, then maybe the leafy settings of Venezuela or North Korea would be more to your taste.

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Just because people live on a large council estate doesn't mean they're left-leaning. Things aren't always as simple as they seem. ;)

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The Corbyn preferred settings of Venezuela are nothing to do with this. The Referendum said “Leave” and the 52% (a majority under our democratic system) understood that The perils forecast in the guvmin’s document might/would occur but nevertheless decided that they wanted to leave.

The trouble with most of the Remainers in this thread is that they won’t debate German hegemony, French skewing of the EU to their inefficient work practices, Juncker’s grand desire for Brussels control and soon. You won’t debate the shackles we’re under. All you are interested in is the economy and you want that to remain under those shackles. Terrible.

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People keep on debating those points with you and then a few posts later on you'll say that no one will debate them with you. ;)

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Possibly with regard to the German hegemony thing because you are fixated on it. They successfully reintegrated East Germany. They have an electoral system that can make their politicians take note and cooperate.

Yes the French skew things to protect farmers, but maybe Macron is doing something to scupper that. It is after all Frances problem to solve, not the EU's.

Too many leavers seem to want to blame the EU for all our problems, when many of the solutions have always been in the hands of the UK government.

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Firstly, if anyone wants to make a case for anything then having evidence to back up that case will make it stronger and persuade people to your point of view. Only recently, you stated that the UK was 100% self-sufficient in meat without any evidence to support this view. The actual figure was 80% as someone corrected you. So some will be reading your posturings with a pinch of salt, unfair as that may seem to you.

Like Churchill, I prefer to be inside the tent and pissing out than outside the tent and pissing in. No system is perfect but the EU is our biggest market and to trade with them in the future, our standards will have to match theirs or they won't accept our goods. And we won't be able to influence those standards; it will be your "chums" in Paris, Madrid and Berlin who will do that. So what do we actually gain? Control of our borders? We have that already if we bothered to enforce the rights we have?

As for trade deals, the EU has already negotiated rafts of them with more on the way. Nothing is stopping us from selling outside the Single Market as an EU Member State. Indeed, there is a huge advantage to chasing international opportunities from a home market of 350m people than just 65m people. Just ask China! Instead, the UK will have shot itself in the foot before it starts any international race, by shrinking its domestic market from 350m to 65m people!

Lastly, does anyone seriously believe it’s easier to negotiate trade deals as 3% of the world economy v now as 30%? And does anyone have any clue how long FTAs take to negotiate in reality v what Liam Fox told us?

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Angua has succinctly and eloquently responded to your points. I believe Damien tackled them too in some depth. Because you've failed to win people over to your way of thinking doesn't mean that they've not answered them.

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From that, We can all see that you are content with the skewing and hegemonist gets that I have described. 52% of the UK disagrees with you.

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Not only did you borrow Diane Abbot's calculator for your erroneous meat calculations, you seem to have borrowed her logical thinking processes as well! :D
I just feel it's better being in a more prosperous country and fighting your corner in the EU rather than having to follow their standards as a smaller less well-off country anyway.
I get and respect that you don't agree on this. But if you genuinely want people to debate with you, you need to give them an article or something to debate about, not just saying terrible this country, terrible that country etc.

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I doubt the majority of the 52% had a thought in their head for your hegemony fixation. Indeed Mr A is a huge fan of Germany and sees much they do that he wishes we did, yet he voted leave.

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But if it's the will of the people, and if posters are sure the majority still believe that Leaving is best, wouldn't a second referendum reflect this, and shut up all those who say that voters have changed their minds about leaving.

A resounding majority, now that there has been more details about what leaving means, surely must be a boon to the Leave camp - no one could argue that people weren't making an informed choice.

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If it were a bi-polar question, given that remain has already been dismissed, then it's Maybot's compromise or actually really leave.

The remoaners want a tri-polar question in the hope that they can split the leave voters over real leave or the Maybot fudge.

Then claim we wanted to stay after all.

And you're falling for it. :td:

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Just make it leave or stay.

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We've already answered that question. If we were to have another referendum (which we won't) the question should be acceptance or rejection of the eventual deal with the EU, with the clear understanding that rejection of the deal will mean WTO.

