I attended the lecture by the US Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo, yesterday at Lancaster House. Arranged by the Centre for Policy Studies, it was a good event reminding us of the closeness of the Atlantic alliance as seen by a senior member of the current Administration.
The Secretary of State repeated the US offer of an early free trade agreement just as soon as the UK is an independent country again able to negotiate and sign one. He stressed the important contribution the UK makes to the 5 country intelligence grouping that underpins our security and US security. He praised the UK for its support in promoting democracy and better government worldwide, and for the substantial humanitarian aid supplied to trouble spots.
He called for us to support the US view that Germany is undermining western security by undertaking the second gas pipeline from Russia, making the EU far too dependent on Russian energy. He thought the UK could do more to ensure its own energy self sufficiency as the USA has now done through its shale gas revolution. He reminded us of the tough diplomatic response the US made to the Salisbury poisonings. He also warned the UK of the dangers of using a Chinese company which also acts for the Chinese state in 5G networks, suggesting that it will limit US ability and willingness to share with us if they feel the Chinese have access to secret data and messages between allies.
His visit was a preparatory visit for the President’s on the occasion of the NATO Summit. He told us how the new US Ambassador who arrived in London in 1941 at the nadir of our fortunes in that war opted to live in a modest flat and to live under the rule of the UK ration book to share the dangers and deprivations faced by Londoners fighting for our freedoms. It was a moving address from an important ally. It was also good to hear from a country that has the full range of powers for self government, and a country willing to use them for what it sees as its national good and for the wider causes of freedom and democracy worldwide.
May 9, 2019
Good morning
May 9, 2019
Sorry for the italics. Blockquote went wrong.
May 9, 2019
The traitors in your party are growing. Not just May, Letwin, Ken Clarke, Rudd, Guake, Greg Clark, Gove etc who all want to side with Marxist Labour to remain in the EU rather than win around Tory MPs and its party. Read the article about “Traitor Brokenshire”, in Conservative Woman today and you realise how rotten your party has become. Brokenshire betrayed and sacked Sir Roger without any evidence nor any due process whatsoever, he went along with a left wing set up. Williamson was also betrayed and sacked without evidence or due process or an independent inquiry. How could Sedwill be independent when he is in charge of civil service, security and all the other titles May has given him?
Haewie should have been scrutinized in parliamnet it was put in the security council to hide what was going on. Hence govt now claiming it was not an offence against the official secrecy act.
The biggest betrayal is of democracy and failing to act on the will of the people, as Letwin told parliament. He then did exactly that. But now it appears ministers feel they can mirror May’s disgraceful conduct at will without regard to your party, supporters, councillors, public or the office they hold. This is important when it comes to the US. Trump is the first President in a long time is who truly an ally of our country and would willingly help it. May has thrown that straight back in his face, as did Parliament through idiot Bercow.
As for Russia, who did May and female ministers have dinner with two weeks ago? A confident of Putin. So much for the fake outrage over Skripels. Who has May made king of Brexit, Corbyn! No progress whatsoever since in SIX months since November on Brexit lots of fake actions never completed. We should have left on 29/03/2019. Fake Tories, fake promises. Possibly the most dishonest party in history.
May 9, 2019
Indeed. The EU, Theresa May and most MP are clearly totally anti-democratic. They think they know best, despite all the abundant evidence to the contrary.
May 9, 2019
Liam Fox agrees with Traitor May offering “temporary” customs union until 2022! That means he agrees not to have had a proper job or role in government for the whole of this parliament! He likes the trimmings of office but no the the work. If he he trusts her what a dim wit he is. What do you think the US will make of that! Six years after votingto leave a rule taker on trade and no influence from trade either!
May 9, 2019
Hmm. Could he perhaps have delivered that bit on democracy with tongue-in-cheek and yet a perfectly straight face? He is, after all, a politician. đ
Seriously though, he was of course ostensibly talking about Britain’s efforts around the world to promote democratic and fair government, but I have to wonder if he was not also possibly alluding to the dire need to sort out this mess we have at home, without actually saying so in a way that would appear openly critical or confrontational.
