The benefits of taking back control

The establishment media has been concentrating on the Dover Calais route and expressing concern that there were no lorry queues there on our first Brexit days. Where were all the programmes to look at our options now we are free? The BBC , ever willing to interview me when they thought Brexit was in danger, wanted no statements from me of all the things we can now do as an independent country.

So let me have another go at reminding them what they are missing, and how they are failing to inform their viewers and listeners.

We take back control of our taxes. The Tampon tax goes, and I want to see the back of the taxes on green products from boiler controls to insulation, from heat pumps to draught excluder. Why did the Remain media defend these taxes?

We take back control of our farms. We can now offer grants and loans to promote more British food to high standards. cutting the food miles. We need to win back lost market share in everything from pig meat to flowers and from salad crops to dairy. We can now ban live exports of animals and raise our welfare standards by so doing.

We take back control of our trade policy. We can now hope to join the mighty Trans Pacific partnership of large and growing economies and move through that to a US trade treaty, denied to us during 48 years in the EU running our trade policy.

We can take back control of our fishing grounds. Immediately the government will ban pulse fishing which damages our fish stocks and marine environment. There now needs to be a big move to expand capacity of our fishing fleet ready for our full control at the end of a further transition period. We also need to attract more food processing and fish freezing businesses to support the trawlers.

We can take back control of our industrial grants and subsidy regimes. All too often in the EU they used grants and subsidies to divert investment away from the UK or even to achieve closure of a UK factory to be replaced by a facility elsewhere. Now we can spend our money wisely on helping rebuild lost manufacturing.

We can take back control of our Freeport and Enterprise Zone policy, creating many more around the UK as part of the levelling up drive without falling foul of EU rules.

We can as a nation resume our rightful place on world bodies, with our own vote and voice to be a force for the good, for peace, prosperity and democracy.

250 Comments

  1. BW
    January 11, 2021

    Sir John. I read an article in the Express which suggested we cannot ban EU super trawlers from our waters. Is this report true.

    1. Grey Friar
      January 11, 2021

      It certainly is true. Boris has signed up to a whole truckload of commitments to follow the EU line, long into the future. You’ve been had

      1. a-tracy
        January 11, 2021

        GF, do you have a handy list of this ‘truckload of commitments’ for us to read?

        1. Grey Friar
          January 12, 2021
          1. Grey Friar
            January 12, 2021

            ps I know it’s long- nearly 1500 pages – but that tells you all you need to know about how tightly we are tied into the EU, but now with no say. I feel a bit sorry for you but you need to take it up with those Brexiters who promised you we hold all the cards, German carmakers will run to our rescue etc

          2. a-tracy
            January 12, 2021

            Thank you. I have saved it for reference. Our government now need to distil this into categories and rules for easier consumption.

            No need to feel sorry for me, as you were.

      2. Hope
        January 11, 2021

        Popular M&S Percy Pig sweets do not conform to place of origin rules and are now heavily taxed.

        M&S UK company, sweets manufactured in Germany brought to U.K. and from here distributed to other EU countries. Now subject to tax entering back to EU! This applies to a host of other UK businesses and goods, like John Lewis and others.

        Pity Johnson and co did not think this through or advise UK companies to change manufacture and Jobs to U.K. Alternatively WTO.

        1. a-tracy
          January 11, 2021

          Hope, itā€™s only just begun, wonā€™t UK companies just make these manufacturing decisions for themselves once they get their head around the changes?

          1. Mark B
            January 12, 2021

            You have to look at the Continental System employed against by Napoleon us to see what the effects might be. Put simply, we will seek markets elsewhere. Our trade with them will diminish and they will cease to be a factor in our lives.

          2. Hope
            January 12, 2021

            ATracey,
            I hope all U.K. Companies will bring back manufacture of goods back to U.K. to create jobs here.
            It would be good to get the likes of Ford to change back to Southampton. But with Johnson’s insane green destruction of the economy I won’t hold my breath. He has got to go for our health wealth and prosperity.

            JR and chums allowed May far too long in office before she was brought down, look at the terrible WA and NIP. Warn Johnson he will have his knees chopped unless he changes direction fast.

            Stuff the EU.

      3. NickC
        January 11, 2021

        Grey, We told you we’d been had. But you Remains kept saying we left on 31-01-2020 and then again on 31-12-2020. Actually we’re now still looking for the promised lorry queues.

        1. a-tracy
          January 11, 2021

          Those are just on the other side Nick where we read Dutch customs officials confiscate ham sandwiches, drivers were warned of this over a week ago so why did they persist unless to make a headline. One Dutch customs officer replied: ā€œNo, everything will be confiscated. Welcome to Brexit, sir, Iā€™m sorry.ā€

          Pathetic and petty but if that is how things are to be then Boris needs to step up.

          1. Mark B
            January 12, 2021

            There is no stepping up from him.

          2. a-tracy
            January 12, 2021

            I’ve been doing some reading to try to understand the Dutch position on ham sandwiches.
            The UK is a net importer of pig meat, currently importing around 60 per cent of all the pork it consumes. Denmark is the dominant supplier, accounting for over a quarter of all UK pork imports. Together with Germany and the Netherlands, they account for 60 per cent of imports. The EU supplies virtually all the pork imported into the UK, due to the high import tariffs on pork from elsewhere.

            Did the BBC say this in their article about ham sandwiches or do they only show half the story.

    2. a-tracy
      January 11, 2021

      I read in the press at the weekend that Boris had licenced seven super trawlers to fish in UK water, if so why? What did he secure in return for this?

      All weekend, musicians and performing artists have been frantic on Twitter saying they don’t have musician passports to perform in the EU, it seems we agree to all sorts and have demanded nothing in return. It’s time for Boris to come clean on just what is in the small print of the Withdrawal Agreement. They are also claiming an EU ‘anonymous source’ reported the EU offered a 90 days working visa and the UK rejected it, is this true?

      1. hefner
        January 11, 2021

        Isnā€™t it beautiful, these seven super-trawlers had been condemned for years by Greenpeace.
        Now suddenly some people here are getting all hot under the collar because at least one of these (Margiris) has been reported in the North Sea and might do to British waters what they had done to Australian, Mauritian , and West African waters.

        A sudden Damascene conversion to Eco-warrior?

        1. a-tracy
          January 11, 2021

          Whatā€™s your problem Hefner? Can you answer the question I asked, if not buzz off.

          1. Hope
            January 12, 2021

            Ryan air provide cheap flights, let the audience come here to spend their money.

            People flock from around the country to Glastonbury.

            Hef, perhaps people thought the EU was in control under CFP so had no choice. Could you confirm the position please.

          2. hefner
            January 12, 2021

            Bzzzzzzzzzzz, btw I love your open mind …

          3. hefner
            January 15, 2021

            I must admit I am flabbergasted by people like a-tracy or Hope who ask questions the answer to which are in the public domain and become quickly getting hot under the collar when one points out their inadequacy at finding the answers for themselves.

            Keyboard warriors? Hardly …

          4. a-tracy
            January 18, 2021

            NickC answered me below hefner when you chose not to or couldn’t. Yet you come back three days later making snarky comments, the answer to my question wasn’t in the public domain and I was seeking the ‘wisdom on the crowds’ from well-read people on this blog who don’t just resort to sarcasm and seem to target certain people with their potshots.

        2. NickC
          January 12, 2021

          Hefner, Not “suddenly” at all. Many of us (Leaves, that is) have been opposed to super trawlers, pulse fishing, and the EU stealing fish from African coastal states for years. Even the Mail and Express have been featuring this for years!

          Your comment is typical Remain projection – you’ve only just discovered how exploitative and light fingered the EU is (though we’ve been telling you for years) so you imagine we’ve only just discovered it too.

          1. Hope
            January 13, 2021

            So Hef concedes CFP did apply and U.K. Had no choice. Therefore redundant comment from Someone who consistently looks down his hoity nose asking for fact/ research.

      2. Martin in Cardiff
        January 11, 2021

        There was a Select Committee to examine the ramifications of what has been agreed.

        Rees-Mogg has disbanded it.

        You will have to wait for all those affected to voice their concerns.

        I don’t know really where to start in pointing you at people – fishermen, musicians, students, second home owners, importers…

        1. a-tracy
          January 11, 2021

          Martin,
          All Iā€™m asking is it true that our government were offered a 90 day visa free working pass and they refused it or not? What were the UK asked for in return?

          Does this mean that artists from the Eu can no longer perform in the UK without visas?

      3. NickC
        January 11, 2021

        A-tracy, Apparently the UK offered a more extensive (“ambitious” in current political jargon) visa arrangement, which the EU rejected. I am surprised that this government is still surprised by the intransigence and obstinancy of the EU. What else do they expect from the EU?

    3. Fred H
      January 11, 2021

      If not we can confront them, insist on checking for illegal netting etc and disrupt their activities. You know, a full on irritation which the French have done to us for decades.

      1. Martin in Cardiff
        January 11, 2021

        Unlike the French, irritated Englishmen cannot bring their target’s country to a panic-buying meltdown, can they though?

        1. Fred H
          January 11, 2021

          what rubbish. Where is all this panic buying Martin. Cardiff running out of Brain’s beer is it?

          1. Northern Monkey
            January 12, 2021

            Without the word “beer” you would have been equally correct.

    4. None of the Above
      January 11, 2021

      It has been a while since I read the Agreement but I am fairly sure there was no mention of any fishing specifications and methods as such. The main principal on UK regulatory powers seemed to be that whatever the proposed changes were, they had to apply to EU and UK boats equally. Disputes would be discussed at joint committee level.
      Some may argue that banning factory fishing vessels would be one-sided and therefore could be disputed but there has been no apparent dispute over the banning of pulse fishing. A previous contributor has said that it was reported that the PM has licensed some ‘Super Trawlers’. This suggests that we have Sovereignty over our waters and that the PM had a good reason for granting such licenses.