The remainers had better be careful what they wish for, because the indications are that the majority are most likely to go for WTO rules. Given this would be anathema to the remainers, and that they would prefer a deal with the EU rather than the so-called 'cliff edge' scenario, I would have thought a second referendum is the last thing they'd want.

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Probably, Seph, because these are not the top issues on people's minds when they say they want to leave.

I think most are against France's Common Agricultural Policy, but the main issues are free movement, control of our borders and freedom to make our own laws.

To be honest, you are the only person I have come across as citing Germany hegemony.

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When even the leave side have no interest in your hegemony theory, perhaps you might just be a stuck record that people are getting bored with.

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I don't think that making references to 'German hegemony' really cuts the ice, Seph.

I doubt that most of them who might be influenced by your concerns would even know what 'hegemony' was. I don't think this is going to run unless you express yourself in terms that more people will understand.

'Dominance' would be better understood, particularly if accompanied by stark examples of this.

However, I think most people are aware that Germany has the biggest economy in the EU, so the fact that they dominate should not really come as a great surprise to most.

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Exactly. It almost seems like a fear of success, which seems to be a particularly English failing.

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Trouble is, they have their own problems, so getting obsessed with their taking over the EU is somewhat narrow in focus.

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Take a deep breath and stand back mate. The Fourth Reich isn't coming.... We have more to fear from extremists in our own country. The Germans are nice people, really, try talking to a few. Their concerns about the EU are very similar to ours, however they aren't bonkers.

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https://www.mirror.co.uk/3am/celebri...hnson-13328777

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well done Patrick :clap::clap::clap: lets see what Pinocchio Boris lies about next


Boris will NEVER be Prime Minister: Hammond mocks Johnson's plummy voice and failure to grasp detail - and claims his biggest achievement is 'Boris Bikes', in searing attack

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...s-Hammond.html

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Im curious whether you have a credible source for this claim or if it’s just the usual remainer wishful thinking? I’m willing to bet “the public” is ambivalent at most, and most of those who actively mistrust chlorine washing are under the misapprehension that it’s unsafe.

Did you realise that the EU accepts that the process is safe Mr K?

It would only decimate our farming sector if we continued to ban our own farmers from using safe, efficient means of ensuring chicken is germ-free. Freedom from blatant protectionism is one of the principal reasons why leaving the EU -and being outside the single market- is such a good idea. If our farmers want to sell to the EU then naturally they will have to observe the regulations of that market, but anything they sell within the UK must only match the rules set for the UK, by our parliament. There’s no reason why safe, germ- fee chlorine washed chicken can’t be legally produced here after Brexit. It will be entirely our own decision.

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Excellent point. I thought I'd repeat it here as some appear to have forgotten it.

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https://www.independent.co.uk/news/u...-a8292496.html

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What it comes down to is profits are better with chlorine washing vs EU welfare standards.

Birds in the US are kept tightly packed, increasing the risk of cross infection. EU birds have more space, so less chance of cross contamination.

Also employees standards are better in the EU vs the US.

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As posted earlier, there is less chance of human infection with chlorinated chicken than the chicken we currently get from the EU. So that is nothing to do with profits.

I am surprised that you promote EU welfare standards when you must be aware that they are pretty deplorable when compared to UK standards.

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The EU might well say the same about us - Foot and Mouth Disease, Mad Cow Disease, we've not got a great record.

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We preach a lot to others but conveniently forget to preach to ourselves when it comes to food standards.

https://www.standard.co.uk/news/uk/f...-a3646416.html

http://www.itv.com/news/2017-11-17/p...not-a-one-off/

https://www.theguardian.com/lifeands...tic-resistance

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Yes l remember a most honourable cabinet minister trying to force feed his child with a beef burger if l rightly remember.;)

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Quite.

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Careful. Someone on here will think you are talking about TM.

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According to the World Animal Protection Index ( https://api.worldanimalprotection.org/ ) the only countries in Europe with worse animal protection indices in Europe than the US are Belarus, Turkey and The Ukraine, none of which are in the EU. There are only four 'class A' countries - UK, New Zealand, Austria and Switzerland with Austria being the highest.

I notice that the motion to transfer Article 13 of the Lisbon Treaty which covers animal sentience in to the Brexit Bill was voted down. Hopefully, there will be a separate bill or we will be slipping down that index.