May 9, 2019
And do not forget what one of the greatest Brits said
“The best argument against democracy is a five-minute conversation with the average voter”.
But obviously on this blog, nobody is such an “average voter”.
May 9, 2019
Indeed, but May is pro EU and anti US/Trump at every turn as we know. She wants a putrid handcuff Treaty or customs âarrangementâ that will prevent any UK/US trade deal perhaps for ever. When will this appalling traitor leave office?
Landlords taxed at over 100% says the Telegraph- indeed and not just landlords the 15% stamp duty when you move and new pension rules produce over 100% taxation too. Hammond presides of the highest and most idiotically and damaging tax system. Also two good articles by A Heath – Without a massive free enterprise campaign, Corbynite chaos looms and by Nick Timothy – Must we hamstring our economy and hand rivals an advantage for no real environmental gain?
May 9, 2019
Kindly clarify the terms of this free trade agreement the Americans wish to impose, sorry, negotiate. Open up the NHS to American private providers? Free access for chlorine washed chicken and hormonne filled beef (and the consequent destruction of our farming sector)?
May 9, 2019
Will anyone be forcing shoppers to buy chlorinated chicken (of course, many already buy pre-prepared chlorinated salad leaves)?
May 9, 2019
The sole purpose of all production is consumption. The consumer is king. Those who attempt to sell without attracting consumer demand fail & wither away.
May 10, 2019
Indeed and when people go to the US they are perfectly happy to eat it there. We are not even that sure if we are getting beef or horse meat in the UK.
May 9, 2019
If you want a serious answer to your query about chicken and beef, go to Briefings for Brexit.
For my own part, I find myself in complete agreement with everything that Mr Pompeo said as reported by our host.
May 9, 2019
I find it difficult to moan about the likes of chlorine washed chicken when our water is chlorinated to protect our health .. whether you like it or not. And the word like is the important issue .. we can buy whatever meat we wish to, it’s our personal choice, in a non socialist world. The NHS being privatised !!! Labour under brown and blair did more to encourage that that any other party.
May 9, 2019
I don’t think you will be forced to buy any of these products Henry! Mind you, you have probably bought ‘chlorine washed’ lettuce before now. As to private providers for the NHS – what is the problem? American or otherwise, if they can provide a service at the right price why worry?
btw the EU has undermined our farming industry for years. I was a farmer both before and after before we joined. It’s part of the reason I’m one no longer.
May 9, 2019
There is considerable misinformation put out about US beef and chicken and it is another part of the anti-Brexit scare campaign. Growth hormones can be fed to or implanted in the growing animal, lasting a maximum of 4 months. That hormone is metabolised and eliminated by the digestive system. There are no growth hormones in the meat on sale, so “hormone filled beef” is not a reality. In any event, US products would be labelled and consumers would have a choice.
Chlorine washing of chickens is something that used to be the practice in the UK, but was banned by the EU in 1997, after a foolishly ignorant campaign against chlorine by Greenpeace and other NGO’s. As with many things EU, the EU ban is precautionary rather than evidence based. We drink water daily that is chlorinated, we swim in chlorinated swimming pools, all to control bacterial contamination.
May 9, 2019
You are all ready eating American food and have been for decades. Are you speaking from the grave?
May 9, 2019
Private providers in the NHS sounds like a good idea to me. Why not ? All the medicines, drugs, and medical equipment is already provided by private providers, some being USA companies, and that part of the NHS seems to work fine. Also chlorine washed chicken is a good idea – we already buy chlorine washed fruit and vegetables so extending it to chicken seems no problem – why would it be ?. I expect with their new populist make-up a future EU/USA trade deal will impose these on UK anyway one way or another.
May 9, 2019
Chlorine, a red herring. Here in sunny âoleâ Wokingham you get knocked out by the chlorine gas that comes from opening the mains water tap. Ofwat says its safe.
The only reason we donât get chlorine washed chicken in the EU is because the EU overlords do not trust the abattoirs. The feeling is they will get sloppy in the process if they can just wash the contamination away as is done in our drinking water.
