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Buying British Part 3 – with thanks to FACTS4EU
January 15, 2024 18 Comments
āExcellent reasons why we should buy British – Part IIIā
Countries such as the UK with higher quality standards should maintain them.
Many in the EU accept much lower just to fit with what the lowest in their rigid club tolerate as equal.
hefner January 15, 2024
And then despite the UKās āhigher quality standardsā bovine spongiform encephalopathy crept up from UK farms using meal-and-bone meal to feed the cows ā¦
Martin in Bristol January 16, 2024
Going back decades to make your argument hefner, when this post by Sir John is looking at the benefits of buying British in 2024.
Bloke January 16, 2024
hefner:
Even the highest standards lack full immunity from breaches caused by someoneās carelessness or malintent. The cause of the abnormal prion protein responsible for BSE in cattle remains less than fully understood. Thousands of cow corpses burning was an extremely bad outcome, yet absence of quality standards would have allowed worse.
Ian B January 15, 2024
I do remember when we got mixed up in the EU, it was the UK that had to lower its standards particularly in animal welfare and slaughter. As the UKās Standards meant it would put to much pressure on the EU Community and some just couldnāt comply. So, lowering them as a compromise was the easy answer.
This meant the UK Farmer was punished and undercut in the market place ā as always they have remained competent and responsible.
That was never reciprocal āfreeā trade.
Michelle January 15, 2024
Yet there is still much weeping and wailing over the fall in standards we will face because of Brexit.
Listening to many of the Remain camp, (particularly the new elite of University grads) you could be forgive for thinking we were flailing around still rubbing sticks together for fire before we joined the EU.
We had good standards in many areas, and were never so inept before entry into the EU, that we couldn’t carry on with improvements.
Ian B January 15, 2024
Within this same scenario it must be remembered the EU Commission is first and foremost a protectionism racket it has nothing to do with āfreeā or even equal or reciprocal trade.
They (the EU) subsidies EU Food production, which is a reasonable proposition to a degree to maintain home market supply security. But then immediately weaponize the output, by using these subsidies to undermine the world markets. So poor Countries canāt get lifted out of poverty because the EU damages and punishes them with over subsidised produce on the World Markets.
The one that amused me and highlighted this corrupt system was when Trump was President and he highlighted that car exports/imports from the EU into the US attracted duties of 2.5%, yet US cars into the EU attracted 10% in duties. A 400% discrepancy to the favour of the EU. When he suggested that the taxes should be reciprocated i.e. 10% both ways the EU screamed unfair trade from the roof tops.
Ian B January 15, 2024
There are lots of contradictions, that in the end stack up to be trade barriers, in lieu of tariffs. A simply one Chlorine used to clean Poultry, is said to be bad. Yet Chlorine to clean salad produce and in our fresh drinking water is OK.
Never loose sight of the simple fact is that in all these thing the EU Commission is judge and jury. Yet they are not democratically accountable or responsible for their own output. Its the opposite of the UK system were those elected are responsible and accountable yet refuse their duty.
Geoffrey Berg January 15, 2024
I’ll be exceptionally controversial here and express my view which I know horrifies many and few British people have sympathy with. Animal regulation is still regulation and quite costly and I just don’t see any sense or rationality in it as farm animals are bred and fattened up to make their lives as short as possible before they are ready to be slaughtered so as to end up as food on our plates. Incidentally there is not and cannot in practice be such legislation to improve the lot of fish before they end up on a plate (I was told by a former trawler captain that flat fish survive being caught for hours and are often filleted while still alive). If one doesn’t like that one can be a vegetarian (which I am not) but short of that it is ridiculous to go on about animal welfare.
Mickey Taking January 15, 2024
You don’t even get close to mentioning the care of the animals involved. In order to be profitable most British farmers look after their animals from assisted birth, to sprays and jabs, also care of feet etc to ensure they are fit and happy. Other types of care include breeding animals that usually give birth without intervention and distress. Separation of fathers from daughters and granddaughters to ensure best genes and not the faults possible with incest. In other countries we became aware of very lax management in that regard. Farmers do their best to bring animals inside in bad winter conditions and feed them well. As you say if the food chain offends close your ears to carrots and beetroots screaming when pulled up!
Bloke January 15, 2024
Animals are cruel too. So many animals eat each other alive daily to survive in life themselves. Several of them also eat humans. Being vegetarian can ease some animal suffering but is only minimal as nature is so vast. Being somewhat kinder to the animals we do kill is a sensible policy even with some ridiculous contradictory exceptions, such as those who are careless with flat fish as you describe.
GaryC January 16, 2024
“So many animals eat each other alive daily to survive”
FTFY: So many Tory politicians eat each other alive daily rather than pull together and work for the British people.
Lynn Atkinson January 15, 2024
Seems to me the most important thing the people of Wokingham are predicted to do in the latest poll is ābuy true British Conservatismā by backing John Redwood political agenda as set out daily on this blog.