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So why assume even worse US animal welfare standards would be acceptable?

The reason the EU have banned chlorine washing is to improve welfare standards, as chlorine washing hides a multitude of sins, including removing the surface slime that appears, giving a false impression that the meat is fresher than it is.

The worst aspect is there is no need to advise customers that the chicken is chlorine washed, as it is a process rather than an ingredient.

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I dare say the country of origin would be a dead giveaway. Frankly, I can't see this as being a major turnoff for British consumers, particularly if it's cheaper.

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A topical article on US animal husbandry:

Farming: 'We've bred them to their limit': death rates surge for female pigs in the US

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Even the Daily Mail turns it's nose up at this practise:

Too fat to stand and their flesh rots while they're alive: The REAL reason America's 'Frankenchickens' have to be washed with chlorine as US industrial farming practices are exposed ahead of possible post-Brexit trade deal


But the EU still chooses to ban this process:

https://fullfact.org/europe/does-eu-...nsed-chlorine/

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Let's correct some facts (again): "52% of the UK" is actually "37% of the electorate", namely 17.4 million out of 64.6 million UK residents.

Don't forget that Vote Brexit has a real chance of becoming Vote Corbyn. Not certain yet but getting more and more likely as this shambles goes on. Wouldn't that be ironic?

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I don't see a problem with chlorinated chicken, but most British people would have problems with the conditions in which these American chickens are reared. These are two different things.

Having said this, the Mail is known for over-hyping its stories, and I would question whether all US farms were like this. Some British farmers are not that good either, particularly those managing battery farms.

I would have thought that any trade deal with the US would specify standards expected of any imports into this country. This would include inspections by UK vets.

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I thought battery farms were banned. As for anything chlorinated... do not eat or buy it!

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We can of course simply repeal the EU regulations for meat labelling which cover the country of origin and slaughter and Bob’s your uncle, no one is any the wiser.

Here’s the uk guidance on labelling by the way - https://www.gov.uk/guidance/food-lab...ntry-of-origin

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British Government acknowledges that a no-deal situation would require it to implement a hard border in Ireland.
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/u...-a8563981.html

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You mean similar to the myriad of articles on EU migration, etc.?

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I think we can safely believe that must be what he is referring to. ;)

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Sadly, the WTO compliant border assessment is correct.

https://www.ft.com/content/1ce27838-...a-d9c0a5c8d5c9

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There is no point providing links to The Times and Financial Times articles like this because you can only open them if you have a subscription

Better to copy and paste.

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I assume from that you don't think we have an immigration problem.

Try telling that to the homeless, those who can't get a job at a decent salary because they are being undercut by EU migrants, those who cannot get places at the school of their choice, those who are unwell and can't get appointments at their doctor's surgeries for weeks or have long waits at A&E........

We are just a small island, and emigration has to be balanced with immigration if we want to provide decent services to the population. We can't just keep taking more and more people in, that is madness.

As we are already over-populated, we should be taking in only those with the skills we need, not every Tom, Dick and Harry looking for a job over here.

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Link came up for me ok and I'm a non-subscriber. Anyone can read two articles a week from The Times by registration.

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Well, I just got an invitation to subscribe, which always happens.

I have not registered, though, which might explain that.

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But EEA migration has a small if any impact on these according to this government report - https://assets.publishing.service.go...EEA_report.PDF Non-EEA migration we can control anyway

What will be interesting is what we will do in the low skill, low pay roles that many EEA migrants have filled such as hospitality, care and agriculture. If we keep current minimum qualification and pay caps, these roles will not be filled by migration as no visas will be issued

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I think immigration should be permitted to those:

1. Who have the high level skills that we need as a country.

2. Who are prepared to carry out low level tasks that are in short supply in this country and have the offer of employment by employers who have been granted permission to recruit from overseas, having first shown that efforts to recruit fro within the UK have been unsuccessful.

3. Students who have offers of places at recognised British universities.

No other people should be allowed in until such time that emigration balances or exceeds immigration.

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They must think you're minted so cut out the two-free-articles stage. :D

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I think it's always hard defining 1) - whatever your intentions, you invariably drown in red tape and drive business up the wall or out of the country. Businesses I know see it as a tad Corbynesque.