Fresh chicken is considered to be contaminated in the EU, which is the reason you a requested NOT to touch it before it is cooked.
EU rules and regulations, designed to level down production is what has damaged UK farming
May 9, 2019
it really is very extraordinary the way we hear from Continuity Remain types that its absolutely essential we continue the basis of trade with the EU exactly as now, that its great whenever new trade deals are opened up under the auspices of the EU, but its absolutely terrible if we do our own trade deals, in the same way as do all those 165 or so countries which are not in the EU – many of which are very prosperous.
e.g. Australia has a good FTA with the US. I have not heard from friends in Australia of mass deaths from chlorine washed chicken or the seizure of the health services by nefarious profit making US enterprises.
May 9, 2019
Henry Carter,
I agree there is strategic value to domestic food production, and acknowledge that an argument can be made that beef production and consumption is not green (grazing land use, emissions, etc.), nonetheless if humankind chooses to continue beef production and consumptions then it is inappropriate to be knee jerk about USA beef production.
(1) It is fast to market (e.g. twice as fast as S.America), hence less inventory, less grazing area …
(2) I could only quickly find 2013 data, but at least then the vast majority of USA beef producers followed the Beef Quality Assurance guidelines.
(3) I think the hormone implants (regulated by law) are placed in the ear and discarded at slaughter. The dosages are typically 1/100 the to 1/1000th of what a bodybuilder may take. Residual estrogen levels in implanted beef are maybe 1.4 times higher than non-implanted cattle. Obviously there are other foods (well known being soy based products) that have much higher concentrations of compounds (e.g. phytoestrogens) that effect serum estrogen levels – there seem to be mixed reports on positives and benefits of this, but it appears the concentration is huge compared with beef.
(4) Oral consumption of hormones is not the most ‘effective’, hence why ranchers use under skin pellets, and the pellet method is making a come back (from the 1930s) for human hormone therapies.
(5) You don’t mention antibiotics, though many people do – I believe they are not the same antibiotics as for humans (at least usually in USA, other countries?)
I think clear labelling would be the way to go whether for GM, chlorine washed or antibiotic+hormones (under BQA guidelines)
May 9, 2019
The information is available on the Internet. The title of the document is:
United States-United Kingdom Negotiations
Summary of Specific Negotiating Objectives
February 2019
May 9, 2019
This will happen if we are stupid enough to sign a CU with the EU where, as a result of not being a member of the EU, we will have no say in the trade negotiations or have a veto.
In fact the EU will be able to sell our market to the US in return for the US importing EU cars and food tariff and quota free.
Note that we will not have any improved access to the US market in return.
However, even as a member of the EU, trade will become either a Commission competency or decided by QMV and our NHS will be opened up to US private providers in return for tariff and quota free EU cars and food.
May 9, 2019
Op Fear is still alive and well.
May 9, 2019
Would that chlorine washed chicken be any different to my chlorine washed tongue and digestive track when I imbibe it every single day courtesy of my water supplier?
The water here is often undrinkable due to the addition of chlorine after multiple failures of the infrastructure stressed to breaking point by intense farming methods.
Twenty years ago this was also the case when I Lived in the Cotswolds and only a water filter enabled a drinkable cup of tea.
May 9, 2019
Chlorine washed chicken is different to rinsing something in water. American chickens are washed in chlorine to kill harmful bugs and bacteria. And they need to be washed because American chickens are reared in less hygienic conditions.
Their birds are not treated as well. They are not cared for to such high standards and, consequently, they have to undergo a chemical treatment after slaughter to remove all those nasties that we do not have here in the first place.
Might chlorine washed chicken be a bit cheaper? Possibly. Would most voters backed birds being treated more inhumanely? I doubt it. Plus British farmers and suppliers would no longer be able to export birds to the EU because we would no longer adhere to EU standards.
My family will certainly not be eating Tory Frankenstein foods.
