The Minister of State for Trade has  told us that the UK has now taken her place as a full WTO member and is making an important contribution to the world trade discussions. Secretary of State Truss made the first UK Ministerial speech there since 1972 earlier this year.
The Department for International Trade is now planning trade talks with the USA, Australia, New Zealand and Japan. These will be in parallel with the PM’s negotiations through Mr Frost with the EU. The US Trade Representative has made a recent visit to London, and the US is keen to make rapid progress. Since 2008 our trade with the rest of the world has been bigger than our trade with the EU and growing faster, despite the absence of Free Trade Agreements with most of it.
Trade talks with the US were scheduled to take place face to face in April, but these are having to be transferred to audio visual conferences owing to anti virus controls. I want the UK to respond positively to the US wish to press on with them quickly.
In discussions with the EU State aid issues can be best handled by the UK having a strong competition policy of its own whilst accepting that the EU regime is sufficient on the continent, so each party can trust the other’s system.
The UK should aim for lower tariffs than the EU common external tariff. We should encourage cheaper food where we cannot grow the products for ourselves. We should set our own high standards for food quality, animal welfare and hygiene, and aim for mutual recognition of each other’s standards with counter parties in Free Trade Agreements. There is no need to charge any tariff on imported components needed for Uk manufacture.
The US/UK Agreement could become a template for other deals worldwide by both the USA and the UK.
April 29, 2020
You seem frighteningly unaware that the UK is tied to the EUâs state aid regime in perpatuity, thanks to the Ireland Protocol. I strongly suggest you educate yourself by reading the work of George Peretz QC. Then you can explain to us why you voted for the Withdrawal Agreement, which ties us to EU state aid law, divides Northern Ireland from the rest of the UK and guarantees a role for the ECJ over the UK.
April 29, 2020
O’Gorman, A bit harsh – I think JR is well aware we are not out of the woods yet. Nevertheless there are too many, for example some Remains on here, who think the EU no longer controls the UK. In fact we are paying and obeying the EU just as before. And of course the Remains – and the EU – want that state of affairs to to continue.
April 30, 2020
There’s not much that you can do about the fact that the world’s most advanced market, of nigh on half a billion people is right next door.
The European Union will therefore continue to have at least as much influence on the UK as the US does on Mexico, and I’d like you to explain how matters might be otherwise, if you imagine that they can.
April 30, 2020
“Influence” is not the same as ECJ enforced direct legal control over us, Martin. Or didn’t you know that?
May 1, 2020
Could be in practice.
April 30, 2020
The less we trade with the EU the less we lose.
Trade imbalance is currently 85 billion a year.
May 1, 2020
No, the less that we BUY from the European Union.
There, sorted that.
May 1, 2020
The UK today reminds me of Poland in 1945 were Roosevelt & Churchill hoodwinked the Poles into what they were ‘negotiating’ with the USSR just like Heath repeated in the 70’s with the UK.
It took the Poles 50 years to break away from dictatorships ’39 to ’89. We can only hope it won’t take the UK as long to break away from the EUSSR.
PS I know they were stupid but they were bought with a few infrastructures across the country. But it hasn’t taken them long to be in dispute with the ‘nomenklatura’ in Brussels.
April 29, 2020
I wonder when it will finally dawn on you that signing FTAs with every country on earth will go nowhere near compensating for loss of membership of the biggest richest single market on the planet
April 29, 2020
Len
We already export more to the rest of the World than to the EU, so do not understand the point you make.
Do you really think the EU is going to ban all imports from the UK into Europe.
They already say they want a huge share of our fish !
April 30, 2020
I agree. However, I remain concerned we will leave in June – which seems terrible timing.
Can we really pay proper attention to Brexit while dealing with coronavirus?
I am worried we will leave in June and Brexit will be considered a failure because the government’s eye isn’t on the ball.
Though there is some home that Scotland and Northern Ireland may leave the union, which would leave England quids in – so there is a silver lining.
Act in haste. Repent at leisure.
April 29, 2020
You like a lot of extremist remainers keep peddling the false claim that trade with Europe will cease.
April 29, 2020
Does the EU have an FTA with the USA? It must have, surely. It’s had DECADES to secure one.
April 29, 2020
it took 7 years with Canada.
April 30, 2020
Do you remember TTIP?
Or anything else?
The European Union’s “rubber stamping” parliament refused to rubber-stamp it, despite the US’s hectoring.
And quite right too.
The UK won’t have the weight or the punch to say no though.
April 29, 2020
That membership only comes with rule over us. That’s why most of us voted to leave.
April 29, 2020
You mean the USA? We expect a free trade agreement with them prontođ
April 29, 2020
Len Peel, Rubbish. EU GDP $18.77 trn; USA GDP $20.54 trn (source: World Bank, 2018 figures). Does that mean you now advocate we should become the 51st state, just because the USA is bigger? Moreover, the UK exports much more to the rest of the world (c59% of UK exports) than it does to the EU (c41%) – and that’s after being hampered by the EU CCP.
April 30, 2020
Nick C
Of course we export more to 5 billion than 600 million, even you cannot get that wrong
April 30, 2020
Bill B, Well, you certainly got that wrong. Not only is the EU27 not the biggest richest market on the planet (the USA is), we export more to the rest of the planet than we do to the EU. Nearly 88% of UK GDP derives from our UK single market, and exports to the RoW. The EU is not important enough to allow it to make us into their colony.
May 1, 2020
I never claimed anything of the things you are stating, what are you talking about?
April 30, 2020
8t is a fact though bill.
You like facts.
April 29, 2020
I think you conveniently forget all the other expensive baggage that goes with the club you describe as the biggest single market on the planet.
April 29, 2020
Dear matthu–Absolutely right–Paying a small tariff (average 4% or so) is peanuts if gets us out from under and in any event we are not at that stage yet because the 27, not Brussels, may well come to their senses and not upset their biggest customer.
April 29, 2020
Both China and the US are each ‘single markets’ bigger than the EU
April 30, 2020
I was of the opinion we had heard the last of Remoaners and their delusive reductio ad absurdum?
April 29, 2020
Good morning.
Planning trade talks ? We should have concluded them by now ! And the PM getting involved with talks with the EU has an ominous parallel. Trade talks with the EU, should this really be about trade, are not going to go well. The EU member countries tell their negotiating team what they want and that is it. They cannot do anything. Best to walkaway now !
The 30th June is going to be a defining moment. Will the Tories fold and ask for an extension ? If they do, four years after the referendum, their toast. If they don’t, then the EU has six months to sort things out. Can’t happen ! So let us do deals with others instead and come back to the EU when they have grown up.
April 29, 2020
All these new post Brexit trade deals so far amount to about 7% of “UK total trade”; defined as the sum of UK imports and exports of goods and services, circa ÂŁ1,400 billion per year.
Most post Brexit deals are conditional on the outcome of the final deal the UK manages to get from the EU. None of the countries that have current trade deals with the EU; that until 31/12/20 include the UK, are going to risk upsetting the much larger EU27.
April 29, 2020
So are you claiming all trade will cease?
Or have you a verifiable percentage of the reduction you are certain trade will reduce?
April 30, 2020
Trade will revert to WTO terms, as frequently demanded by “no deal” leavers. Volumes and prices will change, mainly as a result of the Pound exchange rate.
April 30, 2020
Acorn, As I have previously said, the EU uses trade as a weapon to damage us. And you’ve just confirmed it.
April 30, 2020
Yes I know.
But that doesn’t actually address my question.
April 29, 2020
Mark B, “Planning trade talks?”!!! Yes, I should also very much hope that is wrong. The government (and the EU) have had nearly 4 years to get their ducks in a row. What on earth have they been doing for all this time? It can’t be they’re trying the same trick that was pulled off against the French, Dutch, and Irish, can it? Ohhhh . . . .
April 29, 2020
The US/UK agreement is now looking in jeopardy – because Trump, unable to control his personality, seems to want to throw away the next election and no agreement will be concluded beforehand. Those ‘other deals’ should now be given priority. Our trade with Uncle Sam is in rude health and in balance. When Washington is ready to talk, our securing increased markets for our manufactured goods will be of greater importance than agricultural matters.
April 29, 2020
Thought needs to be given to trade with those countries which retain high barriers, and significant controls on inward investment into them. The hollowing out of national capabilities, exposed by the pandemic, has occurred in part because of one sided arrangements which have encouraged this trend. The evolved trading relationship with China is the most obvious example of this.
The other side to this coin is UK government policy towards business and industry within the UK. It has not always been helpful. Sometimes it has been (still is) hostile. Public denigration of “profit” as a dirty word has been pervasive. The UK is about to discover that “profit” and cash flow which can only come from sales revenues are an indispensable ingredient of a working economy. It should celebrate profit earned by successful businesses not denigrate it.
April 29, 2020
Indeed free trade please (and cheap reliable energy, easy hire and fire, less red tape and far less government so the UK can compete in the world.
