The missing agenda

The government used conference to announce a few modest policies and spending plans. There was the much promoted ban on employers deducting money from tips, the freeze on fuel duty, £2 m for the Midlands Engine Partnership, a welcome £240 m extra for social care, future guidance on the maximum time young people should spend on social media, a higher rate of stamp duty for foreigners and a statutory duty for employers to consider flexible working for new jobs.

The financial items made no overall difference to a £2 trillion economy being slowed by a combined fiscal and monetary squeeze, which went undiscussed. The other big gap in proceedings was the absence of detailed positive plans department by department on how they are going to take advantage of Brexit from next April. We did have a confirmation again that the new migration policy will reduce numbers of people coming to seek low paid work or benefits, and will be fair to the whole world. But where was the detail? Where is the draft legislation so we can have it in law by March?

It was the caution, the refusal of the whole government to engage with the big picture and to show energy in using the new freedoms and the freed money which Brexit will bring which drove delegates from the main conference hall to the fringe. There on the fringe were the bold ideas, the bigger picture, the wish to grasp the opportunities Brexit brings. The irony was not lost on many that the single word slogan was Opportunity for the conference as a whole, but all too many cabinet Ministers chose not to take any of the opportunities on offer for our country as we leave the EU.

So lets have the agenda filled. Lets have a farming policy that promotes home grown food, a fishing policy that puts UK interests first, a borders policy that provides the law to back up the aspirations,spending policies that reflect popular priorities. Above all, lets have some tax cuts which can be the best driver of enterprise.

215 Comments

  1. Ian wragg
    October 4, 2018

    BRINO.
    No change Sherlock.

    1. Richard
      October 4, 2018

      No change, sadly: “Theresa May’s officials are drawing up plans to rush her Brexit deal through Parliament in an attempt to head off a rebellion from her own party, according to people familiar with the matter. May’s team want the final withdrawal agreement ratified by lawmakers within two weeks of signing the terms of the divorce in Brussels.” https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-10-04/u-k-s-may-said-to-plan-rushing-brexit-deal-through-parliament

      Plus The Times indicates CU & GB-NI goods checks : https://www.thetimes.co.uk/edition/news/may-agrees-curbs-on-trade-to-break-brexit-deadlock-37j2jjs9g

      Chequers is not Brexit.

      1. JoolsB
        October 4, 2018

        If traitor May gets her way, that will be the end of the Conservative party but maybe that’s what she wants seeing as she is not a Conservative.

      2. Chris
        October 4, 2018

        Yes, and the reasons why she is doing this is that she assumes that the Brexiter MPs would not have the courage or enough conviction to launch a leadership challenge in these next few days as the negotiations are rushed by May into their next stage. This comment from D T on a Spectator thread just about sums it up.
        “I suspect Nigel Farage is correct when he says May is now safe because it’s too late for a leadership challenge (which would clash with Brexit negotiations and possibly lead to delaying Brexit). Nigel is pessimistic – he believes even the hard Brexiteers will vote for whatever fudge May presents when the crunch comes, as they did for Maastricht, to avoid the government falling.”

        Reply Many of us have made clear we will not vote for a Chequers type deal were one to be available

    2. Caterpillar
      October 4, 2018

      Yep heading for BRINO, I don’t know why anyone is pretending otherwise.

  2. Bob Dixon
    October 4, 2018

    I was not enthused by The Prime Ministers speech.

    1. Lifelogic
      October 4, 2018

      Was anyone sensible remotely enthused? Alister Heath has it right as usual today. May’s grim, annoying, tax and regulate to death government must go, but there is real hope – we just need a new sensible leader and to avoid a Corbyn/SNP disaster.

      https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2018/10/03/party-freedom-lives-theresa-mays-grim-nannying-government/

    2. microwave
      October 4, 2018

      Yes- but her dancing was great! Boris Who?

    3. Lifelogic.
      October 4, 2018

      The party of business Theresa May said endlessly yesterday. So in my in box just now from the Federation of Small Business I get:-
      Tax cut for self-employed scrapped – Government abandons pledge on Class 2 National Insurance contributions. She thinks we are all idiot!

      They are still cheating on their Inheritance Tax (£1million each) pledge too. Get rid of the tax to death economic illiterate Philip Hammond. Before he does even more harm in his Autumn Statement.

      1. Denis Cooper
        October 4, 2018

        Primarily just the part of business which exports to the EU, about 6% of companies, 12% of GDP. If the rest do not like having to operate under a system set up for the convenience of that minority they can lump it.

    4. rose
      October 4, 2018

      It was dire, embarrassing, corny, creepy, in bad taste – I don’t mean the dancing – and it was shot through with lies. Her most unconservative speech yet, which is saying something. Come back Nick Timothy, all is forgiven.

      1. Chris
        October 4, 2018

        He seems to think it was rather good (D Tel article), so do not be too hasty in wanting him back.

        1. rose
          October 5, 2018

          Yes, he is trying to be nice about his former marionette and he has his own big government ideas to push, but early on he said: “She did not however explain what happens to Brexit when Chequers inevitably unravels.” He has been consistent on this, and if she wouldn’t mention it, he did.

      2. Adam
        October 4, 2018

        rose:

        I read her speech & feel the writer produced well-crafted content, but the PM’s briefing to the writer conspicuously omitted much of the essential substance to which JR has referred.

        1. rose
          October 5, 2018

          I expect it was a whole lot less embarrassing etc when read silently by you than out loud by her.

          1. Adam
            October 6, 2018

            The dancing was naively idiotic but you disregarded that.

            You refer to your embarrassing expectation & ‘shot through with lies’.

            Where in the script were the lies you claim, rose?

          2. rose
            October 6, 2018

            I am sorry, Adam, I really don’t want to go through it all again, even for you: it was disagreeable enough the first time.

            I have no objection to the dancing: she is a good looking woman with a graceful figure, and she wasn’t reading anything out.

    5. Richard
      October 4, 2018

      Her speech on baubles and trinkets was a classic “Birthday Routine” to disguise the enormous Heist that is currently being collaborated.
      [In ‘Fast and Furious 7’ Tyrese Gibson caused a distraction at a party by taking over a DJ’s microphone and starting a singalong to celebrate a random guest’s birthday.]

      As Boris put it: “This is not taking back control: this is forfeiting control. And they know it in Brussels. Do not be fooled by the suggestion that the EU will ultimately reject these proposals. …what the Chequers proposals show is that the United Kingdom, for all its power and might and network of influences around the world, for all its venerable parliamentary history, was ultimately unable to take back control. And instead of reasserting our ability to make our own laws, the UK will be effectively paraded in manacles down the Rue de la Loi like Caractacus.”

      1. Chris
        October 4, 2018

        Absolutely, Richard. This will be the most treacherous feat that May pulls off, but what is even worse is the fact that her MPs enabled, encouraged and supported that treachery, and quite openly.

      2. Oxiana321
        October 4, 2018

        Hardened, loyal Conservatives who have voted for the party all their lives will walk away. I don’t say this lightly, but if the PM gets away with Chequers the Conservative party deserves to sink in to oblivion forever. This is not the party I recognise anymore.

  3. Mark B
    October 4, 2018

    Good morning

    We are not leaving so why plan for such ?

    How pathetic. You have given away so many powers that you cannot now do anything meaningful without the EU’s say so.

    Reduce access to benefits for migrants ? They should not be getting any ! And who decides what is low paid ?

    If employers want a particular skill from abroad that is fine by me. But they should meet the FULL costs of both them and their dependents.

    There was a time when political party conferences were grand affairs if importance and interest. But they have become little more than a tawdy travelling circus complete with dancing monkeys, snuggling their kitten heals to an old ABBA tune. A measure of how low we have sunk.

    1. mancunius
      October 4, 2018

      “You have given away so many powers”
      Mark, who exactly do you mean by ‘you’ here?

      JR is not in a position to ‘give powers away’, and has not done so: he has no part in government negotiations.

  4. Mick
    October 4, 2018

    After watching and listening to Mrs May speech yesterday I can only say it was a vast improvement on last years conference she just needs to brush up a bit on her dancing skills but at least she tried to show her fun side, and as for the chequers deal I’m probably not the only one in the country that doesn’t fully understand the ins and outs of it, I know that our host is very knowledgeable on most matters so perhaps he could explain in plain easy to understand English the true meaning of the chequers deal that the ordinary person on the street can understand

    1. Dennis Zoff
      October 4, 2018

      Mick

      I suggest you visit Facts4EU
      https://facts4eu.org/news.shtml

      They have the most erudite Brexit articles and comprehensive “researched” details from all official sources: EU’s own docs, ONS, etc

      Checkers is nicely disseminated.

      You will be up-to-date and can see, in all its vivid detail, why EU membership is truely incompatible with British values, future commercial growth, full independence/sovereignty, and why there is an immediate need to leave this crumbling, enormously profligate, ideologically insane, neo-soviet block asap!

      Incidentally, good articles from John Redwood there too.

    2. JoolsB
      October 4, 2018

      We will be bound by a common rule book designed by Brussels keeping us bound to the EU as rule takers but not rule makers.

    3. NickC
      October 5, 2018

      Mick, The plain English is in the “Chequers”, or Robbins, White Paper executive summary as linked on facts4eu.org.

      Chequers foreword by Theresa May: “It would take us out of the … Common Fisheries Policy”.
      Chequers executive summary (E/S): “fishing, putting in place new arrangements for annual negotiations on access to waters and the sharing of fishing opportunities …”.

      May’s foreword: “And that is what we will do – leaving the Single Market and the Customs Union, ending free movement and the jurisdiction of the European Court of Justice in this country …”.
      E/S: A common rulebook for goods including agri-food … meaning that the UK would make an upfront choice to commit by treaty to ongoing harmonisation with the relevant EU rules …”
      “Participation by the UK in those EU agencies … the European Chemicals Agency, the European Aviation Safety Agency, and the European Medicines Agency …”
      “Facilitated Customs Arrangement … between the UK and the EU as if they were a combined customs territory
      …”

      E/S: “The UK will no longer be part of the EU’s common policies on foreign, defence, security, justice and home affairs. Instead, the Government is proposing a new security partnership that maintains close cooperation …”.

      All of the above will be adjudicated by the CJEU, so we won’t escape from that either. This isn’t just a clumsily bad proposal, it is Remain.