May 9, 2019
Yes – ”free access to…” There will be freedom of choice. You wouldn’t HAVE to eat chicken or beef from the US. You could carry on eating meat from dubious suppliers in eastern Europe where animal welfare isn’t their strongest point or even a priority. I’m sure our own farmers would be glad to step up their own production to feed people who actually prefer ethically sourced animal products.
”Open up the NHS….” – you may be one of those endlessly critical of our NHS – perhaps this could improve it.
I may be wrong on all counts – but there is such a thing as too much naysaying and not enough positivity.
May 9, 2019
Henry, and salmonella chicken is preferable? How many people question what they eat when travelling in the USA? Let’s not get too emotional! Eating anything moves coming from the EU must be questioned as animal welfare in Europe is abysmal.
May 9, 2019
“Henry, and salmonella chicken is preferable? ”
I can’t confess to having tried either.
May 9, 2019
It is a shame but understandable that Mr. Pompeo did not brief about Mr. Trump’s imminent trade war against the Evil Empire but I suppose some treats must be delayed.
As for 5G, another poor T. May decision. I for one would rather be spied upon by the Americans than the Chinese as there is less (though still considerable) risk of my intentions being misunderstood due to language.
May 9, 2019
A trade war with the EU will push it whole or in pieces into the arms of Xi and Putin and give their Greater Eurasian Partnership project, already rapidly advancing from the east,a further boost.
May 9, 2019
Absolutely. The bloodshed and sacrifice of all US citizens to protect our freedoms here in the UK should never be forgotten.
How perverse it is that we now have a US President who is more concerned with our nation’s democracy than the incumbent PM, May.
Trump tells it as it is. We need more like him. No use of the liberal left tactic of ‘far right extremism’ to crush debate on important national issues in the manner of this offensive PM.
The British people or the majority of them are sick to the back teeth of being slandered by your leader. Her constant slandering of Brexit voters and Brexit MPs is deeply troubling. Expect legislation in the next few months as the Europhile cabal try to crush debate on issues such as immigration, nationality, race and democracy.
Trump needs to put May in her place. This PM needs warning that her constant attacks on open debate and freedom of expression is bordering on the dangerous.
I do believe that our freedoms will come under attack by the Conservative-Marxist Labour alliance as they ramp up their attack on Brexit.
It is incumbent on all Tory MPs to protect our most cherished freedoms against this most dangerous of PM and her alliance with Marxists.
Trump must apply total pressure on May to change her ways before she does real damage to this nation’s people
May 9, 2019
In everything you recall, Mike Pompeo is absolutely accurate. I find it unbelievable that a British PM could think or consider otherwise. That she should consider damaging our relationship with the USA over G5 is unforgivable. Rumour has it that she might exacerbate the obscenity of HS2 by buying the trains in China. I thought Bombardier made trains in the UK, apart from which who makes the high speed trains that fly around Europe.
A word of caution re a UK/USA trade agreement. It is desirable but it should not be in conflict with the way we do things here. If for instance it is decided that they can sell us hormonal beef and chlorinated chickens, the product must be clearly marked as such, no small print that cannot be read. Trade should flow in financial balance between both nations. Good quality citrus fruit from the USA and aircraft wings from the UK as a suggestion. Large multinationals must understand that they cannot trade in the UK in competition with the flying pig coffee shop in our high street on anything but equal tax terms.
Instinctively I am happier with a close US relationship than I am with an EU one which I see as abusing our historic attachment to democracy.
May 10, 2019
It has only been posted for 24 hours, what is so contencious about it.
May 9, 2019
We seem to get endless propaganda on a daily basis from the âEnvironment Agencyâ. Tax the people then spend their money on a propaganda Quango (to feed endless greencrap to these tax payers). Telling them what to âthinkâ!
I suppose they call this an essential public service.
May 9, 2019
Germany importing gas from Russia ? Don’t they realise there’s a climate emergency on ? Greta Thunberg needs to go and tell the EU to stop this madness immediately, eh Andy ? Glad we’re getting out of an organisation conspiring in the extinction of a million species including our own.
May told Brady to clear off yesterday I see – told him she’d already made him a generous offer by saying she’ll quit at some point in the far distant future – seems like the 1922 Committee are even worse negotiators than her. Incredible.