I am not sure why the government is still clearly under reporting non hospital Covid19 deaths. It is clear (from the excess deaths over usual) that we are now at about 45,000. The economics editor or the FT give this figure too. So these people either died from the virus (or the virus complicated other issues and accelerated death) or they died due to failures of the NHS to deal with other conditions. In fact the former is almost certainly the case and not the latter. So why would the government want it to be thought to be the latter?
But this is what they are suggesting due to under reporting of the (outside hospital) Covid deaths? Do they want the NHS to be (wrongly) blamed for circa 15000 death due to failure to provide normal services?
In fact it is probably a bit higher than 45,000 death as I said before. As although a few may have died (due to not getting urgent other treatments they needed) far more will have not died dues to the cancellation of many operations (and the complications caused) plus fewer road deaths.
April 29, 2020
Free trade with the private sector lacking the ability to compete in the world (due to endless government lunacy, expensive energy, parasitism and massive overhead) will not go so well however.
April 29, 2020
Yes to all and quickly. Markets are future focussed as much about sentiment and certainty as what is happening currently so we need this good hews to help accelerate us out of this current morass.
What experience has Liz Truss had of big business and international trade?
April 29, 2020
I’m sure she will do as she is told, Nigl.
April 29, 2020
We must press forward quickly with the US talks. Currently there is a mood in the US amongst Republicans to realign trade post-covid to a less China-dependent model and in particular strike up a closer relationship with âreliableâ partners.
We should capitalise on that before the November elections there, as a Democratic incumbent in the White House may be less favourable to us (remember the anti-Brexit comments from Pelosi and others).
April 29, 2020
BeebTax
“realign trade post-covid to a less China-dependent model…”
Hmmm!
“Mailâs ÂŁ1m airlift for NHS heroes: In a dramatic PPE crisis intervention, charity backed by Mail buys 150,000 protective coveralls & masks from China â then fly them in for frontline hospital staff”
April 29, 2020
are they ones returned that didn’t work?
April 29, 2020
Why don’t you want a collective national effort in a crisis?
Are you one of those people who think charities shouldn’t exist?
April 30, 2020
Margaret H, Errrm, that’s the point – our dependence on China that you have just highlighted, should stop in the future.
April 29, 2020
If we are to have a trade agreement with US it does need to be done before November. I agree that Democrats will be more in favour of free trade agreement with the EU and I feel the UK will be marginalized.
However in the current climate and for some time to come the UK electorate will be in no mood for the NHS to be included in any US trade talks no matter what.
Its difficult to see how the electorate will forgive the government if the NHS is included because despite any good intentions by the government the constant stream of news will undermine every thing.
April 29, 2020
Just checked the banks and my furloughed government grants have come through. Just in time for pay day tomorrow. So thanks for that to HMRC. I look forwards to repaying it all with interest (in even higher and doubtless more complex taxes) when we get going again. On the CV business continuation loan applications we are still waiting for any answers, terms or interest rates.
To repay all this new debt we need more private sector and far less government, government red tape, cheap reliable energy, easy hire and fire and at the very least the cancellation of the white elephant HS2 project.
April 29, 2020
But you had none of what you demand in your second paragraph before CV hit and will get none of it after, so are you saying that you took the grants with no prospect of paying them off?
April 29, 2020
Indeed. Hopefully the coming legal action in respect of possible damage to property by tunneling works will help to stop HS2.
April 29, 2020
Hopefully Boris will finally wake up and cancel HS2 and the absurd renewables/carbon neutral lunacy.
April 29, 2020
I can’t quite still get my head around the fact 99% of MPs agreed the go-ahead to HS2 knowning that its only supported by 1% of the public
April 30, 2020
democracy at its finest.
April 29, 2020
From what Iâve seen the furlough scheme is working very efficiently with a simple process for calculation and application.
April 29, 2020
Liverpool Echo today reports – ”People working at the Lloyds Bank office in Speke Liverpool are worried about being “left with nothing” after their contracts were suspended without pay. Fears have been raised by the staff, who say they are also ineligible to be furloughed under the Government’s Job Retention Scheme
Around 100 contractors are believed to be affected by the move”
…..so 100 people who wouldn’t agree that its simple
April 29, 2020
I hope
1 we are not pretending there is a level playing field with countries which do not
A pay for expensive anti pollution gear on their factories like we do here
B pay for expensive safety gear in their factories like we do here
C pay big green premiums on their power like we do here
D pay full for intellectual property like licences as we do here
I hope the previous nonsense of, for instance, offering India work visas here for their citizens in return for supposedly opening up their domestic market to our financial services companies, is swept away. And instead of this social manipulation and forcing immigration, and displacement of British workers, none of which the British voters want, we instead aim for a fair crack at the whip for people here both in the jobs market here and in the international market.
I also hope that we are planning to do something about the international rules which allow complex multi jurisdictional company ownership structures, which are used on a large scale to move profits to those countries which are tax havens rather than paying tax where the profits are genuinely earned.
Personally I dont want “free trade” with countries using child labour, slave labour, no safety gear, little or no anti pollution gear, etc, and putting our own workforce out of work to import from such countries is not good policy.
I also hope we learn from Covid and start becoming self sufficient in strategic supplies including medicines, PPE, etc.
April 29, 2020
The UK should concentrate on what it is good at, compared to the rest of the world: innovative solutions.
We should refrain from copying old technologies and look at what the future needs.
On top of that we should aim to be at least 65% self sufficient in food supply and industrial components….
But what we cannot allow ourselves to do is to be independent on a limited number of countries to provide our supplies, and any supplies should be multi-sourced.
April 29, 2020
“what the UK is good at, compared to the rest of the world”. Er well, pop music & period drama perhaps, red tape spewing, parasitic job creation, growth in the malignant state, political correctness, bonkers employment and energy laws, a parasitic legal system, killing competition in education, broadcasting and health care, the sale of largely worthless degrees …….
April 30, 2020
Absurd complexity and irrationality in the absurd tax system. We are very good at that.
April 30, 2020
@Lifelogic
You are unfortunately right – I was being optimistic.
In a UK not dominated by degrading socialism we could be a world beater again, but we have to come out from under this grey cloud and realize our potential
April 30, 2020
@Lifelogic – So what are you doing to support and promote our economy, apart from continual whining about cost of loans and getting free grant money off the rest of the taxpayers?
April 30, 2020
There may be a need for a total realignment of Political thinking to achieve self-sufficiency, in particular with regards to manufacturing regeneration.
Sadly, in the past 40+ years, I have only seen a disgraceful manufacturing decline in Britain, with little sign of political will to re-ignite a once great manufacturing base…lots of fluffy words but little in content?
The UK has immense talent, motivation and inventiveness…unfortunately, our political incompetent masters do not. (No personal disrespect intended John)
April 30, 2020
Not just a re-alignment of political and bureaucratic thinking, but also our financial sector needs an enema
April 30, 2020
A focus on modern and future needs absolutely, but we still need strength and critical mass in established areas and technologies even if there is duplication with other countries in the case of strategic industries. One question is what are those strategic industries, personally I believe electronics, computing hardware and software, robotics, aerospace, transport, biotech, agriculture, engineering, advance manufacturing, chemical engineering and pharma are all important. In turn they need strong education and R&D sectors to support and drive them.
I put my money where I can directly to support these, in biotech, semiconductors, software and 3D printing. These are direct investments in startups and the companies, not simply second-hand shares on the market. I try to buy local where I can though it has become increasingly harder with the city’s egocentric short-termist attitude over the years.
April 29, 2020
It would be excellent to make some progress with global trade deals. It was good to see a recent article by Liz Truss together with the trade ministers of Australia New Zealand and Singapore in support of free trade, and stating the UKâs intention to join the CPTPP. We should press on with all this especially as it seems the EU talks are bogged down due to the EUâs extraordinary demand to ensure the effective continuation of the common fisheries policy in the U.K. (even though it doesnât apply eg in Norway) and the continuing subjugation of the U.K. to all sorts of EU laws and regs even though we are no longer in the EU.
Mind you I think the lock-downs could help. Meetings over video and Conf call can be more effective and allow for less posturing. Itâs also helpful not to have those ridiculous press conferences with M Barnier wagging his finger in a de Haut en bas manner.
April 29, 2020
Sir John and his Parliamentary party colleagues suffer from one fundamental flaw.They aren’t allowed to tell it as it really is. Therefore, they can’t express their true feelings and thoughts on our relationship with the brutal regime in Beijing for fear of censure from above. That does us all a major disservice
The British people are kept in the dark on many issues and our relationship with filth regimes like China is one of them.
Trump needs to grab Johnson by the proverbial lapels, ‘look him in the eye’ and tell him in no uncertain terms that if the UK sacrifices/compromises the Five-eyes alliance the US will cut off certain trade ties with the UK and refuse the UK an FTA
The real question is why is Boris Johnson allowing the CCP into our living rooms? Who stands to commercially gain from this most appalling transaction? In today’s authoritarian Britain (thanks Parliament) we can be arrested for mockery and an infraction of PC fascism and yet this government can exposed the British people to harm by agreeing to security sensitive deals with an oppressive regime
It’s a threat to us all and Johnson must be made to stand down or bring down his government
April 29, 2020
Probably the same reason that Australia and the EU has been intimidated into *not* criticising China.