    5. BW
      January 11, 2021

      With no answer. I take it Sir John we cannot ban super trawlers from our waters. This is only disappointing because you said on your blog that the government should move immediately to ban them. So can we or canā€™t we ban the EU super trawlers.

      Reply I am pursuing this issue with the government

      1. Mark B
        January 12, 2021

        Reply to reply

        Thank you Sir John

        But if we have already offered people a license then I feel we should honour it.

      2. a-tracy
        January 12, 2021

        Sir John, perhaps you need a bigger grouping within your party it seems the party leadership keep ignoring you. Perhaps the new red wall seats, they would benefit from your experience.

  2. Mark B
    January 11, 2021

    Good morning

    . . . Ā levelling up drive without falling foul of EU rules.

    Ahem ! But I thought we left ?

    Banning pulse fishing was a positive move and one I was very grateful to see. But we can do better ! We now need to look at those factory ships and drag nets. These also must go.

    I watched an episode on YouTube of, Harry’s Farm, where he said that a certain government policy of subsidy is being phased out. He stated that this is being replaced by something else but the information the government has released is poor. I will need to go back and research more on this but it seems another government mess in the making which will cost people their livelihoods and homes. Not good. Still, they can always sell their land to developers for all those new comers the government wants šŸ˜‰

    1. Everhopeful
      January 11, 2021

      The whole thing is underpinned by the notion that the UK risks catastrophic climate change disasters if farming methods do not change.
      Basically the size of farm will no longer dictate the amount of subsidy given. Money will be dished according to animal welfare, access to land, protection of beautiful views etc etc.
      Sounds something like ā€œ flatten the curve in two weeksā€.
      Say no more!

      1. Mark B
        January 12, 2021

        Yes, it sounded something like that. Money for planting trees etc.

        Ta !

    2. Mike Wilson
      January 11, 2021

      It is interesting how Mr. Redwood never explains why his government allows, indeed – encourages, ludicrously high levels of immigration. I read recently that 80% of the pressure to build hundreds of thousands of houses each year comes from the huge and constant increase in our population.

      Reply I disagree with the policy!

      1. Hope
        January 11, 2021

        Today France announces tougher customs controls for goods from the U.K.

        1. Old Salt
          January 11, 2021

          Seems the EU are trying to strangle the UK into submission.

          Now with NI still effectively in the EU. Just how much are we paying the EU for them to stay in? Not to mention Horizon and many other signed up to organisations.

          Not heard much about our costly involvement in the Galileo project lately.

          Brexit it is not!

          1. hefner
            January 12, 2021

            On http://www.gov.uk 27 March 2019 there was a description of ā€˜Satellites and space programmes if thereā€™s no Brexit dealā€™.

            This was superseded by another document on the same site dated 31 December 2020 ā€˜UK involvement in the EU space programmeā€™ explaining the present situation w.r.t. Galileo, Copernicus and Space Surveillance and Tracking.

            Related to SS&T, as I had already pointed out in the past, a French company, Collecte Localisation Satellites, has won the licence to monitor British fishing boats (Times, 13/10/2019).

            Take back control … or not?

    3. Hope
      January 11, 2021

      No Mark, there is much following. There will be improvements aka closer alignment by stealth. Fisheries was a total sell out, you would not know that from JR blog. If the UK reduces the EU quota after 2026 UK pays EU compensation! We pay them to get back a bigger share of fish in our territorial waters! No mention by JR says how specious his blog is.

      Technically U.K. takes back control, but if it does there are severe punishments! So severe U.K. Will not do so. But allows spin and false hope like the blog today.

      ECHR and its court still above All UK courts and laws. That is not taking back control. If U.K. leaves EU can cancel association agreement in 15 days. It means it prevents U.K. Deporting boat people!

      Reply I criticised the fishing deal here and in Parliament at the time and am pressing for improvement.

      1. a-tracy
        January 11, 2021

        Where are all the ‘boat people’ immigrants being accommodated now? The UK don’t have to house them or locate them in Cities, if we need people to work on the fields as we grow more of our own then there need to be accommodation blocks on farms and we need to stop people being idle for years at our expense.

        1. Hope
          January 12, 2021

          A-Tracey,

          Oh yes the U.K. does. Johnson stupidly signed up to the ECHR. Slim chance of getting rid of them. Hotels, army camps etc.

          Javid boasted as HS how he changed from housing them at detention centers. Stupidity in action. Then the govt cannot find them. The 250,000 May lost and the 52,000 Rudd lost! You would have thought Javid would have had more brains than his act of stupidity.

          All EU acts these were to u dermi e Brexit. EU signed finance pact with China last week, no ECHR, level playing fields. Willing to accept concentration camps and slave Labour, but EU claimed it would help change China by engaging! Lies and spin.

          The U.K. should have been better at negotiating. Hopefully, UK govt working out how to prepare without a “deal” and terminate the surrender association agreement with the EU.

      2. Hope
        January 11, 2021

        JR, I appreciate what you might want. However the association surrender agreement has been agreed by parliament. How are you going to achieve “improvements” without severe punishment or leaving?

        I have not read or heard a single word from Fisheries that this is not anything but a sell out. The polished turd Johnson told us about.

        Today we read and here on TV news channels how one in four lorries to N.Ireland turned back because of incorrect paperwork. English cheese not allowed and in short supply. Goods travelling in our own country monitored by EU inspectors on our soil. Johnson said no paperwork or border down Irish Sea. Could you explain or did Johnson lie?

      3. Qubus
        January 11, 2021

        And whilst I donā€™t want to appear carping, why does everyone bang-on about removing the tax on tampons. It really is a triviality.

      4. Simeon
        January 11, 2021

        Sir John, it’s good of you to reply to Hope’s post, and I don’t doubt that what you say in your reply is true. But it is everything else that Hope says to which you didn’t reply that reinforces the points Hope made. Thank you for your honesty.

        1. Mark B
          January 12, 2021

          +1

      5. ChrisS
        January 11, 2021

        Exact figures on fishing catches and consumption are hard to come by but it seems very likely that the fish that is actually caught in UK waters and consumed in the UK, is greater in weight and value than the share of overall fish that the agreement gives us, even after five years.

        Is there any reason why our rebuilt UK fishing fleet cannot be designed to catch 100% of what we consume in the UK ? If we don’t export anything, the EU cannot charge tariffs on it.

        We would then be free to choose whether we also catch fish for export, or we charge a licence fee for the fish that we allow EU boats to catch in our waters and be consumed by EU citizens.

    4. a-tracy
      January 11, 2021

      We may have to rely on Greenpeace to defend our natural waters if this government won’t, perhaps they should get an online funding platform going to defend the ocean from super trawlers.

      You don’t know what to believe is true anymore with the UK media. The UK press don’t understand why people are looking to social media, they should look at themselves, they never give proper UK ministers a platform instead they talk to ex-mps like Tony Blair and John Bercow just to stir up trouble, they are yesterday people we need to hear more from the people we elected to represent us.

      1. Mark B
        January 12, 2021

        Greenpeace are pro-EU. Bought and paid for. Plus. They are watermelons.

        1. a-tracy
          January 12, 2021

          Ahhh. šŸ‰ I wondered why they werenā€™t active on this issue. I was only aware of the over fishing when that Hugh chef chap was talking about throwing fish back dead and I just canā€™t stand waste.

  3. Ian Wragg
    January 11, 2021

    We can but will we.
    Already we see we cantban super trawlers from our waters.
    The civil Serpents will do everything to keep us aligned.
    Vigilance is the key word.

    1. Simeon
      January 11, 2021

      Who is going to be the vigilant? Do you honestly think that any of the politicians are capable, let alone willing? Can the electorate be expected to put their lives on hold to scrutinise public policy, even if they were inclined so to do? And were there a large enough constituency desiring to elect good representatives, who can they possibly vote for? Sadly, vigilance doesn’t even begin to cut it.

    2. Hope
      January 11, 2021

      Ian,
      Of course not. No Govt. strategy let alone direction to work towards. Govt has still not sorted all red tape and paperwork, despite Johnson stating there would not be any!

      JRs blog is about spin and propaganda. UK Govt. can outlaw smoking on the streets of Paris, but will never be able to enforce or have any practical purpose.

      Has the business dept got a plan for implementing free ports? No.

      Has Defra got a plan to regain cheap farming produce to the scale we had before joining EU-warned by Powel, Ben and others- that butter would double in price because of CAP? No.
      Current govt plan is to build on every green space available for its mass immigration policy!

    3. DavidJ
      January 11, 2021

      Indeed Ian; the enemy within has yet to be defeated. That battle needs to start with the restoration of robust Treason and Sedition Law. Maybe the mandarins won’t be so keen to serve the EU if they can be out on their ears with neither compensation nor pension.

  4. Stephen Priest
    January 11, 2021

    This all means nothing while we continue to live under the COVID DICATORSHIP

    1. Sharon
      January 11, 2021

      +2

    2. Simeon
      January 11, 2021

      The Covid scandal is the only issue that really matters. Brexit was the canary in the mine, and it is now dead. A little depressing, but hardly surprising, that Sir John has produced another wish list – much of it troubling when you pause to consider.

      1. Hope
        January 11, 2021

        A wish list accurately describes the blog today without a clue how “improvements” could be achieved without severe punishment or leaving association surrender agreement. Parliament has agreed the terms!