May 9, 2019
Green cars from the VW Group, are manufactured using energy from their (VWâs) own coal fired power stations. Contradiction, go figureâŠ.
May 9, 2019
A FTA no time yet then if May gets her agreement and again you have bottled her exit. Why?
Truly your Party has a death wish.
May 9, 2019
A death wish for the whole country it seems.
May 9, 2019
Nig1
“Truly your Party has a death wish”
I think you’ll find it is ‘dead’
May 9, 2019
We always get the feeling, and I really don’t know if it is simply that : a feeling, that the US would allow us to be freer ,more friendly and share free trade.Yet we have these warnings re China and the EU. The EU on the other hand seem always to have the heavy boot on us as demonstrated by Brexit conversations. I have difficulty in understanding the difference between shown appearance and reality.
May 9, 2019
May has managed to lose support of the party, your party, which she appears well-bent on destroying. She has lost the support of the people. She has done her damnedest to destroy the reputation of the country. Now she has decided to agree an IT deal which will end 5eyes, thus weakening our National security.
Every time she speaks, she is disingenuous or tells outright lies. Her actions are those of someone determined to destroy everything this country and its peoples has ever stood for. I suspect the Americans know this as well.
May 9, 2019
What an inspiring man!
The lefties who whittle on about climate change and then go flying back to – the USA – pumping out tonnes and tonnes of C02 are wrong. President Trump is just a businessman, not an ogre. He doesn’t fit into the Washington/East Coast liberal mould that’s all.
We sensible people ought to admit this and joyfully embrace our friendship with the USA – a real friend in need. And we ought to be heard too.
John Bercow does not represent the entire country. Neither does the Mayor of London.
May 9, 2019
It’s a shame we have a US government which is friendly but a civil service and PM acting as its mouthpiece which rejects the offer and works for the EU. The Yanks are acting in their own interest though in trying to stop the Germans buying cheaper Russian gas and to buy their shale gas instead. The Russians need the money and are unlikely to turn off the supply and if they have a measure of control over the EU superstate, so much the better. We have no defence without the US as a close ally anyway. An enemy with drones, submarines and missiles could cut our energy supplies and communications in a day.
A free trade deal with the US would be much better than one with the EU. They would be more likely to buy Jags and other British high quality goods and US wine and clean food would be better than the rubbish made by the French and Dutch.
May 9, 2019
Mr Redwood,
A forceful promotion of American exports (arms, LNG, foodstuffs) and the security argument against cheaper alternatives. Nevertheless, Mr Pompeo is a credible politician. More so than his boss. Coices, choices.
May 9, 2019
Have you seen how well the USA economy is doing compared to, say, Germany ? Which leader is the more “credible” ?
May 10, 2019
@ Roy Grainger
The US is doing very well in certain areas. But wage growth lgs behind Germany’s. Health care, defense, property and casualty insurance are extremely expensive. I’ve lived in the US and worked there for quite a long time (in very comfortable circumstances) but I am not so sure I would rather like to live there than in Germany on the average wage, purely economically speaking. Of course I am not mentioning the very high level of gun ownership, lack of servoces in many parts of the country and highly biased media (both sides) that have little to do withb the economy as such.
But, my remark was not about how well or poorly the the US is doing but that Mr Pompeo and his mates push US products and servives under the guise of “security” or posibly threaten relatiation is we do not buy expensive LNG, US pharmaceuticals for US prices, open our markets for inferior agricultural products etc. These are important constituencies for US politicians and the play for keeps. Not for charity.
A much better question is why Canada remains such a wonderful country to live in, (few guns, excellent public services, affordable pharma) despite its very high degree of integration with the US economy. Why nof afford Americans the standard of living of Canadians?
May 10, 2019
I take your point about quality of life but in terms of standard of living
GDP per head
Canada $46,260
USA $62,990
May 9, 2019
Pompeo is supposed to be America’s chief diplomat but as Stephen Kotkin(Profesor of History,Princeton;Fellow at the Hoover Institution) joked recently:
Q:”What’s the difference between the US State Department(Foreign Office) and the Russian State Department?”