Xi Jinping is our new global leader. Why is he not subject of at least the same BBC scrutiny and comment as Trump ?
April 29, 2020
Dominic, I absolutely agree that we should not be dependent on authoritarian/socialist dictatorships. However, unless we become the world’s policemen – and I do not think we could, or should – we will have to live with them.
In my view free trade is not fully possible except within the nation state. International trade is almost always used as a political weapon – witness the EU’s antics over the last 4 years. So, except in rare cases, “free trade” deals are a waste of effort at best and counterproductive or exploitative at worst.
April 29, 2020
Surely the state aid rules have just been torn up in the UK and across the EU ? And will they ever be re-applied if we want to repatriate significant areas of strategic manufacturing from China ?
April 29, 2020
I don’t believe a word of it!
April 29, 2020
I saw Brian Cox (on Marr promoting the BBCâs Bytesize education project) rightly praising Richard Feynman for pointing out the importance of doubt and uncertainly in science and rightly criticising the phrase âThe Scienceâ.
So why is smiley Cox (unlike most sensible physicists) such a supporter of âthe settled science concensusâ of climate predications for 100 year times based mainly on man made C02 emissions?
How pray can we possibly predict the hugely chaotic climate system for 100 years? This without even being able to know most of inputs needed?
Then again I suppose it is a condition of working at the BBC to have (or pretend to have) these misguided religious views?
April 29, 2020
Action does not require certainty where the danger is enormous.
All that it requires is for the science to show the probability of the risk materialising to be unacceptably high.
It has done that convincingly.
That is why.
April 29, 2020
Drivel how do you even know if you are taking “Action” in the right direction?
April 30, 2020
Drivel.
April 30, 2020
Martin, “The science” shows neither that the recent warming is a direct consequence of increased CO2, nor that it will be catastrophic. The warming so far – that is used to “prove” CAGW (it doesn’t) – has actually been beneficial. There are fewer extreme weather events, far more greening of the planet, and better food crops.
April 29, 2020
What you say is correct LL
Unfortunately climate science has become a belief system.
It is no longer a science.
Opposition isn’t regarded as interesting debate it is regarded now as a heresy.
April 30, 2020
“The heresy of today will be the orthodoxy of tomorrow”…springs to mind?
April 29, 2020
“.. is now planning trade talks with the USA, Australia, New Zealand and Japan”. And this activity builds on the work done for years by Liam Fox, if any?
April 29, 2020
Good development!
April 29, 2020
Agree with the gist of todays submission, however please do not forget the commonwealth in its entirety. It is a golden opportunity to enhance trade and to do a lot of good in poorer members states. Trade not aid should be the mantra, it is better for human dignity.
It is also time to make it clear to China in particular that intellectual property cannot be stolen without penalty. Until through their government they become a fully fledged member of the human race their trade with the UK will suffer restrictions.
April 29, 2020
Itâs the Dominions which are important, not the Commonwealth – 2 distinct things even though the dominions are also members of the Commonwealth.
April 30, 2020
Oh I love that.
Prior to 1939, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Newfoundland and the Irish Free State were the British Dominions (note the capital D) more or less under the 1931 Statute of Westminster.
In 1949 Newfoundland became the tenth province of Canada.
The final constitutional ties between the UK and Canada originally defined in the British North America Act of 1867 ended with the signing of the Canada Act 1982, which patriated Canadaâs constitution.
South Africa since becoming the Republic of South Africa on 31 May 1962 is a Dominion no more.
The double Australia Act (Cth and UK) 1986 eliminated the remaining possibilities for the UK to interfere in Australian matters.
Well, the Irish Free State …
Strictly speaking only New Zealand could still be called a Dominion because even after the full independence in 1947 the royal proclamation of dominion has not been revoked to this day.
A good read: âShadows of Empire: The Anglosphere in British Politicsâ, M. Kenny & N. Pearce, 2018.
May 1, 2020
Hef,
How about the Channel Islands? Are they not a constitutional anomaly?
April 29, 2020
Yes hopefully there will be a savvier agreement US/UK than the EU situation, where the sheer number of different national cultures and sectoral interests bog down any talks. We also have an interest in reaching agreement with the Swiss, again a single voice which wants to release itself from the EU leash. It was due to have its own referendum on ending free movement with the EU in 3 days time.
April 29, 2020
We should use the international aid budget to lower tariffs on imports from less developed countries.
The most important thing is to be completely free from the tentacles of the giant squid, which is a selfish protectionist bloc against free trade
April 29, 2020
Great article in Express..lovely dramatic pic.
Nice to see âOurâ MP in the limelight.
Of course a country needs to supply most of its own food! Ripping up orchards and building on productive land!! Utter disgrace.
Glad that JR is telling Remainers ( are they really still âat itâ??) that Brexit is going ahead.
April 29, 2020
Brexit has happened. It happened on January 31st.
And in the first quarter since we left weâve had the highest number weekly deaths ever recorded – and the biggest economic slump in history.
So I see Brexit is going well so far then….
April 29, 2020
A rather silly linkage.
April 29, 2020
In fact it show a depth of political debate I never thought anyone in the current age would stoop to.
Andy…just dreadful.
Get a grip.
April 30, 2020
Well, you seemed to blame Labour for the effects of the global financial crisis in this country, so why not?
April 30, 2020
More pathetic whataboutery from you Martin.
April 30, 2020
Martin, The UK contributed to the “global financial crisis”. The UK is not separate from the rest of the planet, it was one of the main players – first the USA, then the UK, then the EU.
May 1, 2020
Yes, UK bankers bought some of the contingent equity of the US poor, should they be foreclosed.
That equity then went negative.
April 29, 2020
He is telling Remainers Brexit is going ahead. Also every day he tells us how terrible the EU is. Yet Brexit happened months ago. We arenât in the EU. Has J Redwood not noticed this?
April 29, 2020
Not until the end of this year.
And the terms are still not fixed
Did you not know?
April 30, 2020
I think that some people are addicted to certain behaviours.
They can’t let go.
April 30, 2020
Says the person who cannot accept the results of the general election nor the result of the referendum.
April 30, 2020
I accept both – where is your evidence that I don’t?
April 30, 2020
you are correct – we have noticed.
April 29, 2020
This is all good, positive news!
However, you say Liz Truss is planning trade talks with USA, Australia etc, but weâve been hearing this for some time now – I was under the impression theyâd started already?
April 29, 2020
it was all supposed kicking off in the New Year, (was it whispered under breath 2021?)
April 29, 2020
Off topic, the BBC is trumpeting the absurd and irrelevant fact that the Wuhan virus has now âkilled more Americans than the Vietnam warâ. Presumably this is to imply that President Trump is doing a terrible job and should be replaced by a Democrat. They do not mention that the USâs death rate per million is about 1/2 the UKâs and 1/3 of some European countries .the BBC says the USâs 1m cases âfar exceeds any other countryâ. Right, the US has done far more testing – weâve probably got well over 1m cases in the U.K. also not mentioned, as indeed it isnât here, is that the health services have coped well and been far from over-whelmed, and that the death rate is a tiny fraction of what was originally feared.
Meanwhile we hear remarkably little, except from a few Conservative MPs and other right wing commentators, about investigating the origins of the Wuhan virus and the reason itâs spread so far – the Chinese communist partyâs lies and cover ups. The left donât seem to be comfortable with the topic.
April 29, 2020
The government graphs in the daily briefings are misleading too.
Death Rate per Million is the only honest way to show these figures but they don’t.
America looks far worse than many countries when it is far better in fact. It makes us look worse too.
April 29, 2020
Trump has been a disaster.
It is amusing watching you even try to defend him.
April 29, 2020
You are in a minority.
But that is your continuing reality.
April 30, 2020
Edward2
Trump is a disaster
April 30, 2020
You are entitled to your (factless) opinion bill.
April 30, 2020
Edward 2
I do not need facts it is evident every time he opens his mouth , injection by disinfectant
April 29, 2020
He clearly is a bit of show off and a dope. But he is right on taxes, climate change and energy. Plus he is 100+ times better than the appalling Hillary Clinton, Biden or flat earth society Obama.
Boris should be far superior he just has to get real on climate lunacy and the size of the state.
April 29, 2020
Trump is head and shoulders above Boris. Thatâs why he currently enjoys over 96% support from Republicans. I think thatâs a record. Switch the British media off – you will have better information.
April 30, 2020
âHead and Shouldersâ, youâre right, and much better combed than our PM.
April 30, 2020
Lynn Atkinson
“Thatâs why he currently enjoys over 96% support from Republicans.”
Trailer trash president.
April 30, 2020
Human imagination can be a wonderful thing.
April 29, 2020
As ever you cannot dispute the facts
April 30, 2020
On hearing the BBCâs coverage I was struck how absurd and spiteful it was. Their shameless disregard for impartiality and willingness to present a distorted view is apparent in virtually all their news and current affairs coverage.
The only good thing is that increasing numbers of their listeners/viewers are recognising this. Itâs a sad reflection of our publicly funded broadcaster, but you actually often get more balance on Fox News. If you donât believe me, try it.