        1. Simeon
          January 11, 2021

          Agreed.

          1. Dennis
            January 14, 2021

            Agreed.

    3. Lifelogic
      January 11, 2021

      +1

    4. Sir Joe Soap
      January 11, 2021

      Which says you shouldn’t venture out for a walk in the country abut you can fly in from Dubai or anywhere else and wander home via public transport, supermarkets etc.
      Very odd.

      1. Christine
        January 11, 2021

        And all the people with dual nationality and residency can freely fly back and forth between countries whilst we Brits are imprisoned here as second class citizens. We now hear the mutated virus came from Nigeria and South Africa. We should put in restrictions that people can only fly once and then must stay put in their main country of residence.

        1. Lynn
          January 11, 2021

          What about outlawing second citizenship altogether? Many countries do that, until recently, South Africa for example.

    5. DavidJ
      January 11, 2021

      Indeed Stephen.

    6. Chezza
      January 11, 2021

      + 1

    7. Barbara
      January 11, 2021

      Exactly. If an enemy had managed to invade us at any point during 1939-45, and confined every single person in the country to indefinite house arrest, would we have been obediently sitting around considering what we ā€˜mightā€™ be able to do, if and when they finally chose to ā€˜relax their regulationsā€™?

      I donā€™t think so.

  5. David Peddy
    January 11, 2021

    And we will apparently have fewer Irish lorries clogging our roads and air for no benefit to the U.K
    Let’s hope that BoJo’s administration builds on these opportunities as JR suggests above with radical tax changes, free ports and regional development grants
    It is clear from reading this and Briefings for Britain that JR and his ERG colleagues are going to be kept busy keeping an eye on this and what the EU is getting up to behind our backs

    1. Martin in Cardiff
      January 11, 2021

      Perhaps a giant set of net curtains should be erected atop the cliffs of Dover to twitch at the Continent?

      1. agricola
        January 11, 2021

        Well as an ace curtain twitcher on the reaity of life, your suggestion should suit you admirably. Try buying a telescope, though I wouldn’t bet on which end you prefer to look out of.

      2. Glenn Vaughan
        January 11, 2021

        Childish nonsense!

      3. Mike Wilson
        January 11, 2021

        Net curtains all around the country are twitching as neighbours check to see if others are leaving their house more than once a day.

      4. Sir Joe Soap
        January 11, 2021

        I think you’ll find the twitching about quality of goods is all on the part of the EU. Which side of the channel lets goods in as they did 2 weeks ago and who puts up twitchy restrictions for no good reason?

        You really need to turn about and see reality.

      5. Fred H
        January 11, 2021

        we can all see the EU curtains before we reach the French/Belgian/Dutch coast!

      6. NickC
        January 11, 2021

        It’s you who has constantly demanded more and harsher lockdowns, Martin, trying to make out ordinary people as criminals. In contrast the EU really are out on parole – they definitely need supervision!

    2. eurggh
      January 11, 2021

      Discounted ERG when I read they bang their desks like schoolboys. Not manly. Also the Spartan self labelling.

      Reply Not at the meetings I attend!

      1. Fred H
        January 11, 2021

        If I had banged my desk I’d have been expelled.

      2. eurrgh
        January 12, 2021

        Whats the % of creme eggotists in the ERG ?
        Whats the % in the general population ?
        70 v 2
        Thats why there is a problem.

    3. Simeon
      January 11, 2021

      Sir John and the ERG are not just worse than useless, but actually complicit in preserving Tory power, and therefore EU influence.

      1. NickC
        January 11, 2021

        Simeon, Our soft Brexit (eg: EU supertrawlers, Northern Ireland annexed by the EU) is hugely disappointing. And very predictable from a set of politicians like Boris who do not understand the principle that sovereignty must never be given away for mere trade. But that’s not JR, I’m sure.

        1. Simeon
          January 11, 2021

          Calling it a soft Brexit is putting a very positive spin on things šŸ˜‰

          Whatever Sir John’s personal views, they evidently have little, if any, bearing on actual policy. Perhaps if his fellow ERGers subscribed to the position Sir John has articulated in the past, particularly pre-Blowers, then we might have had a slightly less soft Brexit. Regrettably, Sir John’s influence within the ERG is limited, as his abstaining, whilst all but one of the others voted ‘for’, illustrates. Given this, I stand by my comments. The alternative is that Sir John is truly in broad agreement with both the ERG and his party, rather than merely effectively in broad agreement.

    4. Timaction
      January 11, 2021

      Indeed the road tax from Irish lorries needs to reflect the true costs of the journey plus the punishment clause on how they worked with the EU to undermine our Union. Revenge is a dish best served cold. Don’t buy Irish beef or products.

      1. Hope
        January 11, 2021

        It should be no surprise shortage of English cheese in N.Ireland today. 1 in 4 lorries prevented from going there. Might it be to force buying RoI agri goods? Of course it is. What is Gove and Johnson doing!

        Do not buy RoI food products at all.

        1. a-tracy
          January 11, 2021

          This is pathetically weak if 20% of British lorries are held up going to a British region. What has Gove done here, what is he doing to do quickly to sort this out?

          The RoI need to start playing nice or we need to start playing hard ball.

      2. M Davis
        January 11, 2021

        Better still, just buy British, whatever and whenever. Long live Britain!

  6. Teffer
    January 11, 2021

    Not a single competent economist thinks any of this remotely compensates for the loss of frictionless access to the worldā€™s biggest and best single market. Brexit just got real on 1 January, and all over the country traders are realising how much new red tape Brexit brings

    1. Roy Grainger
      January 11, 2021

      But you said there would be food shortages. Where are they ?

    2. agricola
      January 11, 2021

      So you decree on the competence of economists and the size of the EU market. I would have thought that the US, China, and India were all potentially larger, though perhaps less convenient. The EU market is still there, just the paperwork has changed. It is different when we sell on WTO rules, and most of it is exchanged electronically. The great advantages of Brexit are that we are free to engage in trade with whoever we wish in the World minus EU control, and we can buy from around the World free of EU protectionist tariffs. Look on you pot as half full and filling.

    3. Mike Wilson
      January 11, 2021

      Given the huge trade deficit with the EU, less trade will be good in the long run. Iā€™m surprised we can export anything given that both the current and previous governments have done everything they can to inflate the price of the thing all of us need – a roof over our head. Add to that their love affair with globalisation and the encouragement of outsourcing to move our manufacturing abroad and as I said, itā€™s a miracle we can competitively manufacture and export anything.

      1. Mark B
        January 12, 2021

        +1

    4. Mike Wilson
      January 11, 2021

      Yes, one sees what you did there.

      Not a single COMPETENT economist thinks …

      So, any economist who disagrees with COMPETENT economists must be incompetent. Well, name calling is one way to try to make an argument.

      Also, isnā€™t ā€˜competent economistā€™ the best example in the English language of an oxymoron?

      Reply The competent economists are the Establishment ones who missed the Banking crash in their forecasts and who thought the ERM would usher in a “golden scenario” !

    5. Timaction
      January 11, 2021

      Freedom has a price. Begone to your masters in Brussels. They will soon realise that market and capitalism, plus blackmail has a price at their expense when we can buy their produce cheaper elsewhere. In four to five years our shopping bills will reduce as they increased when we joined to fund French farmers!

    6. Sir Joe Soap
      January 11, 2021

      Group think
      Nobody thought about a non-flu type virus hitting us. Cygnus was all about a different type of virus.
      Nobody knows 100% certain of the future economic benefits of being independentbut 52% of us had a pretty good hunch.

    7. Robert McDonald
      January 11, 2021

      Plenty of economists in fact think opening up the world for freer trade is a far better option than the so called “single market”. Its never been free, costing us 20 billion a year or so to be a member, it’s certainly not the biggest as the world is far far bigger and getting bigger by the day, its not been frictionless as seen by frequent queues of lorries due entirely due to the French petty fights amongst themselves and indeed us, and red tape in a age of computers will always have minimal effect. Oh, and the “single market” has never been single … it’s always been easy to buy non eu goods in the uk sold at competitive costs … and of course the market has been singularly sloped towards German and French goods.

    8. Shirley M
      January 11, 2021

      Frictionless access is good, but it came with too many costs and disadvantages.

      1. Nig l
        January 11, 2021

        Such as? Cost/benefit please or else for me a generalised statement of little value/truth?

      2. John Hatfield
        January 11, 2021

        +1

    9. a-tracy
      January 11, 2021

      This is quite a claim, not one single economist (I take it that this ‘competent’ means qualified) thinks Brexit will compensate the UK for the loss of frictionless trade with the EU.

      Sir John, don’t you know any qualified economists that believe otherwise?

      Reply I have always forecast that if we follow the right policies out of the EU we will have a slightly faster growth rate than if we stayed in. But then I dared to disagree with the Establishment economists over the impacts of the ERM and banking crash. They always want to be wrong together.

      1. Dennis
        January 11, 2021

        So JR doesn’t know any qualified economists that believe otherwise.

        Reply I have financial qualifications. See also the work of Tim Congdon, an Economics Professor.

        1. Nig l
          January 11, 2021

          Plenty of comment that the EU will decline in terms of size of market v world trade and we will grow.

          Equally how can any of them know what the effect will be for instance when/if we join other large free trading blocs/we get our free ports up and running, possibly cut corporation tax etc.

          Once again a narrow view from a closed mind.

        2. M Brandreth- Jones
          January 11, 2021

          Preparing the way for economic recovery doesn’t take into account this latest wave of covid though.

        3. Dennis
          January 14, 2021

          0% for giving an irrelevant reply to my comment.