Surely the fact that there is no āwokeā being bought by Wokingham is an indicator to the very many pseudo-Tories who are about to joint the dole queues?
Mickey Taking January 15, 2024
I may well support Sir John, however if he were not standing (I’d prefer as a Reformer or Independent) there is no way on God’s earth I would vote for other so-called Tories who have supported these appalling Governments for nigh on 14 years. I have no belief should they survive that ‘things will only get better’.
Unless of course miracles happen, they survive, sack B of E panel, terminate OBR, leave ECHR, take a flame thrower to Treasury and Supreme Court, sack and discontinue Mayors, insist on at least 10% reduction of CS each of next 2 years – and what matters MORE appoint Sir John to Chancellor and let him pick the next PM.
I will wake up soon from this delightful dream.
mancunius January 15, 2024
A useful question for a parliamentary committee to ask of the CEO/Chairmen of large supermarket chains would be: ‘Why, except in mega branches, do you insist on selling a preponderance of EU produce, and such a narrow range of UK veg and dairy? e.g. No UK mushrooms or tomatoes, only EU, no English pears, only EU, almost no fresh brassicas but packets of mange tout foodmile-heavy from South America and Africa, no UK cheese except cheddar (and 50% of that from the Republic of Ireland). Why do you need to help Holland, France and the RoI dump their dairy produce on the unwitting homebound commuter?
Is it because since 1974 you have so manipulated of habits of UK shoppers that they prefer tasteless, over-expensive Brie and Greek-monopoly feta to Red Leicester, Edam to Lancashire, Cheshire, Wensleydale, or delicious English sheep’s/goat’s cheese?
‘Why is it your German rivals Aldi and Lidl manage to outstock and undercut you, while proudly displaying their “British” labels on goods, and making excellent profits thereby?
‘Is it because you no longer want to sell to British shoppers, and long for the return of EU migrants to help sell your now unwanted surplus?
hefner January 15, 2024
O/T but might still be of interest: standard.co.uk, 09/01/2023 āHow deeply is Fujitsu embedded in Government and could it lose its contracts?ā
hefner January 15, 2024
O/T (again, sorry) but 15/01 is National Pothole Day (no, itās not a joke) and anyone who has access to Which? can read āThe best ways to claim for pothole damage to your carā including how to check whether oneās car insurance includes pothole damage and figuring out whether/how it will affect oneās no-claims bonus, and even how to possibly claim compensation from your council using the small claims court.
Know-Dice January 16, 2024
And a side note:
Always worth reporting potholes on public websites like fixmystreet.com otherwise councils will use their “get out of jail free card” – “That they inspect roads regularly and this pot hole had occurred between inspections”….
January 15, 2024
Countries such as the UK with higher quality standards should maintain them.
Many in the EU accept much lower just to fit with what the lowest in their rigid club tolerate as equal.
January 15, 2024
And then despite the UKās āhigher quality standardsā bovine spongiform encephalopathy crept up from UK farms using meal-and-bone meal to feed the cows ā¦
January 16, 2024
Going back decades to make your argument hefner, when this post by Sir John is looking at the benefits of buying British in 2024.
January 16, 2024
hefner:
Even the highest standards lack full immunity from breaches caused by someoneās carelessness or malintent. The cause of the abnormal prion protein responsible for BSE in cattle remains less than fully understood. Thousands of cow corpses burning was an extremely bad outcome, yet absence of quality standards would have allowed worse.
January 15, 2024
I do remember when we got mixed up in the EU, it was the UK that had to lower its standards particularly in animal welfare and slaughter. As the UKās Standards meant it would put to much pressure on the EU Community and some just couldnāt comply. So, lowering them as a compromise was the easy answer.
This meant the UK Farmer was punished and undercut in the market place ā as always they have remained competent and responsible.
That was never reciprocal āfreeā trade.
January 15, 2024
Yet there is still much weeping and wailing over the fall in standards we will face because of Brexit.
Listening to many of the Remain camp, (particularly the new elite of University grads) you could be forgive for thinking we were flailing around still rubbing sticks together for fire before we joined the EU.
We had good standards in many areas, and were never so inept before entry into the EU, that we couldn’t carry on with improvements.
January 15, 2024
Within this same scenario it must be remembered the EU Commission is first and foremost a protectionism racket it has nothing to do with āfreeā or even equal or reciprocal trade.
They (the EU) subsidies EU Food production, which is a reasonable proposition to a degree to maintain home market supply security. But then immediately weaponize the output, by using these subsidies to undermine the world markets. So poor Countries canāt get lifted out of poverty because the EU damages and punishes them with over subsidised produce on the World Markets.
The one that amused me and highlighted this corrupt system was when Trump was President and he highlighted that car exports/imports from the EU into the US attracted duties of 2.5%, yet US cars into the EU attracted 10% in duties. A 400% discrepancy to the favour of the EU. When he suggested that the taxes should be reciprocated i.e. 10% both ways the EU screamed unfair trade from the roof tops.