April 29, 2020
“We should encourage cheaper food where we cannot grow the products for ourselves”.
Perhaps we should encourage cheaper food that is associated with satiety (and potentially mental health) such as meat, eggs and dairy, rather than than cheap plant based foods, namely processed carbs, sugar and hydrogenated vegetable oils. Given the massive amount of obesity and diabetes in the UK and the effects we see this having during the CV19 epidemic, I don’t want us to import or grow cheap sugar to then consider taxing it out of the diet, this doesn’t increase the access to good nutrition…US beef does!
April 29, 2020
Caterpillar
” this doesnât increase the access to good nutritionâŠUS beef does!”
Really? I don’t believe there is another nation that is as fat and ill nourished as the Americans are.
Meanwhile India has over 500 million vegetarians, more than the rest of the world put together. Compare their slim and elegant women to their American counterparts.
April 29, 2020
Poverty creates pretty people, is that your view?
April 29, 2020
Margaret Howard,
I agree Americans have succumbed to processed carbs, sugar and hydrogenated fats. The associated illnesses have reduced their life expectancy though this has also been dramatically reduced by opiod overdoses and suicides. I do not see any of these as reasons as valid to prevent UK people access to nutrition.
I realise there are vegans that are careful to seek the missing micronutrients but this route is not be easy for everyone. In my area there are a number of vegetarians who still suffer from weight related issues and diabetes – there is a lot of sugar eaten.
Often UK media repeats the recommendation of protein at the lower end of the 10-30% range, enough to often maintain function. For many people this is too low to promote muscle gain when coupled with progressive resistance overload training (not exercise) i.e. picking up heavier things. Muscle mass increases quality life years, particularly lower body muscle mass when hip and knee operations may be delayed (the muscle mass gained in young and mid years is the pension scheme for your body).
Particularly in the elderly (over 80) there is a tendency already to under consume protein, but it is additionally not processed as well – a whey shake in the morning has been shown to help (on average). Some elderly also have problems healing open wounds. In the UK many get excellent treatment via antibiotics, compression and sometimes ‘blood thinners’ (perhaps following Doppler ultrasound), nonetheless they still may not improve. Those who additionally increase protein and for some time increase levels of some micronutrients heal.
I do not think there is any argument for denying the import of cheaper high quality nutrition.
(I have nothing against aesthetics, but I think it is still possible to move elegantly with muscle, it is not ppssible to move without muscle).
April 30, 2020
Margaret H, As usual you make up stories to bolster your prejudices. The USA is the 12th most obese nation, not the 1st as you claim. The UK is ranked 36th. (Figures: 2020 World Population Review).
April 29, 2020
Perhaps instead of Jamie Oliver we should have Mary Berry or Delia Smith on tv every day teaching people stuck at home on furlough how to make good old fashioned British meals with a touch of modern spice, garlic and ingredients people have in their cupboard using lower-priced British grown vegetables, fish, fish and more fish, British lamb products, making their own pastry. I know some families who have been celebrating because the local chippy has re-opened!
April 29, 2020
a-tracy,
Yes I support lamb and fish (if sustainable), though I find the price of lamb challenging (but you do get some omegas).
My local chippy stayed open but removed tables, also seems popular with the police on their rounds.
April 29, 2020
Barnier still thinks we are a colony of the EU. He has learned nothing from the disastrous May era.
We should walk away now.
Well we’ve saved the NHS, can we get back to normal.
I see when the statistics are presented correctly in deaths per million, we are quite low and the USA is lower.
Doesn’t fit the BBC narrative though.
April 29, 2020
We’re about one hundred times higher than Australia and New Zealand. Post-crisis, the Commons need to ask why that was.
April 29, 2020
Deaths per million in China 0.3-0.6. And stable.
Lower by two orders than in the US.
Doesn’t fit your “narrative” though.
April 29, 2020
Nor the reality
April 30, 2020
Evidence please.
April 30, 2020
The truth may come out one day.
Not easy in dreadful communist dictatorships
The figures for China are ridiculously low in comparison to their population and in comparison to every other major nation.
I expect you believe North Korea’s figures too.
April 30, 2020
Martin, Evidence yourself please. The Chinese government figures cannot be trusted – so why do you keep quoting them?
April 29, 2020
You believe those figures? I don’t.
April 30, 2020
They’re probably no more reliable than the UK’s no.
April 30, 2020
Martin, Rubbish. The UK’s figures are not 100% “accurate” not least because, without autopsies, cause of death is a doctor’s judgement. But at least we try to be accurate and are transparent. The Chinese communists are neither.
April 30, 2020
The UKs figure are far more reliable
You are being silly.
April 29, 2020
Ian Wragg
Relax. We are out. Why this constant obsession with the EU? We don’t belong any more. Just a few small details to sort out and then welcome to the brand new 51st US state. (Unless Trump changes his mind again or the electorate sees sense)
April 29, 2020
@MH; Well if the UK had to make a choice between being the 28th state of the EU or the 51st of the USA, given that the US constitution is based upon the values of the UK, given that both our legal systems are very similar (innocent until proven guilty, rather than having to prove ones innocence), given that our education systems of similar, given that the USA do use the same language -even if the meaning can be different(!), given that being the 51st state would allow freedom of movement across all 51 states, given that the combined population of the USA+UK would not be so far short of the combined population of the EU27 (important when talking about economics)…
The UK, as the 51st state, would do better who ever the POTUS is, Democrat or Republican, nor is Trump going to be POTUS for ever, another four years maximum, and with his recent gaffs there’s no certainty that he will be re elected in Nov. -hence why the right wing media in the US has begun obsessing about Biden’s past.
April 30, 2020
Well said Jerry.
April 30, 2020
No, the UK’s people would not have the rights under the US Constitution.
We are heading, absolutely, for vassalage of the most demeaning kind.
You only have to look at the asymmetry of extradition arrangements to get that.
May 1, 2020
@MiC; At least the USA authorities have to make a case, through the courts, for the extradition of a UK citizen, unlike how things are/were when someone gets named on a EAW…
April 30, 2020
Margaret H, The UK is still directly legally controlled by the EU. So we have not left. Hopefully we will do by 1 Jan 2021.
April 29, 2020
It is absolutely right that trade talks with many other countries should run in parallel with the EU negotiations as this is about the only way that will convince Barnier to stop dragging his feet. There is no problem with our standards of hygiene, animal welfare etc and he knows it. Equally we must call his bluff as he tries to impose rules on UK trade that he would never suggest to other nations.
”We have left the EU M Barnier, and you need to get that straight.
You also need to understand that on the 12th December last year your UK supporters club was told, in no uncertain terms, to stand aside. We are now deciding our own rules and regulations and will not be unreasonable. You, on the other hand, now have only 8 months to agree the detail so let’s get a move on and stop wasting time.”
April 29, 2020
George Brooks
“We have left the EU M Barnier, and you need to get that straight”
Maybe he fails to see how a country of nearly 70m people can have its future decided by a minority vote of just over 17m and still call itself a democracy.
Difficult to get ones head round to.
April 29, 2020
@MH; “[Democracy is a] Difficult to get ones head round to.”
Well yes some within the EC – like you Margaret – do have difficulty understanding very basic binary democracy! đ
After all these are same eurocrats who told Ireland to vote again because the democratic majority chose not to back the Lisbon Treaty, so no surprise that they can not accept the democratic decision of the British people.
April 29, 2020
jerry
You are insulting the Irish people. They objected to certain parts of the treaty, their concerns were listened to and addressed after which they were given another vote.
Many people here seem to have forgotten that that is how TRUE democracy works. Pity we haven’t got it as the referendum result showed when 17m people were allowed to decide the future of nearly 70m of us.
April 30, 2020
@MH; Yours is “the truth” according to Eurocrats. There was no substantive change in the text of the EU Constitution, and the Lisbon Treaty was more or less a simple re-branding of the original text.
As for Brexit voter turn-out, 33,577,342 (72.21% ) cast a valid vote, out of a total of 46,500,001 on the electoral [1].
17,410,742m of those chose to Leave (51.89%), a clear majority – it is you who neither understands democracy nor maths, what is more you are the one who insults the Irish, telling them they did not understand what they were voting on or why in their own referenda!
[1] please do not further insult our intelligences by trying to claim you know how the other 27.79% would have voted had they done so – many could well have spoilt or voted Leave as much as voting Remain
April 30, 2020
It’s over Margaret.
We are leaving the EU.
Time to come to terms with that fact of life.
April 30, 2020
democracy when all adults get to vote. Winner takes all, what part of that don’t you understand? Would you prefer the loser to win? I think I know the answer.
April 29, 2020
Your second from last paragraph, indeed we do need to define our own “high standards for food quality, animal welfare and hygiene”, not just copy what the EU has decided, nor the eco-worrier type groups want – even less use such issues to create back-door protectionism.
I’m not saying that welfare should be abandoned, just excessive remote (and largely ignorant) management of such issues.