      2. Martin in Cardiff
        January 11, 2021

        Have you sent that letter to PE Biden yet, John?

        Reply Yes

    10. Qubus
      January 11, 2021

      Werenā€™t we all told trading with the EU after Brexit would be a piece of cake; they would be falling over themselves because of the enormous imbalance between our trading. Well, they arenā€™t, partly because they were more intent on being vindictive than good partners. However, where do we go from here?

      Incidentally, I read that Germany is in trouble with other members of the EU because it broke ranks to buy the Covid-19 vaccine independently, rather than maintaining solidarity with the other 26.

    11. NickC
      January 11, 2021

      Teffer said: “Brexit just got real on 1 January [2021]”. You need to have a word with your Remain mates (Andy, Martin, Margaret, etc) who seemed to think “Brexit got real” on 31 Jan 2020. And the Referendum did not ask only economists, but the entire electorate of the UK. And we thought we’d be better off out. And still do.

  7. Sea_Warrior
    January 11, 2021

    Some good ideas, Sir John. But I really think that you and the rest of the ERG need to harry ministers at Departmental Questions in the House, demanding updates on progress with ‘benefits realisation’. I get the impression that Boris doesn’t really care anymore.

    1. David Peddy
      January 11, 2021

      Hear , hear

    2. turboterrier
      January 11, 2021

      Sea Warrior

      Immpressions and perceptions is all there really is at the end of the day, and for each individual they are never wrong.

    3. a-tracy
      January 11, 2021

      Hasn’t Rees Mogg disbanded the ERG? It should be renamed the Brexit Realisation Group the BRG and get a blog, move Jacob Rees Mogg with the times so that we don’t have to rely on the negative newspaper stories alone.

      Reply No Mr Rees Mogg has not disbanded it, and as a Minister is not a member whilst in office. It still works away at using our freedoms

    4. Peter
      January 11, 2021

      Boris does not care. Your impression is well founded. He can claim to have delivered Brexit and the media have sung his praises. Thatā€™s all Boris cares about.

      It will be interesting to see how the new Reform party acts. They are doing some promotion in Scotland, but I get the impression they will hold fire until the Government is at an all time low with the public. There is still a way to go on that.

      All that is required of Reform is to draw votes from the Conservative party and let them go the way of The Whigs. Forget about winning seats. Itā€™s a long game and removing an option for election the comfortable globalist/centrist types is the first stop. Cameron could have stood as a Liberal Democrat – but the Conservative Party is an easier route for old Etonians. The Labour Party would be a non starter for Etonians. Once the cosy two party set up is broken the country can start to rebuild. Labour is already too broken to do any more damage than the Tories despite what they might want you to believe.

      1. Lynn
        January 11, 2021

        Blair did OK, old-Fetters.

        1. Mark B
          January 12, 2021

          Blair inherited and economy that was about to flourish. He and Brown benefited from a Tory Party at war and Party Leaders with zero charisma. When they finally got a real right winger, (IDS) they stabbed him in the back.

  8. Martyn G
    January 11, 2021

    Sir J, it is hard sometimes to discern the truth of what lies behind the new fishing arrangements but it would appear that one of the drivers of the transitional period was to ensure we can continue to draw on electrical energy supply from Europe -largely France I think.
    Is that true? If so it confirms that our own energy sources are unable to provide us with enough power to run the nation and how insane it has been (and still is) to run down our own critical supply sources in a madcap drive to show how green we are. Also, perhaps, that a political spat with a nation upon whom we rely to keep our lights on could end with our lights going off without in any way reducing the whole world CO2 emissions. I suspect that we shall find the transitional agreement will have to be extended and perhaps become permanent.

    1. Timaction
      January 11, 2021

      6-8% of our electric and gas supplies comes from the EU via interconnectors. So lobby your MP to ensure we are not held to ransom by our “EU friends”! Then we can get our fish back.
      Germany is still building coal powered stations it’s just our (Princess) Nut Nut jobs who think we can supply our energy from………..the wind!
      We really do need an overhaul of our political class. When they all agree on something we intuitively know it’s wrong. EU, climate change, mass immigration, equality legislation, no free speech, HS2, BLM, ER etc.

      1. Fred H
        January 11, 2021

        It also works in reverse – we provide the link to France with electricity sometimes.

      2. Qubus
        January 11, 2021

        … and burning brown-coal at that. Thatā€™s how environmentally friendly they are when push comes to shove. And what about all the gas they are importing from Friend Putin, the burning of which not only pollutes the atmosphere but also makes them dependent on him.

    2. Ian Wragg
      January 11, 2021

      France has ageing nuclear plants and does not always have a surplus . We had a very near miss last week when it was very cold and wind was only generating about 4% of requirements.
      One of our last coal plants was brought online to increase supply but this is due to be closed soon.
      The results of this was the price per megawatt hour increase from Ā£50 per month to over Ā£1,000.
      We will all be paying for the government stupidity through higher bills and power rationing.

      1. Ian Wragg
        January 11, 2021

        Per megawatt hour.

    3. a-tracy
      January 11, 2021

      We cannot, indeed MUST NOT rely on France for energy, they prove time and time again that they will just cause problems with NO notice at all. Here is the UK governors, in the shape of Shapps, agreeing a weeks lead-in on air and passenger travellers requiring covid negative tests whilst the UK is in lockdown panic mode, dithering around, and the French cut off thousands of haulage drivers from the continent without a care. The French even said NHS tests weren’t good enough evidence.

      1. steve
        January 11, 2021

        a-tracy

        +1

        But you may as well tell it to the trees, the conservatives as a whole want to keep us tied to the EU. They have no intention of making this country independent of the ungrateful EU.

        If they did, they’d have rolled their sleeves up, rallied the British people together and got on with it.

    4. DavidJ
      January 11, 2021

      Madcap Green indeed; all based on flawed and manipulated climate “data”.

    5. Dennis
      January 14, 2021

      ‘Is that true?’ asks Martyn G. As there is no answer, not even a yes, no, or I don’t know perhaps JR doesn’t understand the question and doesn’t like to admit it.

  9. Fedupsoutherner
    January 11, 2021

    Can we take back control of illegal immigration?Still hundreds arriving on our shores. Do they get sent back or are we still paying for them and finding accommodation for them? I was told yesterday by someone who has been farming all his life and his family before him that it’s reached a point where it’s a choice between farms or housing. We should be thinking about producing more of our own food.

    1. Everhopeful
      January 11, 2021

      Donā€™t forget that you are talking about a government ( I nearly said ā€œpeopleā€) which for nearly a whole year now has imprisoned us illegitimately with little access to supplies, healthcare or normal, human social interaction.
      What does it care if our land becomes a concrete waste?
      And as I have often banged on….will we ever get another election? Question mark now over locals in May.

    2. Mike Durrans
      January 11, 2021

      +1

    3. Lifelogic
      January 11, 2021

      Indeed but the Police are clearly far too busy arresting or fining the innocent. It seems it takes 5 to 7 of them just to fine two people for having a tea or coffee on a bench at a beauty spot.

    4. turboterrier
      January 11, 2021

      F U S

      The lack of control over illegal immigrants is this governments Achillies heel and until all politicians of every party start to unite instead of trying to keep tearing lumps out of each other at every opportunity recognise this they will pay the ultimate price through the ballot box.

    5. Timaction
      January 11, 2021

      Indeed Priti Useless will not be taking action on illegal immigration or telling the French that their encouragement of mass migration is a hostile act and they are coming back via the Channel tunnel immediately! I’m afraid hot air buys nothing!
      More illegal immigration coming to a 4* hotel near you, unvetted young men whose intentions are unknown. Make this illegal activity a 10 year prison sentence before return to their own Country or 15 if they refuse to disclose their origin. More proof that there are no CONSERVATIVES in this Tory administration.

      1. JoolsB
        January 11, 2021

        +1

    6. Shirley M
      January 11, 2021

      +1 good arable land (not cheap grazing land) in our area is disappearing quickly for large housing estates.

      1. Old Salt
        January 11, 2021

        +1
        Seem we need more houses to house the builders to build even more houses.

    7. bigneil(newercomp)
      January 11, 2021

      FUS – -Years ago I read that every one of them that says the magic word “Asylum” instantly costs us Ā£5000 – – due to all the stuff that has to be done. It will clearly be more now. Now we ferry them in as if there is no tomorrow. More cost. Even at Ā£5k each to start with, the 120+ that arrived over the weekend instantly cost us Ā£600’000. Then they cost us every day onwards. Unsustainable madness. Only one end result. 3rd world England.

    8. longinus
      January 11, 2021

      No mention of taking back control of our borders in Dr Redwood’s piece.

      Reply Watch this space. The government is introducing its new migration system

      1. Christine
        January 11, 2021

        New immigration system? What a laugh. It will decimate middle-income jobs in the same way freedom of movement did for the lower paid. Why should a company pay the going rate for British workers when they can import cheaper trained foreign labour? Unless a cap is reintroduced and the earning threshold raised it will be a disaster.

      2. Lynn
        January 11, 2021

        But these ā€˜asylum seekersā€™ are not complying with any ā€˜migration systemā€™. or law. Why do you think these lawbreakers will comply with any different law?

    9. forthurst
      January 11, 2021

      Forget about that. What is important is removing VAT from sanitary towels and heating controls; that’s what we English are really concerned about.

      1. Fred H
        January 11, 2021

        very funny – but for some on here that is the most important issue about Brexit.