  5. Nig l
    October 4, 2018

    And the chinless wonders are clinging on to queen bee knowing that when she goes, so will they and I guess those with any oomph can’t be bothered to take on ‘the blob’ that is no 10.

    What a poor speech she gave in terms of content. It comes to something when success is measured in terms of a dancing walk on, the stage scenery staying put and no loss of voice plus a few sob stories to generate sympathy.

    I note a subtle change of language. You are now hurting business because you want ‘the perfect Brexit’. Wow. I would be really inspired by a boss who asked me to set my sights lower.

    Sums up what you have said above.

  6. Roy Grainger
    October 4, 2018

    I assume May didn’t announce any new policies to take advantage of us leaving the EU because she thinks we’re not actually going to leave the EU.

    1. Lifelogic.
      October 4, 2018

      Indeed she almost certainly has a Chequers minus, minus plan already agreed (now with a name change one assumes). She is treating the voters and party members with complete and utter contempt she assumes we are all as thick as she is. It must be stopped by the sensible wing and she (plus her daft remainer, big state, anti-business, tax and regulate to death agenda) must be buried as soon as possible.

  7. Peter VAN LEEUWEN
    October 4, 2018

    Your country has indeed been brexit-consumed, neglecting other priorities.
    But having waited 555 months, another 21 months might be a price worth paying for not breaking up your party and risking elections.
    So I expect the ERG having that patience if a Canada-like FTA will be agreed to be feasible within those 21 months.
    A second referendum or, better, parliament decision about EU membership, would make more sense in say ten or twenty years, when the EU will have demonstrated still to make the better global trade deals. Also a younger, intelligent generation, with fewer “1922” mindsets, will be at the helm in the UK.

    1. Edward2
      October 4, 2018

      Demographics mean more old people in the years ahead so the probability is more pro leave and less socialists in the future.

    2. Rien Huizer
      October 4, 2018

      @ Peter van Leeuwen

      By 1922 do you mean the Cannes conference about WWI reparations or the start of Irish independence/retreat of English forces from Dublin?

      1. Peter VAN LEEUWEN
        October 4, 2018

        @Rien Huizer: “1922” mindset – the mindset of English “specialness”. In 1922 the UK still ruled the largest empire ever, about a quarter of the world population.

        1. libertarian
          October 5, 2018

          Dear Peter & Rien

          I have no idea why you harp on about the British Empire , the only one in history I might add that voluntarily gave itself up.

          I have never , ever met any British person who wishes to return to the days of empire. To keep conflating the various types of people who voted for Leave as all old, colonial, xenophobics is pathetic .

          Maybe if you got out of your European dictatorship mentality and started to look at the range of different reasons you might begin to understand.

          Let me give a few examples of the different reasons

          1) Most leavers voted leave because they dont like being ruled by a far away, unelected, mercantilist oligarchy

          2) Large numbers of working people in the North feel disenfranchised in their own communities by the impact of low skilled/no skilled workers from Eastern Europe and Africa

          3) The majority ( 63% ) of small business owners voted leave because they object to rafts of regulations about trading in EU , when 96% of them dont do any trade in the EU at all.

          4) The majority of small business owners ( there are 5.7 million of them) are fed up with EU employment & tax regulations that help large multinationals stop them from competing, facilitate tax avoidance and cause the cost of employment to go up thereby restricting wage growth

          5) A large number of Leave voters are concerned about the large numbers of people coming into the country and putting further strain on an already over burdened infrastructure

          6) Some of us voted Leave because we recognise that the protectionist, mercantilist EU is damaging our ability to innovate, create and build things for the future

          7) HERE’s the biggie . The EU caused ALL of their own problems by refusing point blank to even look at changing or making concessions when Cameron asked for their help. Their obstinate refusal to take notice of what people actually want is and will be the cause of their downfall. British people ( including a lot of Remain voters) do NOT want to be part of a new Federal Europe

          And yes there are some fringe fruitcakes, as there are in any society, however the far right in the UK is minuscule compared to the far right in your own country. Maybe they miss the Dutch empire?

          1. Peter VAN LEEUWEN
            October 7, 2018

            @libertarian: Interesting, but I’ve been away this weekend and this blog format doesn’t really allow for digging into these many points.
            With wanting to sound condenscending, let me suggest that you (UK) just stick to cricket: inspite of its complex rules, you (1) understand it and (2) actually play it well. You possess neither of these with regard to the EU.
            If you’re “blind” to the lingering feelings of English “specialness”, it would be unfair to ask you to just “see”. History will show you within ten or twenty years.

          2. Peter VAN LEEUWEN
            October 7, 2018

            @libertarian: Oops, I meant to write “WITHOUT” wanting to sound condenscending!

        2. David Price
          October 5, 2018

          Pot calling the kettle black – the EU oozes a sense of entitlement – what was it your chieftains demand they be called, “Excellency”?

          We have EU placemen at the helm today so I am not clear what you expect in the future once they are hopefully no longer in positions of authority. We do not wish to be part of you sclerotic empire that cripples some of your own countries for the benefit of one or two.

    3. Sir Joe Soap
      October 4, 2018

      Yes, we’ll see you in 10 or 20 years’ time.

      More of your citizens will still be trying to get here than leave, despite our country being more densely populated than yours.

      By then you’ll have realised that managing without UK contributions isn’t so easy, and realised that trying to squeeze Greeks and Italians into a German box doesn’t work.

      We’ll hopefully have benefited from free trade deals which you seem to have struggled with. There will be competition – if the EU doesn’t want our ideas and energy, the Americans will benefit from them, or indeed Far Eastern countries. We don’t need you telling us we can only make low powered vacuum cleaners nor that we have to admit any of your citizens which you tell us we must. Or you can choose to participate too with us, without trying to tell us what we should and shouldn’t do with our money, laws and borders.
      Ciao.

      1. Peter VAN LEEUWEN
        October 4, 2018

        @Sir Joe Soap:
        Let us start at the top.
        The United Kingdom: 255 people /square kilometer
        The Netherlands : 417 people /square kilometer

        The UK contribution is/was a mere 1% of GDP. That is not a lot and easily compensated by other EU members. (For fun, do you know how much of their GDP American states pay towards the federal budget? More than 30% I have heard)

        Lower powered vacume cleaners was a request by the sector ( the combinede EU vacume manufacturers.

        We use existing EU regulations to make sure immigrants unless they have a job, or enough maney and an good health insurance. For some unknown to me reason the UK didn’t use these existing EU tools.

        1. Edward2
          October 5, 2018

          Over 80% of people live in England, its population density is similar to the Netherlands.
          The UK is one of only nine of the EU member nations actually paying into the .
          It has been a net contributor for every single year bar one since joining and is in the top three of contributors.
          Open borders around the EU is allowing millions into the EU and the inability to return those who are illegals or cannot support themselves or who are criminals is a disaster which is carrying on at level which is leading to the rise of populist parties in several EU nations.
          I’m not interested in vacuum cleaners.

          1. hans christian ivers
            October 6, 2018

            Edward 2

            UK is among the top there contributors but not when it comes to contributions per capita, where is way down.

          2. Edward2
            October 6, 2018

            Counting the UK’s contribution by per capita is ridiculous use of statistics because cash is the most important measurement and the UK has a huge population compared to most EU nations.
            Why not per acre?

        2. libertarian
          October 5, 2018

          Peter

          You hit the nail on the head about everything that is WRONG with the EU for me

          “Lower powered vacume cleaners was a request by the sector ( the combinede EU vacume manufacturers.”

          Exactly large rent seeking groups stopping innovation because they can’t compete .

          Same with Diesel cars, lobbying by vested interests who were then caught cheating.

          That is entirely the problem with the EU, its a backward looking, vested interest , mercantilist , protectionist anachronism

          ps the UK contributions to the EU budget equal the combined contributions of 19 of the smallest countries. Good luck with that

        3. a-tracy
          October 5, 2018

          Perhaps Joe was thinking just about England Peter.
          “The number of people living in England has overtaken the population density of Holland, which has traditionally been the most densely-populated major nation on the continent. The count, which has been attributed to higher levels of immigration, shows England now has 395 people per square kilometre.”
          We really do need to address the underpopulation of Scotland and Wales and share more people and work around the entire United Kingdom.
          World capital cities say “The London metropolitan area contains 3,236 square miles (8,382 square kilometers) and has almost 15 million inhabitants. Population density within London city limits averages an estimated 7,200 inhabitants per square mile (2,800 per square kilometer).”

          We, not the EU, we need to get a grip in the UK and if the old parties won’t do these coalitions will sadly appear in our political system like those on the continent and they will just blame each other and the Lib-Cons did.

          We love our Dysons and our Toasters, the EU manufacturers wanted to remove this excellent competition, they’re all making vacuums like this now, they just wanted time. If we have more powerful toasters it takes less time to toast our bread, if we have more powerful vacs it takes less time and energy to keep our homes clean.

          We were told that David Cameron came to the EU parliament to remove housing benefits, child tax credits, working tax credits and others for four years, the best he could obtain was one year. Plus who pays to remove people that lose their jobs, become homeless with children here and then get automatic socially provided housing and benefits, it may not be a problem in Holland yet but it is here.

        4. Rien Huizer
          October 5, 2018

          Mr Soap calls England a “country” and England by itself is slightly more densely populated than The Netherlands.

        5. NickC
          October 5, 2018

          PvL, Let’s start at the top.
          England: 427 people / square kilometre (2017 Statista).
          Holland: 417 people /square kilometer (your figure).

          That “mere” 1% UK GDP paid over to the EU would be better spent on defence . . . or the NHS. Or split. There is no need to pay for trade.

          “Lower powered vacuum cleaners was a request by the sector”?? No it wasn’t. It was lobbying by part of the sector to benefit themselves. Why not let the customer decide? Because the EU exists for centralised control to enhance its power.

          So you slaver over centralised control, except where it doesn’t suit you, then you use loopholes. And in some cases some EU nations just ignore the rules (as does the EU when it suits).

    4. Dennis Zoff
      October 4, 2018

      Peter VAN LEEUWEN

      “Also a younger, intelligent generation”

      Really, have you noticed the quality of graduates exiting from UK Universities these days? Good luck with that assertion.