April 29, 2020
If the UK is an advocate for free trade, perhaps the UK is a fool. Global free trade means a race to the bottom. Production will be cheapest where Labour costs are lowest. This suits large corporations but for many people in this country it means scrabbling around for a low paid job in the servic industries. We canât even make a few masks and gowns to protect health workers but plenty of people run dog walking businesses.
April 29, 2020
Policies should be adopted that suit the interests of the UK.
That does not mean a doctrinaire adherence to free trade.
Sometimes free trade will be in our interest. Sometimes it will not.
After the industrial revolution, when Britain had less competition for manufactured goods, it suited us to open up markets.
Nowadays, when low wage countries can produce many goods far cheaper, it may not always be in our long term strategic interest to allow them unfettered access to the U.K. market.
April 29, 2020
Surely the million-dollar question is how the UK should broach the issue of trade with China in the wake of the CV-19 outbreak.
On the one hand, it appears likely that the United States will condition free trade with us upon taking a hardline stance to “punish” China, while on the other hand it seems ridiculous to ignore the vast potential and mutual benefits to be gained from two-way trade with the colossal nation.
April 29, 2020
There is an aspect of trade that is not appreciated by everyone. People and countries only buy what they want to buy. Conversely people and countries only sell what others wish to buy. In international trade there should be no sense of anyone being forced to buy. Admittedly some are buyers based on price because it is all they can afford.
The EU had a trading policy that pushed its members to buy from each other rather than from outside the EU. This could distort prices paid , beet sugar rather than cane sugar is the classic example. Being free of this stricture will enable us to look elsewhere, I do not wish our trading in food in particular to be weighted against the EU, but neither do I wish to see the UK as a dumping ground for their surpluses. Specifically I have no wish to see supermarkets playing off at cost prices from the EU to the disadvantage of our farmers working on a reasonable margin. For example the way in the past that our milk industry has been decimated. Government needs to spell out the rule book to supermarkets and to monitor their activities. There needs to be mandatory clear labelling as to country of origin of all food in our supermarkets so that the shopper can make informed choices.
April 29, 2020
Britain has come to rely on overseas trade and Germany saw this as its Achilles heel a century ago like the Spanish, Dutch and French before that. It has to had to export to both survive and thrive.
Now it is even more important than ever but we need to have a good home economy to get the dynamo humming again. And the sooner the better.
The Private Sector has had to cope with much disruption from EU and the digital revolution then the internet revolution and hopefully the Public Sector has to be disrupted too. Better late than never…..
Congratulations to Boris and partner!
April 29, 2020
Dear Mr Redwood
Since the EU Import Tariffs on goods imported to Britain from outside the EU go to the European Union, there will be no big fiscal cost should decide to have no tariffs on imports from Africa, the USA, the Commonwealth and from South America. Now Britain has left the EU Britain could either choose to have zero tariffs on EU imports- or if they decide to be protectionist and force Britain to go for “No deal” then we could choose t0 put tariffs on Imports from the EU.
Given that China’s initial response to Coronavirus has been one of Cover-up whilst silencing the first medics to try and alert to what was going on- allowing a Pandemic to necessitate an Economy-Wrecking lock-down (requiring measures that risk Inflation and a threat to Government solvency to deal with), the British Government should consider imposing a big Import Tariff on goods imported from China to recoup the losses- rather than Britain having to have Economy-damaging Tax-rises internally. Lets get the money back off China.
If China retaliates by putting big tariffs on its imports from Britain the Government could raise the tariffs to (say) 50%. China would not want to lose such a valued customer when this country buys ÂŁ40 billion more from China than they buy from Britain. If we cut tariffs on the rest of the World (at little fiscal cost to us- the money went to the EU before) the net effect will still be an improved Balance of Payments, some ÂŁ20 billion extra for the Treasury per annum (much needed) and cheaper goods from elsewhere in the World. If the EU refuse to give Britain a good Trade Deal Britain could slap a 10% tariff on EU Imports- and given the volume of stuff bought from the EU that could raise another ÂŁ40 billion annually. The EU could retaliate but, as Britain buys much more from the EU than it sells, that can only improve the British Balance of Payments- which does need redressing.
An extra ÂŁ60 billion a year for the Treasury will prove vital given the National Debt will explode and given that Britain cannot just monetise its huge Debts without stoking the fires of Inflation. Britain will also have an Economy to re-build so the Treasury will need all the money it can get. Whilst the Government is at it- slashing Foreign Aid, Green subsidies and trimming the Quangos will also be vital to avoid unpopular Tax rises on the masses and to ensure Boris Johnson’s plans to “Level Up” Britain remain a reality.
Ian Pennell
April 29, 2020
I see that the government have change the working of their last test by adding:-
…..to avoid a second peak, âthat overwhelms the NHSâ
A very sensible change as a second peak is is quite possible so long as the NHS can cope we should get back to work asap.
Many commentators are complaining about prominent wealthy business owners using furloughing and government grants. But these âgrantsâ will clearly be repaid by tax payers and businesses post this crisis in higher taxation. So if they do not take them they will later be paying back grants given to competitors but not to them. Thus putting their businesses at a competitive disadvantage going forwards.
I tend to think one should keep you tax bill to a legal minimum as the government are so very inefficient and wasteful paying more just encourages this. Until they at lease cancel HS2 and get expenditure down to below 25% of GDP.
Almost anyone can think of better ways to spend money than governments (or just give it to some person or charity that can do)
April 29, 2020
Until they at least cancel HS2
April 29, 2020
“But these âgrantsâ will clearly be repaid by tax payers and businesses post this crisis in higher taxation.”
Well, they best not ask businesses that have struggled on working to repay other’s bailouts! That’s like a double insult, taking us for granted right now and asking us to applaud the NHS which can’t cope and have not prepared sufficiently for any serious outbreak let alone this one with ppe.
April 29, 2020
Oh Lifelogic, daily you never fail to amuse. Alas, to reduce government spending to 25% of GDP from its current 38% means you will have to extract ÂŁ275 billion a year from government spending; thus reducing the GDP.
It so happens that is near enough the amount the government spends on “Social Protection” (COFOG 10). State pensions and welfare benefits etc, that go to what some on this site would describe as typical Brexit “leave” voters. đ
April 29, 2020
Nonsense, it is a transfer from the largely parasitic state sector to the more productive private sector increasing GDP. 25% of GDP is more than enough for the very few things the state can do better than the private sector.
April 29, 2020
Changed the wording!
April 29, 2020
ÂŁ1.65 BILLION to vaccinate the children of 68 other countries! I have never witnessed or even imagined such total irresponsibility in my life. Boris thinks he will fire the starting gun and the machine will churn out money for him again. Boy is he in for a serious learning curve.
At all cost we must (legally) deprive the Government of money.
Ayn Randâs scenario all coming to pass.
Unbelievable.
April 29, 2020
“The US/UK Agreement could become a template for other deals worldwide by both the USA and the UK.”
It would be nice if this were to be the case. We have an opportunity to show the EU, and Macron in particular, that you do not need to be protectionist in order to be a successful, vibrant, trading nation.
April 29, 2020
Erm, you are showing Mr Macron how ânot to be protectionistâ by reimposing trade barriers and creating masses of pointless bureaucracy. Well done.
April 30, 2020
andy
Who wants to impose trade barriers and masses of pointless bureaucracy?
The policy of the UK is a future based on free trade with the whole world.
April 30, 2020
Andy, For years before the Referendum eurosceptics specifically termed the EU a customs union, not a free trade agreement. Didn’t you know that? Such a description fitted the “Fortress Europe” mentality of the EU. Each nation or bloc makes its own customs/commercial rules. It is the EU which makes those rules complex, bureaucratic and EU-nationalistic. The UK does not have to copy them.
April 29, 2020
Chris
I don’t think the EU needs a lesson from us. After all we begged to join it because we were struggling, not the other way around.
And it worked. Membership turned us from the ‘sick man of Europe’ into the world’s 5th largest economy. Now after leaving we have to send our ministers around the globe begging for crumbs off their table.
April 29, 2020
from the 5th to the 6th
you missed that bit.
April 29, 2020
… because of China and India moving ahead of the UK in the GDP table. You missed that bit.
April 30, 2020
We had little improvement after 40 years of membership.
You missed that bit.
April 30, 2020
Yes, we had, the UK passed France in the GDP table over the period 1973-2016. Did you ever look at the GDP tables and how they evolved over the years? They are easily accessible on the web, and if you had looked at the information, I guess you would not have written what you did. Oops, except if you cannot read such a table, in which case I apologise in advance to have considered you able to properly search for the information.
April 30, 2020
Edward 2
Stop preaching it gets increasinglingy boring and no facts either
April 29, 2020
No Margaret, our ministers are running around the world slapping down billions of our borrowed money on every crummy table they see. No begging dear, all giving.
April 29, 2020
Sir John.
Thank you for this information. It’s a shame that our electronic and print media cannot inform us about these things, simply concerning themselves with anything that they think is important (or more likely) damaging to the Government.