January 15, 2024
There are lots of contradictions, that in the end stack up to be trade barriers, in lieu of tariffs. A simply one Chlorine used to clean Poultry, is said to be bad. Yet Chlorine to clean salad produce and in our fresh drinking water is OK.
Never loose sight of the simple fact is that in all these thing the EU Commission is judge and jury. Yet they are not democratically accountable or responsible for their own output. Its the opposite of the UK system were those elected are responsible and accountable yet refuse their duty.
January 15, 2024
I’ll be exceptionally controversial here and express my view which I know horrifies many and few British people have sympathy with. Animal regulation is still regulation and quite costly and I just don’t see any sense or rationality in it as farm animals are bred and fattened up to make their lives as short as possible before they are ready to be slaughtered so as to end up as food on our plates. Incidentally there is not and cannot in practice be such legislation to improve the lot of fish before they end up on a plate (I was told by a former trawler captain that flat fish survive being caught for hours and are often filleted while still alive). If one doesn’t like that one can be a vegetarian (which I am not) but short of that it is ridiculous to go on about animal welfare.
January 15, 2024
You don’t even get close to mentioning the care of the animals involved. In order to be profitable most British farmers look after their animals from assisted birth, to sprays and jabs, also care of feet etc to ensure they are fit and happy. Other types of care include breeding animals that usually give birth without intervention and distress. Separation of fathers from daughters and granddaughters to ensure best genes and not the faults possible with incest. In other countries we became aware of very lax management in that regard. Farmers do their best to bring animals inside in bad winter conditions and feed them well. As you say if the food chain offends close your ears to carrots and beetroots screaming when pulled up!
January 15, 2024
Animals are cruel too. So many animals eat each other alive daily to survive in life themselves. Several of them also eat humans. Being vegetarian can ease some animal suffering but is only minimal as nature is so vast. Being somewhat kinder to the animals we do kill is a sensible policy even with some ridiculous contradictory exceptions, such as those who are careless with flat fish as you describe.
January 16, 2024
“So many animals eat each other alive daily to survive”
FTFY: So many Tory politicians eat each other alive daily rather than pull together and work for the British people.
January 15, 2024
Seems to me the most important thing the people of Wokingham are predicted to do in the latest poll is ābuy true British Conservatismā by backing John Redwood political agenda as set out daily on this blog.
Surely the fact that there is no āwokeā being bought by Wokingham is an indicator to the very many pseudo-Tories who are about to joint the dole queues?
January 15, 2024
I may well support Sir John, however if he were not standing (I’d prefer as a Reformer or Independent) there is no way on God’s earth I would vote for other so-called Tories who have supported these appalling Governments for nigh on 14 years. I have no belief should they survive that ‘things will only get better’.
Unless of course miracles happen, they survive, sack B of E panel, terminate OBR, leave ECHR, take a flame thrower to Treasury and Supreme Court, sack and discontinue Mayors, insist on at least 10% reduction of CS each of next 2 years – and what matters MORE appoint Sir John to Chancellor and let him pick the next PM.
I will wake up soon from this delightful dream.
January 15, 2024
A useful question for a parliamentary committee to ask of the CEO/Chairmen of large supermarket chains would be: ‘Why, except in mega branches, do you insist on selling a preponderance of EU produce, and such a narrow range of UK veg and dairy? e.g. No UK mushrooms or tomatoes, only EU, no English pears, only EU, almost no fresh brassicas but packets of mange tout foodmile-heavy from South America and Africa, no UK cheese except cheddar (and 50% of that from the Republic of Ireland). Why do you need to help Holland, France and the RoI dump their dairy produce on the unwitting homebound commuter?
Is it because since 1974 you have so manipulated of habits of UK shoppers that they prefer tasteless, over-expensive Brie and Greek-monopoly feta to Red Leicester, Edam to Lancashire, Cheshire, Wensleydale, or delicious English sheep’s/goat’s cheese?
‘Why is it your German rivals Aldi and Lidl manage to outstock and undercut you, while proudly displaying their “British” labels on goods, and making excellent profits thereby?
‘Is it because you no longer want to sell to British shoppers, and long for the return of EU migrants to help sell your now unwanted surplus?
January 15, 2024
O/T but might still be of interest: standard.co.uk, 09/01/2023 āHow deeply is Fujitsu embedded in Government and could it lose its contracts?ā
January 15, 2024
O/T (again, sorry) but 15/01 is National Pothole Day (no, itās not a joke) and anyone who has access to Which? can read āThe best ways to claim for pothole damage to your carā including how to check whether oneās car insurance includes pothole damage and figuring out whether/how it will affect oneās no-claims bonus, and even how to possibly claim compensation from your council using the small claims court.
January 16, 2024
And a side note:
Always worth reporting potholes on public websites like fixmystreet.com otherwise councils will use their “get out of jail free card” – “That they inspect roads regularly and this pot hole had occurred between inspections”….