[Sephiroth]

Originally Posted by Hugh

And to be delivered in 8 months...

Having worked in IT/Technology for nearly 40 years, I can't think of a major programme of work (like this will be) that has been delivered in that sort of timescale, and that's before you take into consideration that it will be a Government project, with all the joy that brings (and they haven't even started the tender process, which is a challenge if you don't have a delivery specification).

I want this to work, but previous experiences lead me to believe my hope may be ill-founded.

Of course you are absolutely right more or less (I have a few years on you!).

I can think of imaginative ways of maximising the opportunity that a transition period provides, during which we run the tender (OJEU rules but could be single tender if there was an obvious candidate which there isn't). Then we could apply zero tariffs for the period until the new system is deployable. The EU would need to reciprocate for our exports, agreeing to take any temporary hit for goods from outside the EU that find their way into the EU; we might be able to financially compensate the EU.

Trouble is that the necessary thinking is beyond most of our politicians on current evidence.,