April 29, 2020
Government should be putting in place someone to ensure our countries food supply chain remains functional. As we have seen with PPE we need a coordinated response. Get ahead of the curve rather than behind it. We are already see alarming stories coming out of the USA about meat processing plants being shut down. If we don’t plan ahead we could see more panic buying here leading to shortages in the supermarkets.
April 29, 2020
A rationing system needs to be planned long in advance.
It is obvious that there are going to be global food shortages.
April 29, 2020
“Consumers don’t think things can get much worse: Morning Brief” A survey in the USA
Are consumers in the UK similarly unaware?
Wait until your father gets home from work!
See you at 4’clock outside the school gates funny face!
The people in Pakistan and India making your designer shirts have had their factories closed down, “the workers can never be defeated”( leftie chant) have gone back, on foot, for there is no transport, hundreds of miles ,back to their villages to avail themselves and their families of the absolute richnesses of no welfare benefits. Think again Dick Whittington!
When the Virus War is over, here in the UK, the other war unknown and unseen nor predicted by our wise government begins in foreign fields which we sell and buy to.
Thoughtless!
April 29, 2020
MeSet changed name?
April 29, 2020
Eh? I’ve always been MeSET not MeSet
April 30, 2020
I do apologise.
April 29, 2020
Sir JR
Interesting perspective and useful information.
Of course our trade with the rest of the world has grown faster than with the EU (although there are years where that has not been the case.) and as it has been the case for the majority of Eu countries, when you have 5 to 6 billion other people to trade with.
However, the pattern around the world is also clear, you always trade more in relative terms with the countries you are geographically closest to. (as is the case for US, Canada and Mexico as well)
Reply Not true – look at the huge imports from China
April 29, 2020
Sir JR
That does change the facts that most countries trade more with their geographical neighbours around the world, so just because there is big import from China does not change the overall trade pattern around the world
April 29, 2020
bill
One moment it is values next it is patterns.
April 29, 2020
Sir JR
the trade with Canada a much smaller nation had the same overall size as trade with China in 2018. So, not true is going a bit far
April 29, 2020
Bill B, The UK exports twice (twice) as much to the USA as we do to Germany. Last time I checked the USA was a lot further away than Germany. The UK exports more to the RoW (c59% UK exports) than we do to the EU. Most of the world is further away than the EU. Or hadn’t you noticed?
April 30, 2020
NickC
Look at ten countries we trade the most to and then look at the map, then come back and talk to me
April 30, 2020
Now switching from “exports” to “trade with”.
Trade with EU…deficit of 85 billion
Trade with rest if world in surplus.
Geography is of little concern with international trade.
For decades I found it no more complicated to trade with non EU nations than with EU nations.
April 30, 2020
look at the statistics and the facts and stop pretending that you do not know the international trade patterns
April 29, 2020
After the EU’s disastrous response to the Chinese plague virus crisis – especially the way they treated Italy – there is a good chance that the bloc may split up. We should take that into account when devising our trade agreements strategy
April 29, 2020
Public health policy, like most areas of law, is a sovereign matter for member countries.
That said, the European Union’s senior figures have acknowledged that the spirit of solidarity between members was not what was hoped it would be.
However, it was probably better than that currently shown by the English Tory/Leave voters towards Scotland.
April 29, 2020
Martin said: “Public health policy … is a sovereign matter for member countries.” Except where it isn’t. Like open borders to enable disease transmission. And blocking exports of vital medical supplies. Oh, sorry, can that be palmed off as merely a lack of a “spirit of solidarity”?
April 30, 2020
What “open” borders?
You mean like the UK’s allowing all those flights back from Italy and from China, without testing and quarantining the arrivals?
April 30, 2020
Your Labour party said restrictions on arrivals was racist.
May 1, 2020
The Tories have a majority of eighty.
What would it matter even if the party’s position were that – and it was not?
April 29, 2020
in other words the spirit of solidarity failed.
April 29, 2020
It wonât split up.
What Brexiteers have failed to understand throughout is that although you want the EU to split up, its members donât want it to split up.
April 29, 2020
Andy, Strawman!! What I and many other Leave supporters have actually stated is that either: a) the EZ will split; or b) the EZ will morph into a single economic entity with one federal treasury and fiscal policy. I, and others, have consistently expected option b) – that is no split, and said so.
April 30, 2020
Nigel Farage said the the euro “will be dead and buried by Christmas 2012” and that after brexit there would be a “domino effect”.
That was his slavish aim for his US supremacist heroes, I think.
April 30, 2020
Most Brexiteers would be happy for the citizens of the EU state-lets to be able to make that determination themselves without duress from the EU.
April 30, 2020
Scotland agrees.
April 29, 2020
Sakara Gold
No, there is not a good chance the the bloc will split up and I have that story on this blog some many times and nothing ahs happend
April 29, 2020
â… so each party can trust the otherâs system.â
With the UK already back tracking on its commitments under the Withdrawal Agreement It negotiated less than 7 months ago, I do not think the EU will be willing to trust the UK very much.
April 29, 2020
Indeed. Mr Johnson agreed to put a border in our own country. Every Conservative MP voted for it – seemingly unaware that as well as being conservatives they are supposed to be unionists.
And now it comes to actually putting in what they voted for they are backtracking. Who would ever negotiate with these charlatans?
April 29, 2020
which commitments?
April 30, 2020
FredH
Read the document and then look at the comments form the government and then we can have another talk
April 30, 2020
There has to a final deal for these things to happen.
April 30, 2020
you claim commitments but decline to state any. I don’t have to disprove, the onus is on YOU to state them. If they exist.
May 1, 2020
FredH
I couldn’t care less
April 29, 2020
We voted to be a sovereign state, not one under occupation. Any so called commitments which prevent that sovereignty will be abandoned, either by this government or the one that takes over when this one is voted out through caving in.
April 29, 2020
Good. Itâs mutual then. We need to walk away and trade on WTO terms (if any British people want to buy anything from the EU that is…)
April 29, 2020
No issue with that on this side of the Channel.
April 30, 2020
Lynn atkinson
we will always continue trading with the rest the EU and Europe that will not change
April 29, 2020
We should agree to buy food products from Turkey instead of having a blanket ban as is EU policy. We can then import cars made in Turkey tariff free.
May 2, 2020
Turkey is inside a custom union with the EU already
April 29, 2020
Why should we not charge tariffs on components which we could manufacture ourselves? Are we to be an exclusively screwdriver operation?
The vulture funds are getting ready to pounce on good British businesses whose travails result from government action and non-action. What will be the government’s policy be for ensuring that there any British businesses remaining that can trade with the world after Brexit? What will be the government’s policy for ensuring that like most civilised countries our laws will not in future be designed to facilitate the activities of parasitical filth that are incapable of creating good added value businesses of their own and so want to steal ours.
April 29, 2020
Yes Forthurst, preventing a fire sale of the UK’s remaining corporate infrastructure is a more important short-term objective than FTAs. One can only hope that Business Secretary Ashok Sharma, whose City career centred on bids and deals, will prove to be an outstanding example of the poacher turned gamekeeper. Otherwise the slide will not just continue; it will accelerate.
April 29, 2020
“All education staff are working extremely intensively for long days during lockdown” Mary Bousted said, how are they working extremely intensively for long days, what exactly have they been given to do? They were on holiday for two weeks and have been stood down for three weeks on what full pay?
April 29, 2020
Well the state sector always get full pay and usually gold plated pensions too. All paid for by people who often get virtually no pensions at all beyond the state one. They often call most state sector people âKey Workersâ. But it seems that the people who work to pay for all this are apparently often not considered âkey workersâ.
They even included âlawyersâ as key workers.
April 29, 2020
I have children.
They go to different schools – one primary, one secondary.
And the teachers have been brilliant.
They have been working in new and innovative ways. Brilliant to see.
Every penny of their salaries much deserved.
April 29, 2020
will they still be brilliant when they draw their pension?
April 29, 2020
I am grad to hear it. But if they were dreadful you would be stuck with them anyway. No freedom on choice.
April 29, 2020
How Andy, it was a genuine question, have they been setting and marking work? Have they been doing online tutorials that children can watch with answer sheets to check understanding, have they been doing zoom classes, these are all things Iâve seen private tutors doing.
April 29, 2020
Andy are your children in Private schools and arenât you in education, foreign languages wasnât it?
April 29, 2020
My neighbor is working one day each week. They have a handful of pupils and work to a rota.
April 29, 2020
When they work that day are they giving work for home schoolers? Are they marking say a reading challenge review of books or a maths test? I was just interested in what full day work Bousted said was being done because children I know havenât had anything but a phone call and I want to share good practice.
April 29, 2020
Good old Dr Mary Bousted. I do not think I have ever heard her say anything very sensible in thirty odd years. How on earth would she know that “all are working extemely intensively”? Some will be and some will not be. They are all rather safe in the knowledge they will get full pay regardless, will rarely get sacked (or made redundant) and will get a good safe index linked pension. This paid for by taxpayers many of whom will get almost no pension other than the state one.
The real problem with UK eduction is the same as the one with the NHS and the BBC. They are “free” at the point of use and thus kill most competition dead. You either take the get what you are given state option – or you have to pay three or four times over to have freedom and choice. Give everone an education voucher that they can top up and use to buy their education. Freedom and choice please not dire state monopolies.