      Very recently I had dinner with one of my University Professor friends who is aghast at the quality of students entering (being allowed to enter) UK Universities and their uptake of meaningless flowery degrees.

      Best we continue to rely on the remaining oldies for commonsense, real-life experience and past “meaningful” education!

      1. John C.
        October 5, 2018

        What Peter says is that in future the older generation will be younger, and that they will be “intelligent”.
        No, it’s gibberish to me too.

    5. rose
      October 4, 2018

      Peter,
      Your Marcel De Graaff summed up the EU very well this morning. And he reminded us it wants its very own KGB now. Young people won’t know what that means.

      1. Rien Huizer
        October 6, 2018

        @ Rose

        Maybe Mr Van Leeuwen would consider Mr De Graaff not quite “his”. De Graaff is an acolyte of Dutch polticial entrepreneur Wilders (the sole member of the so-called Party for Freedom). He has a theology degree (maybe that helps in dreaming up conspriracy theories). An excellent source of the sort of things you might like to hear but not quite authoritative.

    6. mancunius
      October 4, 2018

      Any statistician can tell you that demographically your assertion is anti-fact nonsense.

    7. Lindsay McDougall
      October 5, 2018

      The EU won’t exist, at least not as a Federal European SuperState, in 20 years. Why don’t you cut your losses and deliver a Gaullist Europe?

  8. The PrangWizard
    October 4, 2018

    It’s because your leader May, and Hammond want us to stay tied to the EU and thus they don’t wish change, and they don’t intend to plan for it. They are betrayers of our democratic will. You will not get your wish while they remain in post.

    They should not be leading us.

  9. Richard1
    October 4, 2018

    No surprise to me, completely as expected. The problem, as in any organisation, starts at the top. You’ll have to make a change.

  10. Gary C
    October 4, 2018

    While welcome it’s hard not to think of these modest announcements as merely a smokescreen attempting to cover the elephant in the room.

  11. Peter Wood
    October 4, 2018

    Dr. Redwood,

    Seriously, what did you expect? Mrs. May is not about embracing seismic change, she’s slow, plodding, and unimaginative, a dinosaur who doesn’t know the meteorite is about to hit.

    After Chancellor Hammond I’m surprised there weren’t many delegates who hadn’t gone home to slit their wrists. He wants to raise taxes!

    The ladies and gentlemen of your place of business, who understand what our referendum means, are our last chance to prevent a political disaster. Please don’t let us down.

    1. L Jones
      October 4, 2018

      The trouble is, Mr Wood, is that she actually DOES know that ”the meteorite is about to hit” and although she is in a position to do something about it, it seems she’s not going to. Is she self-serving? Or timid? Or working for the other side? Or a closet Remainer? Or irresponsible? Or just an ostrich?

      What a pity that UKIP doesn’t get its act together. At least their existence sharpened up the Conservatives for a while.

      1. John C.
        October 5, 2018

        She’s all of those things. None of them seems mutually exclusive.

    2. Lifelogic.
      October 4, 2018

      Slow, plodding, unimaginative, robotic and wrong on everything. A dinosaur following a compass that is 180 degrees out from policies that work and from the public & the membership of her party.

      She will bury the party just like Major did if she continues. She is a massive electoral liability – even against the appalling Corbyn/SNP alternative. Quite some achievment!

      1. Bobe
        October 4, 2018

        Yes

  12. Duncan
    October 4, 2018

    At what point do words, anger, frustration and articles lose their purpose, their potency, their relevance? It appears we have all reached that stage. Until this person masquerading as a Tory PM leaves the stage then we’re all effectively neutered.

    It is now incumbent on you John and your fellow Tory MPs who embrace democracy and individualism to bring down this liberal left, Statist interventionist before she causes real damage to our party and our nation

  13. Dave Andrews
    October 4, 2018

    “flexible working for new jobs”
    We’ve had much debate on JIT manufacture. Doesn’t this need JIT workers as well, not ones who are working their own peculiar hours?

  14. Lifelogic
    October 4, 2018

    Indeed the Chequer with a name change seems to be the plan. She must be stopped.

    On rented housing the plan seems to be unfairly tax the private rented sector out of business (pushing up rents, restricting mortgages and killing available choice) and then use taxes to subsidise the social and council housing sector to further under cut them with subsidies and unfair use of the planning system. So eventually you end up with a state housing monopoly. More misguided Socialism from May and Hammond.

    Endless talk in Theresa May’s speech of being pro business, the party of business …… well that would be a massive U turn from them. May and Hammond have been hugely anti-business, anti gig economy and massively micro managing, interventionists. I am sure they still are. You cannot believe a word May utters and you can be fairly sure her and Hammond’s compasses with be 180 degrees out on nearly every issue. She governs for the 20 % who work for the state and produce very little of real value (for 45% of GDP) and regard the 80% working in the private sector as people to be over regulated and taxed to death at every turn. She is a daft socialist, remainer at heart.

    1. mancunius
      October 4, 2018

      Yes, she has entirely the wrong housing policy. Building houses at the taxpayer’s expense that will be handed to those who will not work, or to migrant ‘refugees’.
      And then sold at a discount to whoever has chanced to monopolise their occupancy, creating unfair asset imbalances and rewarding the get-rich-quick-with-other-people’s-money. And manufacturing a future Labour vote that will keep the Tories out for ever.

      The woman needs certifying.

  15. Alan Jutson
    October 4, 2018

    Afraid the Government has no vision, because the Prime Minister and many of her Ministers lack vision as well.

    They are only enacting Brexit out of duty, not passion.

    You should know you are really are in trouble when the warm up act of Mr Cox QC outshines the main event.
    His short speech was slow, deliberate, clear, passionate, and contained some chosen facts.

    The I can’t dance and I can prove it waffle from the Prime Minister was not good.

    Yes she did say no second (third or fourth) referendum, she did say we are leaving, she did say no splitting up of the UK, but interestingly no mention of Chequers, so is she at last beginning to realise WTO terms are actually a way forward.
    Is she at last beginning to realise that her EU counterparts are not really our friends.
    Will she realise that we do not have to pay the EU anything.

    1. JoolsB
      October 4, 2018

      Don’t be fooled by lack of the word Chequers Alan. She has no intention of dropping it but knew saying the C word risked boos and in her deluded mind yesterday was all about putting on a good performance and upstaging Boris.

      1. rose
        October 4, 2018

        Well, she didn’t upstage him. She had a fullish hall because the fringe meetings had been shut down, but he had the audience with him, roaring its approval when he said Chuck Chequers; and he had the serious, weighty, Conservative content.

  16. Hold Matrain up!
    October 4, 2018

    Raaba poor do’s I’d say

  17. Narrow Shoulders
    October 4, 2018

    And there lies a big problem

    The establishment is doing well and continues to have its trough filled by the efforts of PAYE serfs so they have no reason to seek change.
    Labour under Corbyn has its bile and doctrine to fall back on but the Conservatives have become comfortable as part of the establishment. Tweaking reactively rather than disrupting.

    1. Mitchel
      October 4, 2018

      I’m still humming Corbyn’s Conference play out tune: T Rex’s “(No,you won’t fool) the children of the revolution”!

      Mrs May really should have entered with another ABBA hit:”What’s the name of the game?”

      Looks like the ’70s want to reclaim us!

    2. Dennis Zoff
      October 4, 2018

      Narrow Shoulders

      Most profound comment for months….

      “The establishment is doing well and continues to have its trough filled by the efforts of PAYE serfs so they have no reason to seek change”

      And therein lies the “real” problem…no tipping point….no Serf revolt on any subject!

      Tipping point…

      1. Full Brexit – not yet?
      2. Immigration – not yet?
      3. WasteMinster reduction – not yet?
      4. Lords removal – not yet?
      5. Terrorism eradication – not yet?
      6. Revolution – not in our lifetime?

      We are not France: we are “Let’s have another cup of tea and see what happens?” It’s the British nature (which is part of its strength), but so effectively exploited by the establishment.

  18. Andy
    October 4, 2018

    The failed Tory party is so busy pursuing plans to make us all poorer and less relevant that it has no time to think about anything else.

    Still, you needn’t worry. Brexit all but guarantees that your party will be out of power for the rest of your life. In permanent opposition you don’t need an agenda.

    1. a-tracy
      October 4, 2018

      Andy, I don’t understand this sort of accusation that it’s the Tories Brexit, Nick Clegg and the Lib Dems called for a referendum for the people to decide. The Labour party didn’t run on an anti Brexit/referendum platform for several elections. This isn’t a Tory decision it is the UK public decision, voters from all political viewpoints had an opportunity to have their say in the biggest turnout of any election.

    2. Edward2
      October 4, 2018

      Despite your opinion andy, the polls keep showing Conservatives in a lead over Labour.

      1. JoolsB
        October 4, 2018

        Well the longer May remains, that will change.

    3. Richard1
      October 4, 2018

      Opinion Polls show Super Canada is the public’s preferred option. that’s going to be horrible for you, especially if as is likely, it leads to a booming economy.

    4. L Jones
      October 4, 2018

      You’re slipping, Andy.
      No insults aimed at those pesky ”old people”. Well, we’ll just have to take that as read, and those ”old people” will have to hang their heads in shame knowing that it’s THEIR fault, once we’ve rid ourselves of EU shackles and domination, if your bank balance should suffer.

      (Which it won’t, of course. Then you won’t know whether to be relieved or angry!!)

    5. JoolsB
      October 4, 2018

      So carrying out the will of the people will put them out of power will it? What will put them out of power is if May and people like you are allowed to overturn that decision.

    6. libertarian
      October 4, 2018

      Andy

      I agree the Tories are finished

      So if you are staying ( make your mind up) who are YOU going to vote for?

    7. Adam
      October 4, 2018

      Andy:

      It is some of your comments that tend to make you poorer & less relevant.

    8. NickC
      October 4, 2018

      Andy, The failed Tory party is so busy pursuing plans to make us all poorer and less relevant that it has no time to think about anything else.

      Still, you needn’t worry. Remain all but guarantees that the Tory party will be out of power for the rest of your life. In permanent opposition you don’t need an agenda.

    9. Roy Grainger
      October 4, 2018

      If what you said were true Labour would be streets ahead in the polls by now but the last one I saw had them six points down. How do you explain that ? No matter how bad the stories are Corbyn and his anti-Semite hangers-on are worse.

