Re: [Updated] The UK’s future relationship with the EU
 

SARS was (is) a nasty virus - if you caught it - yet even though it has an F0 factor equivalent to Covid 19 it didn't appear to spread and infect the (UK) population in the devastating way this one is.

Maybe the COVID 19 virus has better longevity on touched surfaces and airborne?

Re: [Updated] The UK’s future relationship with the EU
 

I don’t see why Boris needs to be well, cant Raab, Gove or someone else do it? After all, if we don’t need an army of civil servants to support the negotiations why do we need Johnson. They either want a deal, or they don’t? It’s literally that simple, is it not?

You are also ignoring that civil servants don’t just support the negotiations. Government departments need to know what their own areas will look like with, and without, a trade deal. Agriculture, fisheries being two significant ones. HMRC and their customs/tariff arrangements and the Home Office with border enforcement.

As always you are grossly underestimating the task and the fact you seem to base it on whether Government can function on whether Boris is healthy (or not) simply reinforces your ignorance on such matters.

Re: [Updated] The UK’s future relationship with the EU
 

Re: [Updated] The UK’s future relationship with the EU
 

Well, you clearly have this mindset that every problem is insurmountable and nothing can be done to achieve what is wanted. You carried on like that throughout the Brexit process, but hey....it all worked out and we've left. I am not underestimating anything. You are simply trying to create insurmountable problems where there are simply issues to be resolved. The fact that this is not easy does not mean they cannot be achieved, but your posts all seem to indicate that if this was up to you, you would give up even before the first hurdle.

I don't get why you think a tariff free trade deal is so impossible to achieve in a year. The negotiations are continuing, and you have not provided any information that verifies your apparent view that they are not making good progress. We meet all the specifications for products sold to the EU because we have actually been a member of the EU, so complications such as were the case in the Canada deal don't arise.

The only reason I say that the active participation of Boris is crucial is because Boris himself will want to keep the negotiations going in a particular direction. He might want to take personal charge of that. He knows how easy it is for people to want to backtrack and make unacceptable concessions to the other side, and he believes that he's the man who can hold his nerve. He's probably right about that.

Re: [Updated] The UK’s future relationship with the EU
 

As it's not binary I suggest the former.

Re: [Updated] The UK’s future relationship with the EU
 

Absolute nonsense Old Boy.

You seem quite schizophrenic about this one. I say we've left and you are first to point out that we still follow EU rules and it's not really leaving.

Wherher you can recognise it or not is irrelevant.

Name a single thing I've named above that isn't true. Do we not need new fisheries policies, agricultural policies, border control and a position on tariffs for EU goods?

I'm not inventing these things Old Boy. It's observable reality that these things are required.

You have that view because of your simplistic outlook driven solely by your ideology and a misapprehension that politics is driven by personality alone. Are Raab or Gove less committed to getting a trade deal by the end of this year? Of course not. They wouldn't be in the cabinet otherwise.

I'd be at the front of the queue happy if a deal were concluded. I think it's wholly unrealistic, and the contingency is perfectly reasonable for a short extension.

As I've said a million times you cannot even name a rule the EU intend to bring in next year.

Re: [Updated] The UK’s future relationship with the EU
 

From the House of Commons Library, yesterday.

https://commonslibrary.parliament.uk...-negotiations/

Re: [Updated] The UK’s future relationship with the EU
 

Of course we've left the EU. We are in a withdrawal period whereby we continue to be subject to EU rules and the ECJ. Why did you think that was an issue for me? This is a transition period so that we can prepare ourselves properly for the break at the end of the year.

You say we need to have fisheries policies in place. They are our damned fish, actually, we don't need to agree them with the EU! All these policies are likely to have been drafted some time ago. It may be that we will make some changes during the course of these negotiations, but the government knows what it wants to achieve.

As far as tariffs for goods is concerned, we want no tariffs, and nor does the EU. And if the EU applies them to our exports to them, we will apply them to their exports to us. Guess who would lose more?

The thing is, this has been said before. What is it you don't get? Or are you arguing for the sake of it? I know, I must perish the thought...

Re: [Updated] The UK’s future relationship with the EU
 

Then again .....


https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-52208127


Brexit trade talks continuing in ‘difficult times’

Post-Brexit trade talks are continuing with the EU “in these difficult times”, according to the UK’s chief negotiator. David Frost said he and his EU counterpart, Michel Barnier, would decide a timetable for further discussions in April and May.


Things change quickly!

Re: [Updated] The UK’s future relationship with the EU
 

You've just claimed a policy for fisheries would be established ages ago. Absolutely baseless claim.

You correctly point out they are our fish, however I'm sure we'd all agree that unregulated fishing is a bad idea. So we need two policies - one for if fishing is in a trade deal and one for if it's not. This is nexessary firstly for population levels in our waters and two my favourite subject - economics - some kind of control has to make sure this develops sustainable fisheries communities and preferably profitable exports.

You hypothesise who would lose more but either way that's time and effort implementing policy outcomes that are unclear as we sit today. Plus we need the "no deal" one being planned for in th background.

My real issue is I have an intolerance of absolutely baseless information and opinion presented as fact on an internet forum.

Re: [Updated] The UK’s future relationship with the EU
 

Or have they?

From the same story, but in the Express How can they be carrying out negotiations, when they haven't agreed a format to have the negotiations?

Re: [Updated] The UK’s future relationship with the EU
 

I think everybody has got better things to concentrate on the moment. Little things, like staying alive.

Re: [Updated] The UK’s future relationship with the EU
 

“Talks” is a great word.

Re: [Updated] The UK’s future relationship with the EU
 

Well stop keep making it up then, jfman! Job done.

The Fisheries Bill has already passed Parliament, the rest will be in the government's proposals that are part of these negotiations. The government knows exactly what it wants and the degree to which it is prepared to compromise. In the end, it's all about quotas, and given we are on the front foot on this one, why is this so complicated to your mind? Who said we would agree to unregulated fishing?

Do you take weeks to weigh up whether it's safe to cross the road? Of course not, so let's get real about the likelihood of getting decisions made on these matters in a straight forward and efficient manner.

It may be true to say that the last three meetings have not taken place, but papers are being passed back and forth, which may be sufficient for now, until a meeting is required to thrash out any sticking points.

The reason it was important for me to point out who would lose more if tariffs were applied was to remove the lead curtain from your eyes that prevents you from seeing that the EU does indeed want a trade deal with no tariffs as it is in their best interests.. It annoys them to death that they cannot hold us over a barrel on other matters given that we just want a straight forward deal.

Sometimes I think you can't see the wood for the trees, jfman.

Re: [Updated] The UK’s future relationship with the EU
 

Well, 53% of our imports will suddenly become more expensive as they come from the EU while 3-4% of the EUs imports will become more expensive as they come from the UK.

Of course the money goes in to the respective government pockets but it's the importing customer who eventually pays