April 29, 2020
It is clear there will be no reason to stand and clap for the teachers during this war against the virus. Sad lessons for our children, your teachers are very keen to protect themselves from the dangers of work, not all teachers, but a significant number supported by all their trade unions.
April 29, 2020
Trailers for sale or rent Rooms to let, fifty-cent No phone, no pool, no pets Ain’t got no cigarettes Ah, but two hours of pushin’ broom Buys eight by twelve four-bit room I’m a man of means by no means King of the road.
April 29, 2020
and?
April 29, 2020
AC, after Covid there will be even more desire for free world trade.
The protectionist EU with its outer walls formed from tariffs rules regulations and directives need to reform to get growth up and unemployment down.
April 29, 2020
Edward2 I read that the EU is signing free trade deals around the world with “giddy abandon”. These Asia Pacific Countries possibly don’t realise the instincts of the nationalistic EU Countries and their self-protection purchase decisions.
Today BA Unions were questioning why the UK government wasn’t bailing out our flag carrier. Companies in the UK had to make the decision to furlough some if not all their workers BA decided to pay full pay – why should furloughed workers top up BA pay?
They’re not really the UK’s flag carrier though are they domiciled/registered for tax in Spain and owned 100% by IAG I am struggling to find the breakdown of the IAG shareholders and what % are owned by the British government. You can fairly quickly find out that Air France is 81% owned by French interests inc 44% the French State and Lufthansa is nearly 69% owned by German investors.
April 29, 2020
Ted2, spot on!
“The protectionist EU with its outer walls formed from tariffs rules regulations and directives…” These gigantic outer walls sound like Jurassic Park to me, right down to being populated by dinosaurs – that is why reform is impossible! The EU won’t even acknowledge that reform is an issue! During the referendum Cameron went begging to the EU for a few crumbs of reform – so arrogant were the EU that they offered him even fewer crumbs!
April 29, 2020
Thank you Doug.
I am optimistic about our future.
I also want the EU to be a success.
They might reform, who knows.
April 30, 2020
No he asked for them to destroy its very foundations.
April 30, 2020
What “foundations” did Cameron ask them to destroy Martin?
April 30, 2020
Nonsense
Cameron demanded no such things.
April 30, 2020
He tried to tell them it was all built on shifting sands. They still don’t listen, a common failing of ruling classes until its too late.
May 1, 2020
They rightly told him what to do.
And the ultimate outcome will be to the European Union’s benefit.
April 29, 2020
The CAP and external tariffs have long been near the top of my long list of gripes with the EU.
If I understand correctly, the EU imposes a 40% tariff on imported processed foods and this has always struck me as a triple whammy.
The third world find it harder to trade themselves out of poverty.
We have more expensive food – even the things we couldn’t grow ourselves.
We have a higher foreign aid budget to help the people we are preventing from helping themselves.
April 29, 2020
evidence that the EU is basically a protectionist club, forget altruism towards the third world.
April 30, 2020
prove it please
April 30, 2020
Ask coffee growers in Africa.
May 1, 2020
which coffee growers in which countreis?
April 29, 2020
Covid19
As we know the Government is keeping us all at home.
At the same time turning both blind eyes away from those illegals landing free on our South East beaches, plain for anyone to see, and just spirited away, oh no not to be tested for Covid19 ,
This is still happening at all our boarders, people landing by Plane or boat ?
April 29, 2020
I see that Dominic Raab has committed ÂŁ330m a year for the next five years to Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, to develop a vaccine and for it to be distributed to third world countries.
I’m all for that, just as long as he takes the money out of our bloated Foreign Aid budget.
Can anyone confirm that this is the case ?
April 29, 2020
Head of cancer UK says 20,000 EXTRA cancer deaths.
Cancer accounts for 28% of deaths in the UK.
If you assume the same problem for other disease then means 72,000 EXTRA deaths because of lock down.
April 30, 2020
Conservative estimates put the number of CV deaths without lockdown or other effective measures at 250,000 in just a few months.
April 29, 2020
JR, do you support the efforts of your colleague, Damian Collins, to introduce legislation to stop the spread of ‘dangerous misinformation’ in respect of the COVID 19 outbreak, and do you support the silencing of those who may not agree with the approach taken by the government?
zorro
April 29, 2020
It is dangerous nonsense, in my view. This silencing is so obviously part of the Left’s agenda. Conservatives should have nothing to do with it.
April 30, 2020
Well much of this dangerous misinformation is coming from this government. As indeed is much dangerous misinformation on climate alarmism and energy.
April 29, 2020
No I don’t see it John- we’re not going to become a leading advocate again for free trade or anything else- our time has passed- we’ll just have to get used to the new reality- had we stayed in the EU we could have done well enough but by ourselves we are merely players not great players
April 29, 2020
Weâre not even players. Weâre substitutes. For the B team.
April 30, 2020
a bit like football in Europe – nothing much happening but plenty of claims to be the best.
April 30, 2020
Some bit player.
The world’s sixth biggest economy.
April 29, 2020
Excellent article which puts into perspective the overall threat from COVID 19 in respect of other diseases, and notwithstanding the calamitous effects of the efforts to combat COVID 19…. https://facts4eu.org/news/2020_apr_top_10_killers
Total deaths in 2018 in England and Wales were 541,589
The top three killers each year are cancer, dementia/Alzheimer’s, and heart disease – totalling 271,830 deaths in 2018
19,093 deaths have so far been linked to Coronavirus in 2020, although the cause of death is not certain in all
That’s currently 7% of the expected total of deaths from all causes, although of course, this will end up being higher
First academic study on increased cancer deaths due to focus on Coronavirus suggests nearly 20,000 extra will die this year
zorro
April 29, 2020
What are we really facing?
Why are the same people demanding continuing restrictions of liberty, the very same ones that want to thwart us leaving the EU properly & reverse it?
Why is the Govt blindly insisting on following a widely discredited ‘model’, (Ferguson) now proven to be highly inaccurate, instead of ‘real’ data (albeit manipulated) & actual evidence that now exists? Why are independent scientists who aren’t on the government payroll being ignored?
Why is any criticism of the covid19 ‘story’ being hut down & memory-holed?
Why is it that the MSM, & Govt, are ignoring the continuing ‘excess deaths’ NOT related to COVID 19?
Why is our economy is being deliberately trashed for an ‘event’ with less impact than previous years’?
Why is it that the MSM is saying that people ‘want’ their liberties & freedom restricted, much like ‘everyone’ really wanted to remain in the EU?
Why is this restriction of liberty & freedom is being repeatedly touted as ‘the new normal’?
Why is it that a virus ‘happens’ to coincide with a push for the removal of cash & possibly mandatory ‘vaccines’?
Why is it that non-locked down countries appear to have a similar outcome as those with restrictions?
Why does the Govt wish to prevent people from accessing fresh air & sunshine, known to help the immune system?
Why is there no positivity being broadcast, only more fear? Fear suppresses the immune system. A fearful people is easier to control.
Why are healthy people being quarantined/under house arrest with no end date whilst the borders are open and illegals and unchecked ‘workers’ are being imported in rubber dinghys with a naval escort?
Why are we restricted to 2 people and we cannot be closer than 2 meters?
Are they trying to stop us protesting a coup?
Why is all the broadcast media in one step with the government aims for propaganda purposes?
JR, is it cock-up or conspiracy?
zorro
April 29, 2020
having been self isolating for 12 years but still working a 70 hour week mainly at my expense always enjoy reading Sir John’s Diary as obviously do so many others hence the plethora of comments blow ? As my facebook account usually shows there is a desperate need for a Holistic Medical Diagnostic unit in the UK as the “Science” being supplied to whichever set of Politicians have a majority of votes lent is even more outdated than their “Economics”. But both despite the X7 times larger “frictionless” Free Trade EU have not had all their “non negotiable Red Lines” blown to Kingdom cummings by covid-19 so what is left for Frost to negotiate tomorrow let alone wait until 1/1/2021 or seek an extension adding how many more to the already 54 Months wrecked by TM PM +OR abject surrender ?l
April 29, 2020
Trade must be fair as well as free otherwise what is the point.
We have had “free” trade within the EU but has not been fair.
April 29, 2020
Except it has been fair.
April 30, 2020
How was it “fair” – no free trade basis for services, our major economic activity (see Lynn’s comment), EU groups bought our companies but forbade the reverse and moved operations elsewhere.
EU countries given majority fishery allocation in UK waters, what did UK get – agricultural land or mineral rights in France or Germany?
We have run a massive trade deficit with rest of EU for decades – prove it has been fair.
May 2, 2020
If the single-market is incomplete when it comes to services inside the EU, you will find it is non-existent when it comes to the rest of the world.
Good luck trying to sell financial services to US customers from outside the US. The SEC will fall on you like a ton of bricks.
For all its failings, it is (and soon was) easier for a UK based company to sell its services inside the EU than outside.
May 2, 2020
70% or our services export are already outside the EU with the US being the largest single partner.