    10. Oggy
      October 4, 2018

      Brexit will only guarantee the Tories are out of office for a generation IF they don’t deliver Brexit – NOT IF they do !

  19. Kevin
    October 4, 2018

    JR writes: “the new migration policy will reduce numbers of people coming to seek low paid work or benefits, and wil be fair to the whole world”.

    To be fair to the whole world must include being fair to the British and Northern Irish. What about a policy of no skilled immigration until every UK child has had access to the same standard of education as competitor would-be immigrants?

    1. Know-Dice
      October 4, 2018

      Kevin, Agreed

      After encouraging more than one generation of young adults to take on debts in the form of Student Loans now at an interest rate which is totally out of kilter with the current Bank of England rate, UK citizens must be given priority in the skilled jobs market.

    2. a-tracy
      October 4, 2018

      I agree with Kevin we need to increase the number of British nurses and doctors in training in the UK, now they contribute to their own training as other graduates do there could be a way the NHS pays the student loan deduction of 9% whilst they are working in the British NHS, if they go to the Private sector or abroad they need to pay back their own training costs from what we are told are higher wages of their new jobs. How does the Student loan board get payments back from the RoW and Europe?

      1. JoolsB
        October 4, 2018

        STEM subjects students should not be coming out with huge debts hanging over them. I am sick of politicians saying we need immigrants for the NHS. No we don’t, just encourage the home grown ones to stay by not burdening them with massive debts on proviso they work for the NHS for a number of years. Why are politicians so stupid?

        1. Alan Jutson
          October 4, 2018

          Jools

          The system you outline works perfectly well in the armed forces.

          If you do not want to serve after training, and want to cut your agreed term short, you have to buy yourself out.

          At least thats how it used to be.

          But you earn whilst you learn.

        2. a-tracy
          October 5, 2018

          My son is a STEM graduate, he can afford his loan repayment and will be able to pay it off. Both his parents didn’t get to College let alone University, I have always thought graduates should pay towards their own tuition equally throughout the UK not this awful just the English pay!!!.
          However, this new scheme after 2012 is just daylight robbery, the interest coming on each year is ridiculous. My two other children have got massive loans, massive interest which affects their net earnings and therefore what they are allowed to borrow. They studied next to Scottish students who are debt free and working in England how the hell is this fair, just or right as their Scottish parents paid no more tax than we did?!
          Our English Conservative government did this with the Lib Dems, the old scheme worked and paid enough back, they should never have tried to make the higher earning graduates get punished by paying too much back for their training to top up others, they will leave eventually for America or Australia like several top end STEM graduates I know.

  20. Adam
    October 4, 2018

    So many in the party are fully in tune with the opinion & wishes of Conservatives throughout the country, yet repeatedly wait patiently for the PM to catch up. She has been tolerated beyond value, having had so many opportunities to change course to the right path, yet doggedly attempts to pursue her naive assumptions, pressing ahead toward a tighter dead end.

    She is increasingly the obstruction to better. Remove her to clear our people’s way to freedom.

  21. agricola
    October 4, 2018

    Thank God the self indulgent clapperthon is over. As you say, little or no substance and absolutely no idea in which direction the PM is heading in the resolution of Brexit. I think we are beginning to see the break up of the conservative party. If you have two parallel conferences it is at least indicative. All very worrying. When we need single minded determination we get uncertainty. The Wets in charge and the soul of the Conservative party consigned to the fringe. My advice to the latter is press on and damn the appeasers, you have the people with you.

    1. JoolsB
      October 4, 2018

      It’s surely time to end the two party monopoly and for all those true Conservatives to break away from the party current masquerading as Conservative. The same could be said for Labour forming a separate party to the marxists.

  22. hans christian ivers
    October 4, 2018

    JR,

    Interesting analysis and one for further consideration and reflection.

    The only question is, will there be more money once we leave the EU (without a deal) I am pretty sure there will not be more money available. The reason for the slow down in the economy is not government policies but lack of commercial investments due to lack of confidence it what will be happening going forward. So basically Brexit uncertainty, Which can be seen in our economic statistics.

    Reply Not what the figures show. Look at the hit to car output from government tax policy and withdrawal of car ooans

    1. Richard1
      October 4, 2018

      I think there is clearly Brexit uncertainty. there might be other factors as well such as tax and car loan policy. its an argument for getting on with Brexit. the withdrawal agreement followed by Brino is a recipe for endless uncertainty.

    2. hans christian ivers
      October 4, 2018

      JR.

      On that point you are right but overall business investments are significantly down due to uncertainty as expressed , IoD, CBI as Association of small businesses

    3. libertarian
      October 4, 2018

      hans

      Dont suppose you actually thought of looking up the investment figures from inward investment

      If you mean domestic investment, why would any of us invest when we dont know what we are going to get, other than more pointless nannying regulations, more tax and more porkbarrel

    4. Denis Cooper
      October 4, 2018

      In fact the most directly relevant economic statistic shows the UK economic growth rate peaking at over 3% in late 2014 – before the 2015 election, before the passage of the EU referendum Act, before the referendum itself – and consistently declining from that peak both before and after the referendum without any clear indication that the referendum vote had any significant impact one way or the other.

      That becomes very obvious when the 5 year chart of the UK economic growth rate is brought up here:

      https://tradingeconomics.com/united-kingdom/gdp-growth-annual

      but in a way the longer term charts – 10 years, and all the way back to 1956 – are more interesting because they show just how minor the recent changes have been compared to say the 6% loss of GDP due to the 2008 financial crisis – which we were seriously warned we would see replicated if we even dared to vote to leave the EU – but also previous tumultuous events over the decades.

      I don’t suppose Hans will bother to look at actual evidence which may contradict his fixed pro-EU anti-Brexit view, but if he did click on that link and chose “MAX” and just looked at the right hand end of the chart he would see that nothing in particular has happened as a consequence of the vote to leave the EU, the UK economic growth rate was edging down well before the referendum and so far it has just edged down a bit further on the same gentle downwards trend.

      1. margaret howard
        October 4, 2018

        That’s because we haven’t left yet and many businesses believe that we never shall hoping that a 2nd referendum will undo the damage done by the 1st.

        1. Denis Cooper
          October 5, 2018

          Thank you for offering an explanation of why Hans is wrong. There are other explanations, of which the most obvious to me would be that in any case EU membership has only had a marginal overall economic impact for the UK, and most likely a negative impact. Hence neither the prospect of terminating our membership nor the actual termination will have a dramatic effect, nothing like the sudden 6% of GDP movement we saw with the financial crisis.

        2. Edward2
          October 5, 2018

          Wrong again Margaret, because disaster and recession was predicted for the period immediately after the vote day by Project Fear 1.0.

        3. libertarian
          October 5, 2018

          margaret howard

          Remind me what business it is that you run? I guess its one of the 6% of small businesses that exports ? Staying in the EU regulation trap is far more costly to the 94% who do not export , than trading via WTO or even an EU FTA

          ps We’ve already had 2 referendums 75 and 2016 , a third one is not remotely on the horizon

    5. NickC
      October 4, 2018

      Hans, The only plan on the table is Chequers. Explicitly Chequers lists all the control the EU will have over us: a combined customs territory, a common rulebook for trade in goods, a new security partnership, annual fishing negotiations, etc.

      None of you Remain supporters can explain why the UK, alone out of the 165 countries in the rest of the world, is incapable of being independent of the EU. The EU does not give us money, the UK gives money to the EU. Our wealth therefore come directly from our own work, not from the EU.

    6. Andy
      October 4, 2018

      Yes – that’s right. The 20% drop in new car sales is nothing to do with Brexit. Nissan has not expressed its concerns about Brexit. Mercedes decision not to manufacturer more here had nothing to do with Brexit. Vauxhall’s warning that British industry will suffer has nothing to do with Brexit. And BMWs decision to close its factory for a month on Brexit day also has nothing to do with Brexit.

      Except, of course, that all these things which you claim have nothing to do with Brexit are – in fact – largely about Brexit.

      There comes a point where all the flat denials of the evident negative impacts of your Brexit look either deluded or criminally negligent. The inevitable public inquiry will work out which.

      Reply Not even the motor industry blamed Brexit for the latest sales fall. Try reading what they wrote. The main cause of the fall which started in April 2017,not July 2016 is removal of car loans plus higher taxes especially on diesels.

      1. hans christian ivers
        October 4, 2018

        JR,

        You are not actually answering the statement that Andy put up about Brexit beyond the motor industry, the confidence is running out of the economy because of the Brexit row

        Reply No. The economy is being deliberately slowed by a policy of fiscal and monetary tightening. MOney growth has halved over the last year following rate rises, cancellation of special facilities and FPC guidance.

        1. hans christian ivers
          October 4, 2018

          actually inward investment are falling as well and for your information Switzerland is one of the most interdependent nations in the World.

          1. libertarian
            October 6, 2018

            hans

            Suggest you actually look up the figures because you’re making yourself look a bit of a numpty

            Just about every country in the world is interdependent , we live in a global world , what has that got to do with anything?

        2. hans christian ivers
          October 4, 2018

          JR,

          You are no longer working in industry ad we have basically halved our investments in the UK due to Brexit uncertainty , so you are actually arguing against simple facts

          1. Edward2
            October 5, 2018

            A quick check on the internet show inward investment at a record high.

            Source ONS report as shown in an article in the Spectator March 2018.

      2. libertarian
        October 6, 2018

        Andy

        Mercedes decision not to manufacture more here? What are you blathering about?

        BMW to shut plant for its ANNUAL MAINTENANCE ( do we Brexit every year Andy?)

        ANYWAY

        As I’ve now told you more than 5 times the industry body that represents UK motor manufacturers does NOT agree with you. Heres the latest quote from the website

        The UK new car market fell by -20.5% in September, according to the latest figures released today by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT). 338,834 vehicles were registered in the month, down around 87,000 on the previous year as new testing requirements continue to affect supply and distort the market.

        The impact was felt across the board, with registrations by private consumers, fleets and businesses all declining, by -20.1%, -22.4% and -6.3% respectively. Registrations of petrol and diesel cars also fell, while hybrids and plug-in electrics fared better, up a modest 3.9%.