        1. Lynn
          January 11, 2021

          The fact that an Act of Parliament could not be Implemented for a year, until Brexit, should be of interest to everyone under the delusion that ā€˜the EU is composed of sovereign statesā€™.
          Have you heard of the Factotame Case? Our parliament passed a law and had to revoke it because ā€˜Parliament had broken the lawā€™ – a fact that is contradictory because a Parliament is Sovereign and can make any law.
          Many in the U.K. Parliament has a shock. Reality proven.

    10. Martin in Cardiff
      January 11, 2021

      Immigration was ALWAYS a sovereign matter for member countries, so as far as people coming from the rest of the world goes, leaving the European Union makes not a blind bit of difference.

      1. Lynn
        January 11, 2021

        Unless the rest of the world came via the EU – which they did.

      2. Fred H
        January 11, 2021

        well the millions of immigrants who came to the UK certainly didn’t take advantage of free movement within the EU. They stayed here.

      3. IanT
        January 11, 2021

        Utter Tosh Martin.

        Freedom of movement was exactly that – anyone could come here, no need to have a job, no need to have usable skills, no need to make a contribution – and although many did, some clearly did not!

        People can still come here from the EU but they will now do so on the same terms as any other person wanting to come to live and work in the UK. I’ve never had any issues with migration as such – it’s simply a matter of the sheer size of that migration and whether it contributes positively to the Nation (rather than being an extra burden). Simples.

  10. Mike Stallard
    January 11, 2021

    What we need is a sense of progress – of going forward.

    At the moment it is covid covid covid and the police are being put in an impossible position. People are beginning, on social media, to notice very un English repression too. A video here, a story thereā€¦ Out here in the Fens, cars are streaming to their “essential” work at 6 a.m.! The fight to regain our liberties is, I feel in my bones, about to begin. We have had enough.

    If there could be some positive signs of growth, of freedom to trade, of coming prosperity, that might well be enough to stop a summer of serious anger and revolt. I do hope so!

    1. Simeon
      January 11, 2021

      Serious anger and revolt is already with us. The scale is small, given the state’s ability thus far to postpone the economic consequences. But that ability will inevitably reduce. Our best hope is that the economy reduces to the point that the parasitic state can no longer continue to oppress the people.

    2. Everhopeful
      January 11, 2021

      Have the sheep become lions?

      1. steve
        January 11, 2021

        Have the sheep become lions?

        ======

        If so that could prove quite awkward for MiC.

    3. Caterpillar
      January 11, 2021

      Mike Stallard,

      As your final paragraph suggests, perhaps unintentionally; what might be presented are small signs and relaxation,just enough to prevent revolt. That population control route though is a nuanced game.

      When the Chinese were given more freedom, in 1989 they demanded a free press and democracy. It was easier to crush the Tianamen Square riots and oppress people, if control was to remain with a few. Last week when some Americans protested because they wanted election transparency and their country’s constitution upheld, world leaders stood against not with those people, and then big tech purged the people’s voices.

      Poland, a country that had to fight for its free speech, is looking at a law to prevent big tech censorship. This alone, in one country, will not be enough. Those who escaped communism / dictatorship recognise what the situation is. Every second that the U.K. P.M. keeps the people locked up, police follow orders, big tech is not reined in/broken up, big pharma is not questioned is another confirmation of what the future holds for the masses.

      Do not again be fooled by a few relaxations as you were allowed last year.

    4. turboterrier
      January 11, 2021

      Mike Stallard

      +1 You are not alone.

  11. Roy Grainger
    January 11, 2021

    We should also speedily conclude FTAs with countries the EU doesn’t have them with or would spend a decade negotiating. Australia and the trans Pacific group, USA if feasible given Biden’s likely protectionist stance – we have the starting advantage that the EU have already fallen foul of Biden with their China investment agreement so they won’t be getting an FTA any time soon.

  12. agricola
    January 11, 2021

    Do not expect any change from broadcasters, the same people are still in control. Some will look on it as payback time for the majority support for Brexit. Just like this blogs trolls, they are not going to go away.

    What you have done for tampons is fine, now concentrate on how you can support the lifeblood of UK business activity, the self employed. I am thinking in particular of those dealing directly with the general population. VAT is a sudden hit problem after it’s turnover level start. Why not stagger it or graduate it. At figures only there for an example, think as follows.
    0 to Ā£100,000 zero VAT
    Ā£100,000 to Ā£250,000 VAT at 5%
    Ā£250,000 to Ā£500,000 VAT at 10%
    Ā£500,00 to Ā£1,000,000 VAT at 15%

    15% being the maximum level. These figures relate to turnover. Such a level would boost self employed activity and ultimately might well increase the tax take. Think about it. VAT is a bigger problem for the self employed than it is for the trade in tampons.

  13. Roy Grainger
    January 11, 2021

    The Remainers told us for years there would be riots and food shortages after we left the EU, now they’ve downgraded this to some bloke being unable to export live eels. It’s laughable.

    1. Fred H
      January 11, 2021

      and the Belgian little entrepreneurs getting in a hissy fit about sending their beer, bike parts and chocs to UK. There are alternatives believe it or not.

    2. Martin in Cardiff
      January 11, 2021

      No, they didn’t.

      They said that there would be a possibility of such problems under a no deal situation.

      That is, what you wanted. You haven’t got that.

  14. Caterpillar
    January 11, 2021

    There is much use of “we take back control” above. With respect, I think you need your “we” examining.

    The “we” is not the people of the U.K., they are locked up by data, freedom and speech deniers.

    The “we” is not the M.P.s., most prostrate themselves before the Govt.

    The “we” is not the Govt it follows the experts (lol)

    The “we” is not democracy is is switched off by big tech (the outgoing President is deplatformed, and now defunded by tech actors).

    The question should be who is the ‘we’ from which control is taken back? Big tech, big pharma, institutionalised education, institutionalised health?

    “we can as a nation”, no we cannot as a nation, without first making nations great again. This means liberty and free speech, it means security from censorship and cancelling by the few.

    1. IanT
      January 11, 2021

      I’ve a simple solution for you Caterpillar – stop using Facebook & Twitter and turn off your mobile. “They” will know a lot less abut you – and you will be much happier….

      1. Mark B
        January 12, 2021

        +1

        Good advice.

      2. Caterpillar
        January 12, 2021

        Thank you for your suggestion Ian,

        I am a bit of a dinosaur and don’t use social media! I do sometimes ‘track’ what is happening on it (it is data itself and points to data/sources), when I can’t make sense of the inconsistencies in reporting.

        I do use different (to the most popular) search engines, browsers and on occasion VPN to find a range of sources that otherwise don’t show (rather than paranoia of whoever the “they” is to which you refer).

        Perhaps you refer to ‘ignorance is bliss’, but I do not support this approach is not widely followed in a representative democracy.

        Anyway, this is far off topic, I apologise if I have misinterpreted your advice, but thank you anyway.

  15. M Brandreth- Jones
    January 11, 2021

    Taking back control is all very good but then we need to take a step back further and look at who we want to be in control and what type of discourse we want. I realise that those sort of decisions will be made by the vehicle of democracy , however majority /minority issues are sometimes not controlled by the best. Stubbornness and self interest can go before a total overview and there again in its opposite, a didactic mildly despotic arrangement takes away freedom . If people are going to stick to their views without sensible evidence to back up their theories we need to keep alert to the fact that admitting one is wrong is not detrimental to well being .Creating an environment where the greatest number is catered for will serve us best , yet the dynamism must not be lost .

  16. Mike Durrans
    January 11, 2021

    Sir John , I agree with all you say but we must stop our PM from wasting the opertunities we are getting , by pushing the anti plant food agenda. We all know that that is not right and a fad pushed by morons who are not proper engineers or scientists,

    Like the false statistics pushed by the virus panic, we also know that ā€œclimate changeā€ is natural and has happened all the time

    1. glen cullen
      January 11, 2021

      Watch out ā€“ I believe you can be arrested for being a climate changer denier or maybe thatā€™s just a guideline

  17. Bryan Harris
    January 11, 2021

    I can certainly agree with the title of this piece, but there are far to many ways in which we are not taking control – Our seas being the most obvious.

    Why hasn’t Boris instigated one of the committees to complain about how Macron is doing all he can to disrupt trade, especially with our fish going to Europe. We can be very sure that when the EU perceives, rightly or wrongly, that the UK has done something unfairly, that we will be summoned to explain ourselves with the chance of some retaliation or penalty being imposed.

    Staying ‘close’ to the EU in all the social and other matters that Boris signed us up to, will keep coming back to bite us in the foot, arm and leg — We aren’t as free as we should be.

  18. Richard1
    January 11, 2021

    So far I think it is a fair assessment to say that the Brexit vote has been somewhat negative for the U.K. economy. Not the disaster we were assured would happen by the Remain campaignā€™s project fear of course, but generally negative, as reflected in the currency, the stock market and business sentiment. Of course the main reason for that has been the catastrophic May PM-ship and the efforts of Parliament before the Dec 19 election to frustrate, delay and dilute the referendum decision.

    Nevertheless we now have a Brexit supporting govt with a Brexit supporting PM and cabinet and an 80 seat majority. All Conservative MPs, especially those who were prominent backers of Brexit, must feel huge pressure to deliver tangible benefits. Tinkering with measures like abolishing VAT on tampons and green products and banning fur imports will not cut it. The focus on the fishing industry, which accounts for c. 0.05% of GDP wonā€™t cut it. The first test will be the budget. One year of this Parliament has gone. If we approach the next election and we have not seen real efforts to deliver success, Brexit will be under threat from a Labour-SNP tie up. The starting point for them will be back into EEA/EFTA, introduce PR with no referendum, and on from there.

    Be warned Tory MPs – the spotlight is on you!