The EU has always focused on the needs of Germany and France to the detriment of everyone else, predominantly manufacturing and agriculture. The UK leaving is a direct consequence of that EU bias and arrogance.
April 30, 2020
Fair?
Ask African nations who cannot sell coffee if it is processed or face tariffs on their products to protect EU members more expensive products.
There are hundreds of unfair protective tariffs and non tariff barriers that hit poorer nations and stop them competing.
I’m continually amazed how little you actually know about the EU you blindly love.
May 2, 2020
Have you told Welsh lamb farmers that you would like them to go out of business so that emerging market countries can better export to the UK ?
April 29, 2020
We did not have free trade with the EU. For instance the French imposed a condition that only companies with a specified insurance could operate in a specific sphere. Only French companies could get the insurance. My neighbour had a huge transport company excluded on that basis, he did more work transporting massive machinery to Fiji than in France.
April 30, 2020
Based on my experience of business with EU companies and customers I fully agree Lynn, hence “free” in quotes.
perhaps I should have put it as free
April 30, 2020
Fair to whom though? The UK does not even have fair trade in health care, energy, schools and universities, housing, transports, the BBC broadcasting and much else. The government ensures this (largely with its free at the point of use ruse that virtually prevents real competition). This does massive damage, in the case of the NHS (and indeed energy) it actually kills thousands and make millions suffer delays and incompetence.
April 30, 2020
“free” trade that results in companies and livelihoods being offshored without adequate compensation or replacement is not fair.
Unilateral free trade where no-one else practices it results in your economy being eviscerated and is plain stupid.
April 29, 2020
DM
“The UK must ‘double down’ on Brexit talks and secure a comprehensive trade deal with the EU by the end of the year to give businesses a vital post-coronavirus boost, Dominic Raab insisted today2
I thought the EU didn’t matter any longer since we have secured so many brilliant trade deals with America and the rest of the world.
April 29, 2020
You confuse the desire to continue our trade with Europe with our reluctance to subjugate our nation into being a minor part of the United States of Europe.
April 29, 2020
You desire to trade with Europe on worse terms – because that is what you voted for.
And the United States is much bigger than you. And it doesnât need a trade deal and you do. So you will do what youâre told.
Bend over and think of England!
April 30, 2020
The USA accounts for more of our export trade than any other country, without a trade agreement. It is more than double our exports to the next largest Germany.
We have bad trade with the EU, I desire a better relationship, one that limits how much they can constrain and cheat us.
April 30, 2020
The major nations of the Europe want to continue to import into the UK.
There is a natural desire for a stable relationship.
If the EU try to add tariffs and deliberately add artificial barriers then the UK can do the same.
The individual people of Europe will still want to buy UK made goods and services.
It is up to the people of the UK to decide if they want to buy USA goods and services.
The power is more with consumers in today’s internet age.
But enjoy your negative fantasy because it is all you have.
May 1, 2020
Edward 2
the preaching is becoming increasingly boring, use some of the imagination that you hopefully have left or write less, please
April 30, 2020
You continue the cake and eating it delusion.
April 30, 2020
What cake, the large trading deficit we run with the EU as opposed to the more positive trading relationships we have outside it?
April 30, 2020
The thousands upon thousands of companies selling goods and services profitably to the European Union, and the millions whom they employ couldn’t care less – and rightly so – about your trading deficit, which is simply because their market also sells back a bit more attractively to UK customers in turn.
And you are happy to smash the wrong side of the balance sheet too.
April 30, 2020
see above.
No just free trade with the whole world.
Seems some of the biggest importers into Europe are not members of the EU.
April 30, 2020
which is exactly what the EU are continuing to believe they can do.
More like ‘Let them eat cake’ where unemployment is a spreading result of protectionism.
April 30, 2020
Edward 2
USE nonsense, prove it with facts
April 29, 2020
We will secure more trade deals with the USA because we are now one of the few countries left who can afford to buy their goods, unless they find a way to produce them at least 50% more cheaply. We are going to win win win
April 29, 2020
We really need to be planning how we are going to feed the UK people without the recurrence of ‘Dig for Britain’
April 29, 2020
Dear Sir John,
You are right to bang the drum for free trade but, as you clearly know, it is more about defending what we have than going further. The pressure is going to be the other way for the next 2-3 years for reasons you have stated. May I commend a typically sensible and thought-provoking presentation by Stephen Davies of the IEA on this.
Now is not the time to bet the bank on comprehensive FTAs with either the EU or the United States. Both rightly or wrongly think the UK is the weaker party and will therefore push aggressively to our disadvantage. And any investment provisions demanded by the US lobbies would just replace the ECJ with the host of US lawyers.
A more pragmatic approach would be to seek to carry over all the recent EU FTAs with South Korea, Canada and Japan and content ourselves with building EU and US deals step by step, starting in the EU case with minimising non-tariff barriers and mutual recogition of standards. Deals with key Commonwealth partners such as India and Australia might be the next priority.
April 29, 2020
A few matters are worth considering; a) The UKâs declining share of exports and trade with the EU is as noticeable as it is rarely remarked upon; About 90% of British businesses donât export to the EU although some 20% import from the EU; b) Our total national share of trade with the EU has dropped from around 60% to nearer 40% over 30 years; c) This evolution of trading patterns has little to do with the EUâs Single Market and the tariffs which protect it and is, actually, more to do with the sclerotic nature of the EUâs inability to negotiate FTAs and the simple fact that British companies have always been good at finding markets around the world and developing these.
A useful European Commission would have concluded an agreement with the Trans Pacfic Partnership by now, although Iâd guess that this lies on the desk of a senior fonctionnaire in the Berlaymont marked for attention in 2025/2030. The blinkered, hidebound nature of the EU and its European Commission will guarantee its eventual demise. I quite liked the concept of a group of European nations sharing interests during the Cold War and I voted to ratify UK accession in 1975. This rationale ceased to exist in 1990 and a useful trading group with an outward approach to developing nations would have been worthwhile. Instead they taxed processed goods from LDCs to favour processors in the EU – coffee and tuna, for example. It’s not a very good and noble European institution. It’s quite a malignant institution in fact and I hope that it collapses quite soon and the people of Europe have another chance to build something which works for them, rather than their overlords and apparatchiks. Fat chance…
April 30, 2020
No, your typical driveway tarmaccer or roofer indeed does not export to the European Union.
The expression of a “percentage of businesses” is utterly fatuous for that reason.
April 29, 2020
Mr. G.A. Williamson CBE MP is a British Conservative politician serving as Secretary of State for Education since 2019
He is a Yorkshireman. I am a Yorkshireman. He knows the spirit in which I write. He knows it is a true story. It is! Aye.
Good luck to him!
April 29, 2020
Great to see Blairs Mrs Slagging off the Government on PPE tonight on Peston, Oh the Irony, the wife of a Man? who sent the Army to War on a lie in Snatch Land Rovers.
April 30, 2020
Good news John, thank you…appreciate the update.
April 30, 2020
I have a found a new insight in regard to environment , context, of Shakespeare
Daemonologie in 1597. Many including myself could not fathom how it could be that extremely intelligent people of the time and even by our modern standards could mention witches in they way they did.
The powers-that-be were beset with lawyer-class-thinking aiming to seize power. They did.
How would the aristocrats have explained Mr Graph in our modern context of a mindset as in health “experts” adjudged by “lawyer” thinking in Cabinet… seeming good but actually evil in practice, putting people in line?
I shall chase this line of linguistic and literary enquiry as one hunts the fox.
One has to see the diamond in all its facets.
My upcoming book is far beyond you! Cosmic!
April 30, 2020
We may as well propose tariff free trade on all finished industrial goods and all items forming part of a supply chain in negotiations with all countries as our initial negotiating strategy.
The EU will be the most difficult to deal with. An important first step will be to prevent parliament from extending the transition period. Since any request for an extension must be made by 30th June, that ought to be easy. In spite of what Mr Barnier says, it would be very easy for the UK and the EU to agree tariff free trade on industrial goods and supply chain items.
That would mean that UK/EU negotiations could concentrate on fishing, agriculture and services. There is going to be a clash over fishing rights in UK waters. Ideally, we want British ships to have 100% of the rights. In practice, we would have to calculate the cost of enforcing that and what we would do with the fish that we couldn’t sell in the UK. Allowing EU ships to fish 25% of a quota determined by the UK would be OK for a 5 year transition period but it would have to be a bureaucratic system – licenses for nominated EU boats with nominated maximum catches.
In the case of agriculture, we should determine what % of agricultural produce we want to produce in the UK – I suggest 70% – and import the remainder from the cheapest safe sources of supply. That would probably mean the US and New Zealand gaining at the expense of EU countries.
We are not going to get free trade in services with EU Member States; in practice, language is a formidable barrier, except possibly in the world of financial services.
Sir John will know the details better than me but as I understand it, we tried to get the EU to agree to a Single Market in services after the Maastricht Treaty became law, but failed repeatedly.
April 30, 2020
Edward 2
USE nonsense, prove it with facts
April 30, 2020
look at the statistics and the facts and stop pretending that you do not know the international trade patterns