        Declines were seen across almost every vehicle segment, with MPVs and Specialist Sports cars showing the biggest falls, down -54.8 and -50.9%. Luxury saloons were the only segment to register growth, up +3.5%, while Dual Purpose cars, which have enjoyed strong growth over the year to date, held steadier than most, falling just -3.5% in the month.

        September’s large decline follows an unusually high August and a turbulent first eight months of the year as the market responded to a raft of upheavals, from confusion over diesel policy to VED changes and, latterly, transition to the new WLTP emissions standards.

        Stop posting your school boy lies Andy, theres a good little chap

  23. oldtimer
    October 4, 2018

    The chasm between what went on in the main conference hall and the fringe, which you describe, reflects the mindset of Mrs May. At least this year she offered a speech of smoke, mirrors and deceit that was delivered more competently than last year. She conspicuously failed to “chuck Chequers” or to answer the fundamental criticisms that you and others have made of its content and intent. This policy difference remains. Instead she focussed on the person, Boris Johnson. In this she was aided and abetted by sundry (unknown) acolytes who kept popping up on my TV screen to rubbish him. At least Laura Kuensberg spotted that the policy chasm remains and is unlikely to go away.

  24. Glenn Vaughan
    October 4, 2018

    John – You appear to have forgotten Michael Gove’s commitment to save the elephants which presumably has the full support of elephants everywhere as well as from my fellow elephant lovers.

    1. Know-Dice
      October 4, 2018

      When Mr Gove made a commitment to save the elephant, he was actually talking about the large Irish one in the room….

    2. mancunius
      October 4, 2018

      I’ve asked the elephants, and they say they’d prefer it if Michael Gove was against saving them.

  25. Christine
    October 4, 2018

    What she’s going to bring back from Brussels will be even worse than Chequers. IDS is wrong to say that because she didn’t mention the word Chequers that she has dropped the idea. She just kept mentioning frictionless trade, which we all know means staying in the CU and SM but under another name. Her policies are weak when they need to be bold. This Prime Minister will go down in history as the worst ever. The Tory rebels are our last hope to stop this betrayal but will they deliver?

  26. Peter
    October 4, 2018

    May lives to fight another day.

    This seems to be an ongoing theme.

    1. Jagman84
      October 4, 2018

      May will be gone when she is no longer of any benefit to the Civil Service. Fourty-odd years of EU rule has effectively placed them in charge. That’s why we struggle to get the exit from the EU that we voted for.

      1. Denis Cooper
        October 4, 2018

        https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/7411667/theresa-may-push-lock-brexit-deal/

        “Chief negotiator Olly Robbins has been in Brussels working on the Irish border problem”

        And the answer is that Liam Fox might as well resign, but he won’t.

    2. Ian wragg
      October 4, 2018

      Correct and she can carry on her sell out with impunity
      Boris and the ERG have been exposed as the Emporers with no clothes.
      The deep state has won. May has carried out their bidding aided and abetted by the traitorous civil service.
      Democracy is Dead.

  27. Bob
    October 4, 2018

    “big gap in proceedings was the absence of detailed positive plans department by department on how they are going to take advantage of Brexit “

    The PM danced for you after that rousing speech from her warm up act, Geoffrey Cox QC. What more do you want?

    1. bigneil
      October 4, 2018

      ” What more do you want? ” – – -An airline sick bag? – -she always looks so awkward, even if she’s standing still.

    2. Oggy
      October 4, 2018

      I was also very impressed with Geoffrey Cox’s wonderful speech.

  28. Anonymous
    October 4, 2018

    Get her on Strictly.

    1. Nig l
      October 4, 2018

      Yes. Strictly out of office

    2. bigneil
      October 4, 2018

      That would just be cruel Anon. We are supposedly already having Gemma Collins as a contestant on Dancing on Ice. Speechless.

      1. Anonymous
        October 4, 2018

        Bigneil and Nig 1

        I think she would be voted off first in Strictly.

        What the Tories might think was hilarious at conference has played out very badly on TV.

        Utterly cringeworthy.

        I despair.

  29. Stred
    October 4, 2018

    The magnificent speech by lawyer Mr Cox has been played on the Parliament channel. He makes the case that we have s magnificent opportunity to trade with the world and make our own laws. Compromise is necessary. This is to be unable to make trade deals with non-EU countries unless they sell us stuff which complies with EU laws and we make stuff which complies too, and to make our laws the same as any law the EU cares to make.

    Just as lawyer Mr Raab told us before and lawyer Mr Brokenshire and lawyer Mz Sobry and Mr
    Ummuna keep telling us.

    One could be forgiven for thinking that the job of a lawyer is to cover the truth and distort justice. With apologies to honest lawyers like Lawyers for Brritain, who alert us to the truth.

    1. Alan Jutson
      October 4, 2018

      Stred

      Yes it was an excellent speech and spoken with Passion (he voted leave), but remember a QC is a master of of making a weak case look strong, and picking out just the right types of facts to suit the case, making no mention of facts which do their case no good.

      But yes he did hold the audience in his hands for the few minutes he spoke.

    2. rose
      October 4, 2018

      Bill Cash is a good lawyer too.

  30. a-tracy
    October 4, 2018

    “ban on employers deducting money from tips”. I don’t run a restaurant but my first thought was if the employer can’t take an administration fee why would they collect the tips especially if they can’t share the tips out fairly? The employer will be paying the credit card fee, having the administration cost in the wages dept. The tips aren’t just for the waitress and waiter in this Country we also like to reward the whole team from the dishwasher to the Chef in the back operation. I think this is an awful policy change and is going to cause nothing but trouble because employees are on PAYE, not a self-assessed tax as they are in the States and who is going to report their own cash tip tax?

    1. mancunius
      October 4, 2018

      Exactly, a-tracy, and where the tip is already added to the bill (at 12.5% or 15%) it is the employer who is doing the work of collecting the tip to begin with.

      1. a-tracy
        October 5, 2018

        Well, you just wouldn’t want to take responsibility for collecting that tip any longer, there is a lot of administration involved, recording, sharing out, paying credit card companies checking, they’ll probably just let it go back to cash tips and let the employees sort out their own tax.

  31. 'Close
    October 4, 2018

    “Opportunity” Tyrant Chant Oh Be or not to Be in Port or Out of Port.in Shakespearean rhyming style. We voted OUT unity proper kept. What group singeth so?
    This royal throne of kings, this sceptred isle,
    This earth of majesty, this seat of Mars,
    This other Eden, demi-paradise,
    This fortress built by Nature for herself
    Against infection and the hand of war,
    This happy breed of men, this little world,
    This precious stone set in the silver sea,
    Which serves it in the office of a wall
    Or as a moat defensive to a house,
    Against the envy of less happier lands,–
    This blessed plot, this earth, this realm, this England.
    William Shakespeare, “King Richard II”, Act 2 scene 1

    1. mancunius
      October 4, 2018

      Yes, but what follows in John of Gaunt’s speech is even more appropriate to the May/Civil Service sellout:
      “This England…
      …Is now leased out, I die pronouncing it,
      Like to a tenement or pelting farm:
      England, bound in with the triumphant sea
      Whose rocky shore beats back the envious siege
      Of watery Neptune, is now bound in with shame,
      With inky blots and rotten parchment bonds:
      That England, that was wont to conquer others,
      Hath made a shameful conquest of itself.”

      All of that can be said right now.

  32. 'Close
    October 4, 2018

    Remoaners

  33. Brian Tomkinson
    October 4, 2018

    Perhaps “the refusal of whole government to engage with the big picture and to show energy in using the new feedoms and the freed money which Brexit” is because there is no intention to deliver that Brexit. Mrs May yesterday even warned those like you that if you don’t toe the line you risk there being no Brexit – thereby giving succour and encouragement to the real rebels such as Soubry, Grieve, Wollasto, Morgan et al to continue their efforts to overturn the result of the referendum with financial support from people like George Soros.

  34. Michael
    October 4, 2018

    What about the constituency boundary changes? When will draft legislation be presented to parliament. The government needs to get on with it.

  35. Fedupsoutherner
    October 4, 2018

    I thought the extra money for the NHS was coming from saved contributions after leaving the EU and not higher taxation. Oh, I forgot, we’re not actually leaving and will still be paying the EU to trade. Its laughable!! This government will go down in history as being the party that gave away its sovereignty, lied to its people and destroyed true democracy.

    1. Andy
      October 4, 2018

      The cost of your Brexit is, so far, £500m a week. Then there is your £39bn exit bill – which today we learn will actually be higher – which your grandchildren will be paying off until the 2060s. If there is to be any extra money for the NHS taxes will have to rise. More likely NHS services will get be cut – so you will have to wait longer and you sometimes won’t get treatment. That is what you voted for. That is Brexit.

      I did not vote for all that. But then it doesn’t really bother me. Me and my family will still get treatment – we have private healthcare.

      Reply I agree with you – we should not agree to pay them £39bn as there is no need to

      1. fedupsoutherner
        October 4, 2018

        Andy, you are one of the idiots who thinks it ok to pay the £39b to the Eu for no reason. You are the kind of person I despise. Pretending to care about people in this country but selfish to the last because you say you have money. Shallow doesn’t even come into it. Just be sure you will always be wealthy. Corbyn might take the lot. Now that would be a shame. LOL

        1. Edward2
          October 5, 2018

          Bear in mind that the £500 million a week Andy is fond of quoting, is a guess by Remainers as to how good it might have been had we all done as we were told and voted to remain.
          Not actually worse off.
          First they said we would have a recession straight after the vote day and when that Project Fear 1.0 prediction didn’t happen they came out with a claim in Project Fear 2.0 that had we remained the level of growth we currently have might have been higher.

  36. Know-Dice
    October 4, 2018

    She [Mrs May] missed a trick at the Conservative Conference…

    At the end of her speech, the letters for “Opportunity” should have fallen off the wall leaving just “unity”….

  37. Bryan Davies
    October 4, 2018

    NHS envy of the world – only cos the world uses it free of charge

  38. WeToldYou_No_EU
    October 4, 2018

    The Opportunity sign behind Theresa, also had letters that had fallen off.