    Reply In the few days since we left stock market and pound up

    1. Richard1
      January 12, 2021

      Indeed. But we need imaginative and bold policies now.

  19. Timaction
    January 11, 2021

    Indeed. I want my Government to show it’s intent on many fronts to show the EU that when it gave grants and other incentives to move factories away from our Country that we can now do the same. Our trade patterns will now change over time as the tariff regime to protect French Farmers, Dutch flower sellers and German Car makers has disappeared. Particularly the protectionist Euro to give false advantage to German manufacturing. Lets buy our food and other supplies duty free from elsewhere in the world and see the EU suffer from its own blackmail. Meanwhile get the lawmakers up to speed to find appropriate definitions to ban factory fishing vessels from our shores and police them to keep them out. The Government needs to act now so we take back control 100% of our fishing grounds in 5.5 years and the EU can go whistle as our trade patterns will have focussed on the rest of the world by then and not them!! Peter Van EU are you reading!

  20. David Magauran
    January 11, 2021

    Are the continental exporters having to comply with the same red tape rules as uk exporters are?

    1. a-tracy
      January 11, 2021

      Good question David. If not then we must impose it or it will never be sorted out.

  21. Lifelogic
    January 11, 2021

    Indeed but it could be far better if the people currently in control actually had a working compass. One pointing to cheap, reliable, on demand energy, deregulation, lower simpler taxes and far less government. Not a government that locks everyone down and start turning the country into a new East Germany. This supported by the appalling Labour Parly under Starmer (ironically a former human rights Lawyer) with almost no opposition at all in parliament.

    Some studies suggest the lock down will cause health problems that are about 10 times those prevented by it. I suspect these estimates are too low.

    The excellent Dr Clare Craig today: PCR is no longer measuring anything correctly.
    Based on symptoms 0.2% of the population of London had COVID at the end of December peak in London. Based on PCR testing the ONS estimate it was 3.56%. That’s 18x too high.

    Then we have Biden with his self proclaimed racist agenda:- “Our priority will be Black, Latino, Asian, and Native American owned small businesses, women-owned businesses, and finally having equal access to resources needed to reopen and rebuild.” Plus his expensive intermittent energy agenda. He will surely be a disaster for the USA.

  22. Lisa
    January 11, 2021

    Westminster has certainly taken control. It has taken control of where we can go, when we can go, whether we wear a mask, what we inject into our bodies and what news we see.
    The rather nebulous conrol from Brussel that has degraded out economy and freedom for decades had been replaced by an authoritarian control that see’s people arrested for sitting on park benches or driving to empty countryside for a walk. If we are ever allowed to go outside again we’ll see a wrecked economy and a lack of freedom worse than East Germany or North Korea.
    The political and pseudo science charlatans have destroyed our country and our society in a few short months with the excuse that we might catch a cold and even that hasn’t worked because I have one right now. I hope there is a hell for all those responsible.

    1. Mark B
      January 12, 2021

      They can only do that if YOU let them. I don’t !!

  23. majorfrustration
    January 11, 2021

    Some very good suggestions but what the politicians lack is the realisation that talking is not the same as doing. Where are the published plans to show how your ideas are achieved? And then Government needs to monitor.

  24. ukretired123
    January 11, 2021

    “Can Do” was a default mode of thinking I adopted as a young man because many adults at the time post war had really suffered in real grinding poverty, particularly in the North with no prospects to improve.

    “No Can Do” was commonplace everywhere. If you think deeply enough you can see ways out like David v Goliath. I took inspiration from all the amazing inventions of WW2 where Brains overcame Brawn.

    I see parallels today and Sir John bless him is a beacon for positive clear thinking – his usual modus – unlike many others who lack also the courage to offer solutions. The opportunities for us in this country are many but many folks cannot see it. Deja Vu!

  25. Nivek
    January 11, 2021

    “a US trade treaty, denied to us during 48 years in the EU running our trade policy”

    We voted to leave the EU after forty-four years “in the EU running our trade policy”.

    In 2016, the Tory Party leadership did not want us to vote Leave. They wanted us to vote for the Tory Party leadership’s “deal” with the EU instead. We were told that, if we voted Leave, we would not get back to the negotiating table. We voted Leave. The Tory Party leadership went straight back to the negotiating table. In doing so, they passed on accepting the hand of friendship offered to “Brexit Britain” by the President of the United States.

    1. NickC
      January 11, 2021

      Nivek, Good point.

  26. middle ground
    January 11, 2021

    Correction- Enterprise Zones while in the EU.

  27. turboterrier
    January 11, 2021

    Sir John

    Therein lies the real problem the BBC

    The perception is they are just not trying to support the direction the country is going.

    For too long endless governments have given them too much leeway and the current crop of key reporters cannot change their personal beliefs and political thinking

    1. Qubus
      January 11, 2021

      Iā€™m beginning to wonder whoā€™s interviewing whom on the Today programme. Perhaps it would save the BBC a lot of money if the so-called interviewers just chatted amongst themselves.

    2. Lifelogic
      January 11, 2021

      The problem with the BBC is they are wrong on almost every single issue. Woke, lefty, identity politics pushing, climate alarmist, healthcare state monopoly supporting lunacy. Deluded lefty art graduated at war with viewers and (enforced by law) licence tax payers.

  28. Stred
    January 11, 2021

    It looks like super trawler factory scrapers can’t be banned without getting permission from the expert committee of EU and British civil servants who decide on the qualifications of the committee members.

    How will the UK decide whether to implement the shortly forthcoming directive to put E10 petrol in our tanks and reduce the efficiency of the engines by 10%, negating the supposed effect of the extra ethanol? Bet Boris and the zealots in the continued EU administration wave it through.

    1. ian@Barkham
      January 11, 2021

      @Stred

      Yes Large Trawlers are damaging fish stock beyond repair. That is why Boris has given then 5 years to finish the job. The best we can hope for is more activism from Green Peace.

      E15 petrol has been in use for longer than I can remember in the US without harm or reduction in efficiency. Motorsport in the US is and has been for a long time solely fueled by ethanol. Petrol is not the problem its the manufacturing and distribution of the vehicles that causes the most harm.

    2. Lifelogic
      January 11, 2021

      +1

  29. ian@Barkham
    January 11, 2021

    Sir John – as say (sic) The BBC at its best. Irony, that ever popular man Stuart Rose managed to hit the MsM over the weekend warning that ‘food’ prices will have to rise due to all the red tape required by the UK Government to import food from the EU.

    Was he speaking for himself, as a leader of Remain or as a member of the Conservative party?

    There is more than one point there – one being why so concerned with the EU being the primary source of UK food? Isn’t that what we are trying to move on from?

  30. what tiler
    January 11, 2021

    Taking back control? I’m not even allowed to leave the house, and now apparently I may not even be allowed a vote. You are fiddling while Rome burns JR.

  31. Lester Cynic Beedell
    January 11, 2021

    Sir John, you seem to be ignoring the elephant in the room!

    No issue is more important than the overthrow of Donald Trump by big tech and their assault on the freedom of speech?

    And Johnsonā€™s appalling attack on Donald Trump sends an unmistakable signal as to which side heā€™s backing, very very worrying.

    And donā€™t get me started on the ever more rigorous lockdown, Einsteinā€™s definition of insanity is to keep repeating the same experiment endlessly whilst expecting a different result, something fishy going on methinks?

    1. DavidJ
      January 11, 2021

      +1 but Trump still has cards to play.

      1. Fred H
        January 11, 2021

        whats left? -his golf-round score card?

        1. steve
          January 11, 2021

          D.Trump is an extremely rich and powerful figure. I think some people will be laughing on the other side of their faces when he’s out of office. Rightly so in my opinion.

    2. Mactheknife
      January 11, 2021

      I see a notification today that the PM will be joining other world leaders at the behest of Macron to discuss financing Bio-diversity initiatives.

      Whilst I think most have some concern for our environment, Johnson’s eco-warrior conversion continues, banning petrol cars by 2030, net zero by 2050, expansion of renewables but no expansion of the power needed to back them up and much more.

      He needs to focus on being a Conservative PM and not listen to his wife.

      1. steve
        January 11, 2021

        Mactheknife

        “I see a notification today that the PM will be joining other world leaders at the behest of Macron to discuss financing Bio-diversity initiatives.”

        ===========

        Well what do you expect ?

        1) Boris’s dad was on TV the other day claiming the family is of French ancestry. No surprise Boris jumps when Macron says jump.
        2) For biodiversity read : more attacks on the motorist and more piss poor quality of what you buy.
        3) He’s not very patriotic, or intelligent come to think of it.

        1. steve
          January 11, 2021

          “He needs to focus on being a Conservative PM and not listen to his wife.”

          ======

          He needs to be dismissed by his own party if they have any desire to win the next general election.

    3. Christine
      January 11, 2021

      +1

    4. Caterpillar
      January 11, 2021

      The assault is not just on President Trump, it is much more widespread. The assault is also not just on freedom of speech, it is also being directed at financial funding, employment and freedom to do business. Anyone at any level can now (and are) being fully cancelled. It is rapidly becoming, if it hasn’t already become, freedom to exist.

      1. Lynn
        January 11, 2021

        +1 China in control.

    5. Caterpillar
      January 11, 2021

      Lester Cynic Beedell,

      And when one takes the big tech silencing together with the election official funding around the USA, it is no wonder that those who have even one iota of interest in free speech and democracy should be petrified.

      To believe that the leader of the free world is someone that is elected is the new conspiracy theory; do people really believe this?

      (sorry again Sir John, off topic but afraid).