    It was meant to say:-

    “Brexit – I Lost Your Opportunity”

  39. hefner
    October 4, 2018

    01/10/2018 “The Top 100 most influential Conservatives of 2018”, http://www.iaindale.com
    Sic transit gloria mundi …

    1. forthurst
      October 4, 2018

      Surprised to see Simon Heffer on the list; surely he is too patriotic to belong to the Tory Party?

      1. mancunius
        October 6, 2018

        forthurst,
        JRM, JR and large numbers of others similarly minded, who believe in free markets and national independence, are also members of the Tory Party.
        That’s not to mention all the patriots who have recently joined, in order to have a chance of voting in the next Tory leadership election.
        I noted with some amusement Brandon Lewis’s horror at the idea ‘some people’ might join ‘in order to overthrow the leadership.’ That reminded me of Gilbert Harding faced with the US Immigration form at the port of New York. One question ran:
        “Is it your intention to overthrow the Government of the United States by force?”
        Harding wrote as his reply: ‘Sole purpose of visit.’

  40. JoolsB
    October 4, 2018

    So May is sticking to Chequers although she didn’t mention the C word. She obviously thinks we are all fools. The sooner this deceitful and treacherous PM and her Chancellor are shown the door the better. Make no mistake John, she will destroy your party with her deceit but more importantly she will she will do untold damage to our great country. What on earth are you waiting for?

  41. Chris
    October 4, 2018

    These are obviously key points, Mr Redwood, but please, Brexiter MPs, address the very real threat that May is pushing ahead with Chequers and will have wrongfooted you all. You seem to think that Chequers won’t get through Parliament. See this from D Express:
    https://www.express.co.uk/news/politics/1026663/brexit-news-live-updates-theresa-may-european-union-uk-brexit-deal
    BREXIT LIVE: May to RUSH final deal through in WEEKS to fight off Tory rebellion
    THERESA May is planning to rush her ‘Chequers’ Brexit deal through Parliament in weeks in the latest desperate attempt to stave off opposition to it from rebel Conservatives.

    I would not be so complacent. Politicians who are prepared to execute covert operations behind a Minister’s back (the Brexit Minister) in order to sideline him and produce a different Plan i.e. Chequers, will stop at nothing. You are all behaving in a supportive and exceedingly deferential manner to May, and gave your seal of approval to her at Conference. However, I suggest that is very unwise of you indeed. It is time for radical action with gloves off to show what you are made of and if you really prepared to fight for democracy.

  42. BOF
    October 4, 2018

    Perhaps the thinking is that there is no need for much preparation as nothing much will change. Certainly with Chequers, that will be the case and the Prime Minister seems utterly determined to press on with this disaster. We even had Project Fear when she suggested that everyone should get behind the Government (Chequers?) or we may not leave the EU at all.

    There was the obligatory Project Fear item on Radio 4 this morning. This time from the RBS, warning us us of recession, should we leave without a deal.

  43. John S
    October 4, 2018

    Was I the only one who cringed during the “dance” routine?

  44. 'Close
    October 4, 2018

    It is the conservative and Unionist Party isn’ it.Are they not Irish?

  45. miami.mode
    October 4, 2018

    Too used to being cocooned by the EU deciding everything which has led to a paucity of ideas on future development.

  46. Mike wilson
    October 4, 2018

    The government will NOT implement what you decide.

    Get used to it. Relax. We do need another vote because leaving in name only is worse than remaining as we are. I’d vote to remain, now.

    1. Stred
      October 4, 2018

      I would actually trust D.Tusk more than May.

  47. rick hamilton
    October 4, 2018

    May seems to think she is applying for permission to leave the EU on condition it doesn’t upset any vested interests. Especially foreign-owned corporations.

  48. microwave
    October 4, 2018

    I am much more at ease this morning and dunno why?

    I think things are in hand- there is a plan

    very likely we’ll be leaving- but won’t be leaving that much

    a bit like when you leave the armed forces and become a reservist

  49. 'Close
    October 4, 2018

    Me thinks possibly an associate of an associate. I’m the only poet in this village! 🙂

  50. Rien Huizer
    October 4, 2018

    Mr Redwood,

    It is still too early to say but in the Irish media there is some optimism that the DUP problem will be solved and that the main obstacle to an agreed (ie a no “no deal”) solution for the brexit problem can be found. If that is true it would be an excellent reason for the government not to waste resources on “how they are going to take advantage of Brexit from next April”. Such an agreement would entail the transition period, meaning that nothing much would happen to the external situation of the UK “next April”. At the least that means that the risk of the UK staying in the Union may be averted for good. What will happen after that is up to the UK government and it appears that that body is on track to do the sensible thing and limit damage from Careon’s Folly as much as possible. Also, that the Fenians will not have to break their promise (they are not Calvinists so they have less of a problem) by taking up their seats in the UK Parliament.

    1. Denis Cooper
      October 4, 2018

      The cunning breakthrough plan, which I described in an earlier comment which JR chose to vaporise for some reason which I do not understand, is to keep the whole of the UK in a customs union with the EU rather than just Northern Ireland.

      As the FT put it:

      “She will offer to meet the EU half way on the vexed issue of the Irish backstop, agreeing to Brussels’ demands that Northern Ireland stay part of the single market regulatory area of the bloc.

      But, in return, she wants the EU to concede to Britain’s demands that under the backstop plan the whole UK, rather than just Northern Ireland, would stay in the customs union for a limited period until a UK-EU trade deal was finalised.”

      Note that weasel “in return”, as if she will have secured a concession from the EU if the whole of the UK stays under the EU customs thumb rather than just Northern Ireland, and note that the length of the “limited period” will then be determined by the Irish government and could in fact be an unlimited period, forever.

      1. Rien Huizer
        October 5, 2018

        You may well be right. But that would be a good result for the UK (economically) I think.

  51. Kenneth
    October 4, 2018

    The hesitation around replacing the prime minister is frustrating.

    Please, we need new management – and fast!

  52. libertarian
    October 4, 2018

    We need a new party fit for the 21st century and we need it now

    There is a giant , gaping great hole in our politics and it needs filling.

    We do not need UKIP, Tory party breakaways ,centrist parties etc. We need a party that is built bottom up, on idemocracy and engages the next generation with the benefits of free markets and personal responsibility and aspiration

    1. Andy
      October 4, 2018

      All values every younger person I know already shares. They are all anti-Brexit. You are welcome to join the good guys as soon as you see the light.

      1. fedupsoutherner
        October 4, 2018

        Andy, I prefer young people with vision, a respect for democracy and those that can see how great this country can be again. I’ll leave the idiots for you.

        1. Peter Parsons
          October 5, 2018

          People will respect democracy when they feel they have a stake in it which, in the UK, most of us currently don’t due to FPTP.

    2. forthurst
      October 4, 2018

      Surely no need for another party? I see the Libertarian Party is holding a Public Debate Conference on October 6th in Milton Keynes, world renowned for its roundabouts. Non-membership is no bar to attendance and the list of speakers include Geoffrey Bloom, an expert on kitchen hygiene and Bill Etheridge MEP who recently gave a speech in a field in Brighton to a rapt audience of 25 including some Sussex uni students on the importance of Libertarianism.

    3. Peter Parsons
      October 5, 2018

      And to get anywhere under the UK system, such a party would need the FPTP system to be replaced with a fair and representative (of us, the people) electoral system where every vote counts and there are no longer such things as safe seats, wasted votes and tactical voting. Thomas Hare, a member of the Conservative party, is credited with devising just such a system.

      1. libertarian
        October 6, 2018

        Peter Parsons

        On this we agree. I want to see one person one vote to elect a PM directly

  53. ChrisS
    October 4, 2018

    Mrs May demonstrated in her disastrous 2017 election campaign that she is completely bereft of ideas. The 2018 Conference simply confirmed that view.

    Unless the Government comes forward with a positive vision along the lines you have suggested, they will fall behind in the polls and will be heading for defeat in the next election which could then come well before 2022. History tells us that once a Government in power falls behind in the polls, it is almost impossible to recover the position.

    Corbyn’s policies might be crass, stupid and designed to wreck our capitalist economy, but with Mrs May in charge, there is a serious risk that Labour could get an opportunity to put them into effect. The inevitable outcome will be exactly what the Marxist Shadow Chancellor, McDonnell, has wanted for more than 20 years.

    Labour doesn’t even have to win an overall majority : They can run the country with the support of the SNP who will demand and get huge financial concessions that will have to be paid for by English taxpayers.

    Labour, supported and encouraged by Sturgeon and her ragtag Nationalist army, is truly a nightmare scenario and only the Conservative party can prevent it happening.

    1. JoolsB
      October 4, 2018

      Labour doesn’t even have to win an overall majority : They can run the country with the support of the SNP who will demand and get huge financial concessions that will have to be paid for by English taxpayers.

      We don’t need to change parties for that to happen Mike, it’s already happening under the Tories. It cost the English taxpayer a 1 billion pound bribe to the DUP for their support after May’s disastrous election and let’s not forget Hammond’s 4 billion pound bung in the last election to the already over funded devolved nations whilst continuing to slash English services to the bone. It’s a lose lose for England. The Con/Lab/Lib parties are as anti English as one another and see England as nothing more than a cash cow for the benefit of everywhere except England.

      1. mancunius
        October 4, 2018

        Quite. All that needs to happen is that next time, disillusioned, betrayed Tory voters stay at home or vote for Ukip. Corbyn will win by default on a low turnout, and the Libdems will also do better.

        After reneging on Lancaster House and the 2017 manifesto, the Tories will get no further benefit of the doubt, whichever crypto-remain leader they manoeuvre into place after May.

  54. iain
    October 4, 2018

    Surprised you posted this “topic”. We expected nothing more from the PM. Even you should not have expected any forward looking policies of substance re Brexit. It is a great pity that sufficient Tory MPs did not have the resolve to oust Mrs May . We are now to be lumbered with a dogs breakfast of leaving the EU with all the negatives being heaped on the Conservative Party causing substantial damage to it’s reputation and electability.

  55. Mr Ison
    October 4, 2018

    As a political party vying within itself to describe and promote an abnormal loathing of the electorate and the rule of law it really excels.As a competent authority not so much.
    It’s sad that what is a mere cult should obstruct the result of the plebicite vote,but that is what the Conservative party are acquiescing to.

  56. Denis Cooper
    October 4, 2018

    The editor of the Maidenhead Advertiser has now been kind enough to publish my latest offering; a week late, but no matter, it is still relevant.

    “Prime Minister Theresa May insists that nobody has offered an alternative to her Chequers plan, and so EU negotiations are now at an impasse.

    Yet as a good constituency MP surely she will keep an eye on her local newspaper, in the Viewpoint pages of which an alternative solution has been suggested in a long succession of letters?

    Starting on February 22 with “Easy solution to EU border conundrum” – which is still available on the Advertiser website.

    Then running through successive letters to “The solution to the Irish border question” on July 5 – which was copied directly to her, and gratefully acknowledged by her assistant with an assurance that she had taken on board the thoughts it contained.

    The July 5 letter even offered a draft of a letter to be sent to the Irish Prime Minister, starting:

    “Dear Leo

    Just to confirm that we do not intend to make any changes at all at the border … “

    and offering to pass strong laws to prevent hauliers taking unwanted goods into the Republic.

    It is not too late to make use of that draft, and avert a complete collapse of withdrawal negotiations.”

    But of course that is not what she wants to do; her primary loyalty is still to the EU, and she welcomes a pretext to keep us under its thumb as far as possible.

  57. Mrs Alison Houston
    October 4, 2018

    We are not going to leave the EU, John, or only for a few days, after which your party will ensure we re join on much worse terms.

    The country cannot be sovereign when its armed services are unified with and controlled by foreign powers. The federalisation project is being steam rolled through, behind closed doors, PESCO etc is a major part of it soeveryone is keepng quiet about it.

    The reason the govt. is not setting out any detail on its post Brexit future, is because our post Brexit future is as a vassal state of the EU, the Euro as our currency etc.

  58. MPC
    October 4, 2018

    As a non Conservative Party member I think you’ve captured the mood of those like myself who voted Leave and also of those who voted Remain and who now nonetheless want a successful Brexit. We’re crying out for an optimistic vision for the future of our country by the Government/PM and instead we witness an insipid and uninspiring Tory party conference. Good luck and thank you for your continuing efforts on our behalf.

  59. ian
    October 4, 2018

    Yer you wouldn’t say much with the Brexit leaving bill going up and could be well over 50 billion pounds coupled with a not so good deal, the economy turning down or one might say a few bumps in the road next year because of spreadsheet Phil, oil prices going up with pound going down, no, the less said the better.

    Car factories knock for six, thank Phil we get the message, house prices going up with sales falling, nice, all in all, going to cost the people a petty Penney, a nice statement by dancing QUEEN about austerity ending but just wants to cut some more beforehand at the bottom just in case, no big deal just a few bumps into 2020 coupled with bit of a bailout at the top as usual while cuts are ongoing at the bottom and then they will be off again in leaps and bounds towards a full-blown depression.

  60. Treacle
    October 4, 2018

    Theresa May gave an inspiring speech which sounded as if she had gone back to Lancaster House, but immediately afterwards Downing Street quietly announced that Chequers is still on. So nothing has changed.

  61. Bob
    October 4, 2018

    I noticed no mention about IHT.
    This report on BBC about sisters that want a Civil Partnership to avoid IHT makes the point very succinctly that you can leave your property to your next door neighbour or someone you met on the street but not to your own family. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-45732851

    1. Peter
      October 4, 2018

      IHT will mean big income for the government in future years.

      It is legalised theft. Most ordinary folk have never had recourse to trusts before.

      People will then start to hide assets and I will not blame them.

    2. Stred
      October 4, 2018

      I wish I could marry my son. It would be so profitable.

      1. rose
        October 5, 2018

        Divorce your wife and marry your divorced daughter in law, or better still, pass your wealth to your wife and let your wife marry her. Then hope she doesn’t run off!

  62. Peter D Gardner
    October 4, 2018

    “The financial items made no overall difference to a £2 trillion economy being slowed by a combined fiscal and monetary squeeze, which went undiscussed. The other big gap in proceedings was the absence of detailed positive plans department by department on how they are going to take advantage of Brexit from next April. ”

    Well of course! Mrs May sees no value in the sovereign nation state. She is a technocratic supra-nationalist and regards independent nation states as obsolete anachronisms. She sees nothing beyond the horizons of the EU.

  63. Betrayed leaver
    October 4, 2018

    And now we find – the day AFTER the conference – that she is cooking up a customs union after all. She fooled you once Mr Redwood – shame on her. She’s now fooled you x 10 or is it x 20 – shame on you. Show some muscle, man

  64. Iain Moore
    October 4, 2018

    The BBC has been up to its tricks this morning , reporting RBS Boss , Ross McEwan , engaging in project fear and linking that with RBS cutting back on lending, when even he wasn’t liking the two , for they were cutting back on lending in retail because of the problems with online shopping.

    They also reported quote …. ‘Car sales plunge as Nissan warns on Brexit ‘ which after complaints they changed to ‘ Car sales plunge by 20%’ for the car sales drop had nothing to do with Brexit.

    Somebody has got to deal with this rogue organisation.

  65. Andrew S
    October 4, 2018

    May and her fool advisors tried her “vision thing” at the last election and we saw how that totally failed, she lost a majority. It would be the same next time but worse, with her as PM. She cannot sell it to the electorate, we know she can’t deliver.
    She has to go right now, replaced by a brexit leader and brexit cabinet.
    Our leave result is being thrown away by internal conservative party politics, so I will happily throw them away if we do not get a true, proper brexit.

  66. Den
    October 4, 2018

    All sound advice from JR but as usual, the Downing Street cronies with their Europhile advisers ignore the true Conservative ways. The current batch are aligned more to the Liberals than true Blue Tories.
    If their skewed policies continue through to the next General Election AND Mrs May still remains as PM, she will require more than just the DUP to support her cause. IF she is returned at all. And that is even more worrying.
    What is the 1922 Committee views of the respective displays at Birmingham this week?
    She told us that there is ‘no perfect Brexit’. Whether that is Right or wrong, ‘Brexit’ is irrelevant. ‘Remain or LEAVE the EU’ is want we were asked. The majority voted to LEAVE.
    ‘Brexit means Brexit’ means NOTHING. ‘Leave’ is the definitive word we voted for and anything less than “Leave” on March 29th 2019 is derailing OUR Democracy.

    And that can never be tolerated in Britain.

  67. Denis Cooper
    October 4, 2018

    Once again Theresa May will not only allow these lies to go unchallenged, on the contrary she is more likely to covertly or even overtly assist in their promulgation.

    https://www.theguardian.com/business/2018/oct/04/nissan-becomes-latest-manufacturer-to-warn-against-hard-brexit

    “Like the other car manufacturers … Nissan relies on rapid, “just in time” importing of millions of components from the EU every day, with no customs delays or tariffs.

    A hard Brexit – if the government has not agreed to a customs union or common standards to allow free movement of goods – would result in trading with EU countries on World Trade Organization rules, which apply 4.5% tariffs to car parts … ”

    I am absolutely disgusted with her. If anybody in business behaved as she does then they could end up in prison for deception and false pretences, but I guess that most Tories will go on thinking she’s the bees’ knees after her wonderful conference performance.

  68. WeToldYou_No_EU
    October 4, 2018

    Theresa The Appeaser is on borrowed time now.

    Her attempt at a Brexit Double-Cross (aka Chequers), has been her ruination.

    She must go now, while she has some dignity left.

    History will judge her, as the PM who deliberately failed to deliver a clean Brexit, because she did not believe in it.

  69. a-tracy
    October 4, 2018

    Pro Remain people on your blog have been advising me that your Government could have always billed the NHS charges back to the respective EU Countries, so a simple funding gain for the NHS would be for every EU citizen registered with a British GP there is an annual fee for that person of around £150 to just get the GP services Free of Charge so just get the GP surgeries to identify that figure on the bill to the government and re-bill to their respective Country of origin.

    We get re-billed for healthcare by European Countries so what are you waiting for? The NHS is starved of funds and this is a simple effective way just to get one part back. GPs are private companies not NHS staff so it should be a simple administration change and you’re always adding and changing the obligations on my small business on PAYE or Accounting.

    1. hefner
      October 4, 2018

      Budget NHS 2018: £120 bn.
      3.3 million EU people in the UK paying £150/year = £495m, i.e less than 0.5 %.
      That might satisfy your desire of making these people pay their dues but is very unlikely to make much of a difference on the state of the NHS.

      1. Edward2
        October 4, 2018

        If it is just the trivial sum of £495 million then we may as well have it in the NHS.
        A few more medical staff, a few more lives saved.

      2. a-tracy
        October 9, 2018

        hefner what % of the GP budget is it, and it this helps to improve the services from local GP services that are now telling people it will take over a week to see them then all well and good.

    2. Andy
      October 4, 2018

      The NHS is perfectly entitled to bill the home country of any EEA national for treatment that they have here. In terms of the overall NHS budget the amount is negligible but I understand that among a certain type of voter the issue is disproportionately important.

      As with many of these things that Eurosceptics object to the EU about the solutions you want are not against EU rules or EU law. They are simply above the competence of a Tory government. Foreigners rarely get billed for using the NHS because the NHS is not geared up to bill anyone.

      1. Edward2
        October 5, 2018

        How do you bill newly arrived people who have no money?

      2. a-tracy
        October 9, 2018

        They were against the competencies of the Labour government, the LibCon government all of them seemed not to want to charge the health service costs back I wonder why? It is quite a simple bill to produce that one.

  70. Oggy
    October 4, 2018

    Slight change of subject – it’s a bit rich the CEO of RBS spouting off that Brexit could cause a recession, after what the RBS and other banks did 10 years ago to the world economy – he’s got a bloody nerve.

  71. Raymond
    October 4, 2018

    what on earth was the idea behind the Prime Minister of Great Britain and Northern Ireland dancing to a 70’s Abba song? Is it dumbing down, contempt for the television audience, or what?

    1. mancunius
      October 4, 2018

      For Mrs May, the noisy, hackneyed racket of a 42-year-old pop song in fake English represents what she wishes to be.

  72. margaret
    October 4, 2018

    Putting UK first. That sounds good. Trump has been accused of being selfish for repeating that he wants to put America first. How silly must it sound if a politician working for a UK government said let’s put Germany first.