  32. ChrisS
    January 11, 2021

    We need to see some more rapid benefits other than ending Pulse Fishing six months earlier than will happen in the EU.

    The Vaccine debacle in Europe is a perfect example where national leaders handed over the purchasing unnecessarily to Brussels, only for them to start arguing over how much to buy and from whom.
    As a result, Brussels and other EU Member states are angry now that it is common knowledge that Merkel quietly broke ranks and bought 30m dosed direct, as long ago as November.
    Nevertheless, Vaccine purchase has still become a party political football in Germany, and rightly so. It seems to be all quiet in France even though their vaccine programme is woefully inadequate, well behind even Italy. Macron seems sure to pay a heavy price for this, come 2022.

    There must be envious glances in our direction but, of course, no national leader will criticise Brussels, nor will they publically mention the way the UK has quietly got on with it successfully. Time will tell how much more effective our efforts will be in reducing the spread of the virus, thanks to our national purchasing strategy.

  33. michael flynn
    January 11, 2021

    Have you been in a supermarket recently?! Where do I get my sovereignty to replace the ingredients that are all now out of stock?

    Reply That is to do with Covid 19 not Brexit I think you will find.

    1. Fred H
      January 11, 2021

      what ingredients – list them?. You will probably find other shops that stock all sorts of things unavailable via bulk buying supermarkets who place an order, sell out and the customers have to wait until the next delivery that might be days away.
      Our local 2 man, 1 woman ‘corner shop’ usually has everything we cannot get from supermarkets – they had flour, toilet rolls, lettuces….They use Full PPE – one-way route, masks, gloves, screens – give these shops your business.

    2. NickC
      January 11, 2021

      Michael, Which ingredients out of stock in which supermarkets, where? I have seen no problems – even toilet rolls are plentiful.

  34. A.Sedgwick
    January 11, 2021

    The UK’s relationship with the EEC/EU is beginning to resemble the 100 years war.

    We threw in the towel on key issues and whether we can achieve your laudable aspirations is questionable especially with this unbusinesslike Government.

  35. a-tracy
    January 11, 2021

    You say “we can” and “we take back control”. Your party has a massive majority, what are you waiting for? If you can cut tampon tax in a day, then why not green taxes, what is stopping you? Why would the greens, the Lib Dems or Labour not vote for that tax cut? Just get on with these things.

  36. Alan Jutson
    January 11, 2021

    You surely do not expect the BBC and many other media outlets to look at the positives of Brexit JR do you.
    Much easier to sit back and criticise and find fault with everything, its lazy and easy journalism compared to doing some hard research about the possible benefits going forward.
    Just look at the vaccine roll out reports.
    Good if the Government do not mess it up.
    Good if the vaccine is delivered on time.
    Good if we can get enough jabbers involved.
    Arguments about who should get it first, Care homes let down, Teachers not included, etc etc etc.
    We have already vaccinated more people in the UK than the whole of the EU together, but how often do you hear that.
    Remember Germany being reported as the example we were compared against now their deaths are over 1,000 per day, but you have to search the small print to find that out.
    The media by and large are now only interested in bad news, simples.

    1. Fedupsoutherner
      January 11, 2021

      Great post Alan.

    2. Fred H
      January 12, 2021

      it reminds me of the slogan ‘Man bites dog’ to sell newspapers.

  37. Newmania
    January 11, 2021

    We can take back control of our Freeport and Enterprise Zone policy,

    You mean favouring certain areas by not inflicting on them all the problems Brexit causes everyone else. In any case we had Free ports within the EU its just that we didn`t need them as their only purpose was to process European products (largely fish).
    Soooooo all baloney on that one
    The sort of material you put out doesn’t survive any sort of knowledgeable challenge anyway. Its like exposing spoon bending, water divining and magic crystals to scientific study. Embarrassing really

    1. agricola
      January 12, 2021

      Having personally experienced water divining, I know it works, but I don’t know why. It is an uncanny experience. If you can expose water divining, you must know why it does not work, or why the response of two bent wires is what it is. Please let us all in on what the apparent experience is and why it relates to flowing water.

  38. The Prangwizard
    January 11, 2021

    Talk, talk. Dreams, dreams. When will Sir John start living in the real world? It’s no good just blaming the BBC.and other media. Where is action from his own government which is in chaos with covid and can’t seem to think beyond it. Banning pulse trawling was just talk, where is the visible action? When are steps to be taken to counter the economic warfare activities begun by the EU against us?

    ‘Boris’ and his bunch of weaklings are still in awe of the EU and beholden to it.

  39. formula57
    January 11, 2021

    The BBC should be left with little choice in its reporting because the Government should be flooding the news channels with announcements of what it can and will do now. Where are they, beyond that about trading in Swiss shares?

    (There is not a secret protocol to the oven-ready deal that says we will not actually do anything now permitted is there?)

  40. Mitchel McKenzie
    January 11, 2021

    With all due respect Sir John, you won, own it. Simply regurgitating wish-lists of possible future gains does you little credit when in the real world there are all already problems with delays and red-tape.

    Even if you remain wholly convinced of the benefits of Brexit some honesty in acknowledging the economic costs involved is called for.

    1. Mactheknife
      January 11, 2021

      Short term pain for long term gain

    2. Nig l
      January 11, 2021

      I have heard economic cost etc churned out and nauseam, of course unmeasurable and guess work.

      I prefer facts and to date every one of Project Fears forecasts that you are so wedded to have been proved incorrect.

    3. NickC
      January 11, 2021

      Mitchel, Approaching 90% of UK GDP derives from economic activity other than exports to the EU. So less red tape for the vast majority of GDP (we don’t need to comply with the extra EU rules). And when we were full members we still had to comply with EU red tape anyway. So no more red tape than there was.

  41. Mactheknife
    January 11, 2021

    I was extremely surprised at the BBC reporting no queues at Dover, I thought they would ignore that. However, in the main they are still hunting for issues to highlight and the never ending stream of doctors, nurses, teachers etc lined up on every new bulletin to tell us how bad its getting is becoming tiresome.
    As for replacing factories and manufacturing, I have watched over the last 40 years in the area I live factory after factory closed down or taken over by a foreign company and then moved overseas. They just wanted our knowledge and technology and its a travesty to see time served craftsmen and engineers stacking shelves in supermarkets.
    The government must now address this and encourage via grants, taxation etc industrial companies to relocate / start up in the UK.

  42. Christine
    January 11, 2021

    All we hear is talk from this Government. Nothing good is ever delivered.

    You tell us pulse fishing is being stopped in the UK but the EU already plans to ban it from 1 July 2021, so we are just keeping in line with them.

    We are told illegal immigration will be sorted but the dinghies continue to cross the channel. When will you turn them back? When will you deport these faux asylum seekers living here at our expense? When will we see a plan for delivery of the vaccine and a date when lockdown will be lifted?

    Where is the plan? Your party has had four and a half years to prepare one. You should have hit the floor running.

    I have no confidence in this Government or the main opposition parties. They are all globalist patsies.

  43. MickN
    January 11, 2021

    O/T We were told before Christmas that the Home Secretary could not stop illegal immigration in the Channel during the transition period and that this would change come 1st January.

    Has any one noticed any difference yet because I’m damned if I can see one.

  44. Everhopeful
    January 11, 2021

    Plans to only allow people to go out ONCE A WEEK?
    Masks to be worn everywhere?
    No speaking in street or supermarket.
    What planet do you lot live on??

    1. Fred H
      January 11, 2021

      ball and chains with built in satellite tracking to military standards to be delivered for all in Tier 6.

  45. Bob Dixon
    January 11, 2021

    What some of your commentators fail to acknowledge is that we have just left the EU. What is now required ,is to replace ,those who have worked with the E U for the last 40 years with those who now have the freedom to grab and implement Sir John Redwoods ideas.

    1. Mark B
      January 12, 2021

      BINGO !!!

      Unfortunately, this will take time.

    2. Martin in Cardiff
      January 12, 2021

      You won’t find many of working age, and with the necessary expertise amongst Leave backers.

      Just look at the voter analysis.

  46. Original Richard
    January 11, 2021

    The ERG backed the deal saying that it preserved the UKā€™s sovereignty as a matter of law and although the ā€œlevel playing fieldā€ clauses go further than in comparable trade agreements, their impact on the practical exercise of sovereignty is likely to be limited if addressed by a robust government.

    The phrase ā€œif addressed by a robust governmentā€ is key here, particularly as negotiations will be continuing. If we are unfortunate enough to have another Mrs. May/Mr. Robbins combination, or even worse, then we could easily find ourselves trapped by the EU with damaging consequences.

    Viz : ā€œThe price of freedom is eternal vigilanceā€

    For instance, in the case of fisheries, I would now expect our government to be working to ensure we are not dependent upon a supply of electricity from the EU by the time renegotiations take place in 2026.

    Reply I did not vote for the deal and sought improvements on fishing and Northern Ireland

  47. Enrico
    January 11, 2021

    Some excellent comments there but am a little perplexed by this under mentioned comment regarding the EU.
    We can take back control of our Freeport and Enterprise Zone policy, creating many more around the UK as part of the levelling up drive without falling foul of EU rules.

  48. London Nick
    January 11, 2021

    Sir John,

    Yes, you are right, “we can” this and “we can” that – but will we? NO. We WON’T. Why not? Because we have a weak, cowardly and deceitful prime minister.

    We have seen his weakness and cowardice in the case of Covid, where he has abdicated all control to his officials, and we have seen his weakness and cowardice in relation to the EU, where both his treaties with them – the WA and the TCA – have been surrender documents, giving them EVERYTHING they wanted (on fishing, NI, regulations, citizen rights, ECHR, payments, etc).