    1. mancunius
      October 4, 2018

      Yes, it always makes me laugh when Merkel tells the Bundestag ‘We want what is good for Europe: what is good for Europe is good for Germany,’ and they all applaud. The unspoken subtext is ‘We’ve stitched up Europe via the EU so that Germany always benefits.’ The news is so managed by state-controlled and party political-influenced media that the German people are never confronted with this awkward truth behind the ‘liberal’ consensus.

  73. BartD
    October 4, 2018

    listening to President Tusk today- he is quite right. Hunt our foreign secretary went out of his way at conference to deliberately insult countless millions in Europe. If this type of behaviour represents the caliber of senior leadership and intelligence in present day government then am afraid we are for the ‘high road’- absolutely no doubt about it- that pay back will be coming- and soon

  74. A Secret
    October 4, 2018

    Russia, Two of them, and, another a bit iffy regarding pc by title. Ussria not here and a dangly bit at bottom. 140million divided by two + 9.5 million= 70 million; 70 million and She never could on the iify one
    So, we have 66 million against 70 million. Time for tea.

  75. Iain Gill
    October 4, 2018

    The agenda is only half the problem.

    The other half is the will and skills to follow through and actually deliver.

    I wont embarrass you with the long list of things that are supposedly govt policy which we can all see are really kicked into the long grass with no realistic prospect of any progress being made on delivering them, many quite the reverse.

  76. Steve
    October 4, 2018

    JR

    …..”but all too many cabinet Ministers chose not to take any of the opportunities on offer for our country as we leave the EU.”

    Either they’re too well fed to get off their backsides, or they know something which we’re not supposed to.

  77. mancunius
    October 5, 2018

    JR, I know you always point out that many on the Conservative side will vote against any Chequers-type deal (let alone the further compromise that will emerge in a couple of weeks). And we also have Emily Thornberry stating categorically that Labour will vote against any deal May now makes (for presumably the opposite reasons).

    But consider the following scenario: May comes back with a customs union and single market proposal that is the opposite of what she claimed she was going to do. With the connivance of Brussels, it will be masked in entirely misleading language. ERG and Martin Howe will see through it, but how many in the country can genuinely follow legal and constitutional arguments? So it will be down to the HoC and to the media.

    May will have already secretly shared her tactics and the government bill schedule with Barnier in advance (or Robbins will have done so). Every HoC sitting will be preceded the night before by another warlike threat from Brussels about ‘what will happen’ if there is no deal.
    The media will be pressured into suddenly shifting round to Project Fear – not just the Guardian /FT/ Independent /Times /BBC. At a stroke, every world globalist will unite on cue to make you, the courageous defenders of our national independence, look like curmudgeonly saboteurs trying to throw the country into the chaos that will be nightly predicted and gloated over by sneering propagandists – and these new threats will be very cleverly organised and synchronised. Only you, it will be claimed, are trying to throw us into poverty, coming between us and our future holidays/ homes / incomes/ overdrafts / jobs/ pets etc etc. You will be painted as well-off toffs, the enemy of the people.
    Even Labour will be suborned into voting for the Chequers minus minus minus ad infinitum, which will essentially mean being eternally chained to the EU and the ECJ. Britain will be essentially in the customs union, in the single market, forced to pay large annual contributions, and its SME business destroyed. Its competitiveness will be kept in check, but technically (as a quid pro quo to Labour) it will be allowed to nationalise (which after all will make Britain weaker, so Brussels will favour that exception).
    So why should Starmer and the rest not vote for such an ‘agreement’?
    Under these circumstances, it will sail through the HoC.
    Are you prepared for that? Have you and your colleagues worked out a battle-plan?

    You don’t need to tell us what it is – but do you have one?

    1. Denis Cooper
      October 5, 2018

      Theresa May now has virtually all the major media outlets under her control and can continue to run her anti-Brexit propaganda campaign unchallenged. Even the Daily Express is now producing front page headlines supporting her. Meanwhile Tory MPs insist on speaking about her in polite and respectful tones. So it will be interesting to see just how many Tory MPs, if any, will still be prepared to step out of line by voting against whatever treacherous agreement she brings back from Brussels.

    2. Rien Huizer
      October 6, 2018

      Maybe you noticed that the Canada +++ discourse is shared by the eminent Messrs Juncker and Rees Mogg. Issue closed probably. The ERG will be able to do a USFTA (in name only because the US gvt needs absence of EU regulations re food safety etc in order to get an FTA through Congress ) and the effect on imports and exports between EU and UK will be asymmetrical, imo the EU will benefit more than the UK. So much for vamdalizing a flawed but still better-than-the-alternatives economic environment.

      1. mancunius
        October 6, 2018

        Speculation about what might happen under a government led by Mr Rees-Mogg is entirely irrelevant at this stage.

  78. Lindsay McDougall
    October 5, 2018

    I agree with all of this except your complaint about tight monetary and fiscal policies.

    Monetary policy should be to raise base rates to half a percent above inflation over a number of years. If we have inflation of 2% per annum and nominal house prices declining by 3% per annum, then in 6 or 7 years real house prices will have declined by 35%, an outcome devoutly to be wished for (note: not a threat, Mr Carney). We may need a tourniquet on immigration to make it happen. Another downside of ultra-low interest rates is that they protect the ultra-rich and big, flappy, overripe corporations at the expense of the middle classes and SMEs.

    Fiscal policy has to stay tight in order to reduce the level of State debt as a % of GDP. Interest on that State debt is already a large item in the Chancellor’s budget and will slowly rise as interest rates rise. An old fashioned balanced budget is desirable.

    Therefore, if we are to cut taxes (yes, please), we must contain cut public expenditure in real terms. We can increase spending on the NHS and social care only if we impose drastic cuts elsewhere. Getting rid of State interference in whole swathes of economic activity is a good idea, for example:

    – Reorganisation of our railway industry by reintegrating track and train and selling the assets and operations to private area monopolies receiving no taxpayer support and free to provide services as they wish (competition would come from other transport modes).

    – Abolition of regulatory bodies that do more harm than good, for example OFGEN, OFCOM and the Race Relations Commission.

    – Reduction of foreign aid and the contributions we make to international bodies such as the EU, the IMF and the OECD.

    – The introduction of modest charges into our health services, such as £20 per GP visit, £150 per annum for use of hospital services and the extension of prescription charges to the elderly. Also, the provision of geriatric medicine by the medical profession and the pharmaceutical is out of (financial) control. What is the point in zealously extending the fag end of life? Then we could really spend on mental health improvement – care in the community costs money.

    – Get the State out of housing for good. Build no more social housing and sell off existing council houses to sitting tenants or a landlord. Build new housing on spare urban land and convert uneconomic hamlets to villages (big enough to support a general store cum post office). Give the task to SME builders who will not sit on land banks. Rent control by market forces only. Housing subsidies would go to particular people and families just so long as they are needed.

    Any more?

    1. Rien Huizer
      October 6, 2018

      Pretty good. Just add privatising the NHS. Also add: tight regulation of privatised monopolies etc. You would not want to have a revolt of the disgruntled after having privatized the security services..

  79. Ron Olden
    October 5, 2018

    ‘UNILEVER’ BECOMES ‘UNISTAYER’

    All parties in the saga, made clear that Brexit had nothing to do with Unilever’s proposal to change is Corporate Structure from one with Registered Company Offices in both London and Rotterdam, to Rotterdam only.

    The EU Remainer lie factory, however has been in overdrive in the past few weeks insisting that it did. But it’s (yet again), blown up in their faces big time, and turned a stick which never existed in the first place into a club for us Leavers to beat them with.

    This should be a salutary lesson for the EU.

    The Unilever shareholder resistance, (only 30% of the shares are held by UK based investors), which has stopped this move, highlights the power of London’s Capital Markets, as a Stock Market. and Banking centre.

    It also reveals the high status of the FTSE Index. Global Shareholders like their global companies to be listed on a global index. Despite Unilevers Management trying to change it (for ulterior motives that had nothing to do with Brexit), Unilever Shareholders have decided that means staying in London.

    Given the opposition to the proposal the management have abandoned even having a Shareholder vote on it. And that are now calls from some Unilever shareholders for them to be sacked.

    Let’s hope they are, to make and example of them.

    This outcome DOES have post-Brexit significance. If the EU forces banks, companies, etc to choose between London and some EU backwater like Frankfurt, Paris or Rotterdam (in fact Rotterdam is one of the most attractive of these provincial locations), they will choose London.

    That might mean that some big companies in the EU with HQ operations solely outside the UK at the moment will decide to adopt dual locations or move lock stock and barrel to London.

    Some of us have been saying for years that the Remainer claim that companies, banks etc would choose to evacuate London and set up shop in these foreign dumps was a pack of lies.

    We had the same story when we were told by Eurofanatics that London would suffer from not joining the Euro.

    Yet more Euros are now traded in London than on any other Exchange anywhere.

    Businesses set up shop in the best place to be, and if the EU or anyone else forces them, to choose between the best one and an inferior one, they choose the best one and/or, (so as to technically comply with the rules, whilst carrying on operating in the best one), set up a single desk or a postal address, in the inferior one.

    1. Rien Huizer
      October 6, 2018

      You are mistaken about the Unilever case. The current structure with two listed companies and two HQs (one in the UK and one in Holland) is inefficient. A choice for Holland means that shareholders rights would be c urtailed (protection against hostile takeovers) but also a HQ within the EU and an attractive international fiscal position (under the proposed rules that may be revised). A single HQ/corporate entity in the UK would make hostile acquisitions more feasible, an excellen reason for hedge funds and conventional institutional investors to support a vote for London. In addition, voting in the UK entity required 75% support (the 20% held by activist investors would be almost enough to block the move) while the Dutch entity is subject to simple majority voting. More important: where will Unilever be paying corporate tax?

      1. Edward2
        October 6, 2018

        Wriggle all you want.
        Remain said it was due to brexit
        The actual statements from the company show how wrong you all were.

    2. Rien Huizer
      October 6, 2018

      @Ron Olden:

      What do you mean by “Yet more Euros are now traded in London than on any other Exchange anywhere.” The Euro is a currency and currencies are traded over the counter, not on an exchange. Futures exchanges trade in FX futures (incl EUR futures) but the volume of that trade (on many exchanges combined) is dwarfed by OTC trading. Plus: brexit is as yet only a plan waiting for execution.

Comments are closed.