    If Boris were ‘one of us’, then you would be Chancellor. Why are you not in government? Because Boris doesn’t want you obstructing his surrender to the EU. The fact that you are not in government is the reason why I will NOT vote Conservative again.

    I think the only option for those of us who believe in freedom – both here at home in relation to Covid, and in our relationship with the EU – is to vote for Reform UK. Why don’t you join them? The government is determined to ignore you and your suggestions, so you are achieving nothing by continuing to support a man who does not support you or your ideas.

    Wishing you the very best, Nick

    1. Old Salt
      January 11, 2021

      L N
      +1

    2. Fedupsoutherner
      January 12, 2021

      Great comment. Reform UK for me unless Boris starts to get tough on our so called ‘friends’ across the water.

  49. glen cullen
    January 11, 2021

    Thought we where going to get rid of EU red-tap and EU taxes

    Not quite a brave new world but more ”same-same” ”same-same”

    1. steve
      January 11, 2021

      glen cullen

      This is why we have elections, Glen. If Boris’s government doesn’t fight the corner for this country, out they go.

      At the moment it doesn’t look good for the tories. The french, and to some extent the Dutch are already getting crappy, but little sign of Boris retaliating.

      The only way to deal with the French is to ‘do it back’…..and keep doing it until the message sinks in.

  50. glen cullen
    January 11, 2021

    Two doctors have been self-isolating on full paid with no symptoms due to track nā€™ trace even though they tested negative. They have just receive the vaccination but still canā€™t return to NHS and have to continue isolating until new test and the period of isolation has been completed ā€“ utter madness

    1. a-tracy
      January 11, 2021

      Hopefully theyā€™re doing something useful like FaceTime and telephone consultations that the majority of Doctors work now isnā€™t it?

  51. Lindsay McDougall
    January 11, 2021

    There may be scope to buy second hand some of the Dutch fishing boats, sell them on to British owners and berth them in British ports.

  52. edwardm
    January 11, 2021

    It is so good to have an MP like JR who makes tireless efforts pointing out all the positives of Brexit.
    The UK now can take a global focus and deal with the world – as BJ and Liz Truss et al are keen to do.
    We need a new pro-British broadcasting channel.
    The BBC should be a subscription service.
    I’m sorry for the Rejoiners who can look no further than the EU.

  53. John Hatfield
    January 11, 2021

    You should be Prime Minister, John.

    1. Old Salt
      January 11, 2021

      JH
      +1

    2. Lifelogic
      January 12, 2021

      But Tory MP are so dire they even preferred John Major who predictably buried the party for three plus terms.

  54. David Brown
    January 11, 2021

    Scotland will get independence and out of the UK.
    The Union Flag will be no longer viable.
    Scotland will return to the family of EU inc Scottish fishing
    The incoming USA President is more supportive of the EU than he is of the UK
    The UK will be dismantled as the Irish move closer together as a consequence of Brexit
    The EU will go on to become more powerful
    New generation of young voters support the EU and eventually England will join the EU Customs Union
    All because of Brexit

    1. steve
      January 11, 2021

      David Brown

      Sectarian trolling. If union with us is so bad…….off you go, ta ta.

      1. Fred H
        January 12, 2021

        it is certainly bad for us English. Haste ye back.

    2. Lifelogic
      January 12, 2021

      I doubt it and surely not in the short term. What on earth do some Scots see in Sturgeon, Blackford and their National Socialist Party of Scotland? They will surely come to their senses soon.

    3. Martin in Cardiff
      January 12, 2021

      I can see the distinct possibility of an all-Ireland federal union with Scotland.

      1. Fred H
        January 12, 2021

        mystic Meg again. I wouldn’t mind but what about Wales?

      2. a-tracy
        January 13, 2021

        A closed and hard border with England, an end to the common travel area, an end to voting rights in England. Are you sure that would be a good idea for them Martin? They would want to sede to Europe how is that different, it is worse, so they get to travel into the EU but not into England anymore, they get to pay more of their taxes over to the EU, where are their markets. Blair and Brown were responsible for all this Scottish nationalism (something you Europeans say you abhor yet you encouraged all of this in Scotland whipping up all this anti-English sentiment for Sturgeon and Blackfordā€™s own self-agrandissement ).

    4. Fedupsoutherner
      January 12, 2021

      Couldn’t give a damn my dear.

  55. Dennis
    January 11, 2021

    ‘Reply I disagree with the policy!’

    Again JR doesn’t answer Mike Wilson’s question – oh yes he’s a politician, trained not to.

    1. Mike Wilson
      January 11, 2021

      Indeed. ā€˜I disagree with the policyā€™ is not good enough. He may well disagreed with the policy but, as he is a Tory MP, he must be able to find out why it is party policy to have high immigration.

      1. edwardm
        January 12, 2021

        I believe JR has asked questions of the government but had no satisfactory reply. So do not blame someone for a policy they disagree with and who questions it. If JR is given no answer then he cannot pass it on. This situation applies in all walks of life.

        I do have an interest in that like other older redundant engineers (post-grad level) I cannot get work owing to immigration. By still admitting well-qualified immigrants, I will assuredly be prevented from ever working again by our own government’s policies.

  56. Derek Henry
    January 11, 2021

    Yet the BOE is looking at negative interest rates John.

    They should be sacked as they do not understand monetary policy It’s madness !

    A negative interest rate policy (NIRP) is aimed at firms holding a lot of money on deposit. By forcing banks to charge them, the intent is that firms will start investing and buying assets (hopefully, productive assets). The belief is that this will cause increased activity in the wider economy.

    In this sense, NIRP acts like any other duty or levy: encouraging the desired behaviour and discouraging unwanted behaviour.

    The problem is that this tax does not reduce automatically as corporations change their behaviour. It just gets moved somewhere else in the economy. Where it ultimately ends up is unpredictable, but it is clear that somebodyā€™s deposit somewhere has to be reduced to pay the tax!

    Pretty quickly, firms will have enough machinery to make the few extra things people are buying. Then what? Firms start shedding cash by paying out dividends, buying up their shares, buying up other firms or moving their liquid assets to other currency zones. This puts downward pressure on the exchange rate.

    NIRP will drive up the price of gilts, which causes pension funds a problem as they price the pensions they have to pay out based upon the price of gilts and the income that can be received from them.

    Very many pension funds in the UK are company pensions, where the company is legally obliged to top up the fund when the fund determines it hasnā€™t enough money to pay pensioners. Rather than going into productive assets, a company may be required to hand its cash over to its pension fund to cover the shortfall caused by NIRP.

    However here in the UK, given the evidence from Denmark and Sweden, the likely effect will be the usual one: a rise in the price of property. If we ever get to the point where people are being paid to borrow money, then a property price bubble is near certain.

    This is where negative rates start to become unstuck. Will the negative rates be enough to dislodge company savings into productive investments, or will they simply be cycled round the property and share markets driving up prices until the central bank finally taxes them all away with ever more negative rates?

  57. jon livesey
    January 11, 2021

    I now think that remainers, and self described “leavers” who just happen violently to hate the deal we left with, are now wasting their time.

    In the first place, they are concentrating their efforts on whichever blogs their daily searches reveal mention Brexit keywords, but they are forgetting that no single blog, no matter how interesting, has effect in changing public opinion.

    Second, they are revealing that all they have is tiny, uninteresting stories that affect very few people. If you bang on about one soccer mom who can’t get one particular cannabis oil, or one sanitary product, you end up looking trivial and a bit lost. You look like someone repeating memorized lines because you can’t think what else to talk about.

    There are still interesting things to say about the future outside the EU, but trying to re-litigate a referendum you were going to win 60/40, but lost, isn’t one of them.

  58. GeorgeP
    January 12, 2021

    Interesting snippet on Twitter this morning that Dennis bus company are going to start building their own chassis in the UK. Why were they importing chassis? If it was because it was cheaper, I can understand how a company in somewhere like Poland can do it cheaper, but not if it was somewhere like Germany or the Netherlands? I guess they are making this change because of rigid ‘rules of origin’ regulations insisted on by the EU in the EU/UK trade deal. If so, it’s an ‘own goal’ by the EU as I’m guessing a continental manufacturer will have lost a valuable contract to supply Dennis buses with chassis. Anyway let’s hope that this is the start of a trend to ‘reshore’ manufacturing in the UK, rather than our reliance on imports.

    1. London Nick
      January 12, 2021

      While reshoring production to the UK is, of course, brilliant news, you are mistaken in believing that this was due to the EU shooting themselves in the foot over rules of origin. Quite the opposite. It is the British government of Boris the moron that has always opposed strict rules of origin limited to the UK alone, even though these would lead to reshoring and the revitalisation of our manufacturing industry. Quite why he is so treacherous heaven only knows. The rules agreed with the EU mean that the UK and EU are in the same zone as far as rules of origin are concerned.

      What happened with ADL (Alexader Dennis Ltd) is that they have a joint arrangement with the chassis producer – Chinese company BYD – to make electric buses (and this chassis production only applies to electric buses) in the UK. This is due to the increased domestic market for these, making production locally worthwhile.

  59. Ian
    January 12, 2021

    Lots of good letters,
    So the truth will drip out over the weeks ahead.
    Yes yet again the Nation has been Betrayed by the usual people , the Establishment, how refreshing
    Bring on Farage , and vote for change and vote for W T. O we must have a good clearance of these Treacherous individuals, there must be a decent penalty for such people, or it will carry on on again , do you really want yet more Of this , Vote for Freedom we should all be certain and as mad as hell to be free really Free not Free lite

Comments are closed.