A: “The Russians have one!”
May 10, 2019
And I bet Mr.Kolkin votes Democrat.
May 9, 2019
At least the UK does not have a âŹ/ÂŁ60 billion trade deficit with the US. The protectionist single market EU does nothing for Britain.
May 9, 2019
Mike Pompeo, the buffoon who considers global warming melting the ice caps to be good for opening up new trade routes.
Still he appears to be not quite as deluded as one of the pseudo-scientist Piers Corbyn, who claims polar ice caps are not reducing.
May 9, 2019
Well, that IS good for opening up new trade routes. Why isn’t it ?
May 9, 2019
You’ve got 12 years according to the Green Agenda before London is under water. Go build you Ark!
May 9, 2019
Fish wife ….who is dismantling the BARRIER?
May 9, 2019
Strange that you should call Piers Corbyn, who is an astro-physicist, a pseudo-scientist, yet no doubt you would applaud his brother for consulting with the anti-capitalism group “extinction rebellion” on how to decimate our economy by stopping fossil fuel use.
The claim about “global warming melting the ice caps” has a long history and so far the ice caps have refused to co-operate. The Arctic should have been ice free in Summer 2002 according to “top scientists”, then 2008, and again in 2012 and 2015.
The satellite record used starts in 1979, prior to that there was a serious cooling period and ice extent was considerable. One of the main reasons for the Cod wars with Iceland was the migration of Cod stocks further south towards the UK, because of low sea temperatures. The Icelanders extended their fishing limits in pursuit of the migrating fish.
Conversely, in the early part of last century, it is well documented that there was considerably less ice in the Arctic than there is now, and again there were scary stories about a melting Arctic. In 1906, Roald Amundsen negotiated the NW passage in a wooden hulled sailing ship.
Antarctica? Current temperature at the S. Pole is minus 52 degC. The West Antarctic Peninsula, the bit that’s melting, minus 18 deg C.
May 9, 2019
RichardM,
I suppose that since the Chinese are reported as planning for the Central Arctic Passage in 2050, that any further reduction in UK emissions is likely irrelevant.
On trade Arctic trade routes I think Canada (NW passage claim argument with Pompeo), Norway, Iceland and S.Korea all have policy.
May 9, 2019
Any melting of the Antarctic ice cap will not open up new trade routes, unless Mr Attenborough discovers polar camels. The embarrassing story about the Ship of Fools getting trapped in ice that wasnât supposed to be there and requiring a global effort to enact a rescue has already been buried by the warmunists. Attempts by various eco- warriors to find a passage through the Arctic has met with a resounding failure. There is scientific data indicating that ice mass in the Arctic is increasing even though the area is variable due to winds and currents, which is what Doctor Corbyn was referring to. Any melting in the Antarctic is mainly due to volcanoes ,along continental plate fault lines. Gaia is getting along very well, and the deindustrialisation of the West coupled with redistribution of resources to the deserving poor under a world government will not affect her survival one iota.
May 9, 2019
Is this perhaps a remainer’s comment? There are a couple of gratuitous insults squeezed in there, aimed at our allies and their government, instead of a cogent argument. Just wondered.
May 9, 2019
Richard, Do you honestly believe that we can solve climate change? Something that has been happening since time began? What nonsense. All we are doing is making manufacturing and the price of energy rise so much that more people will die of the cold rather than climate change. If the ice caps do melt then taking advantage of it makes sense. Nothing we do will change it.
May 9, 2019
We really need good allies like Trump’s USA that want to be supportive friends.
We do not need allies like the EU that want to take us over and rob us dry.
May 9, 2019
The USA neither has nor wants friends or allies,it is interested only in vassals.
May 9, 2019
Mitchel
Not so.
A little known fact is that the US has never won a war without British help.
I’d trust the US any day over the French, Belgians, Luxembourgish etc.
May 10, 2019
@ Steve
The most important (and body) war the US has won was the Civil War. Where the British were friends with the enemy (the Confederates). The US version od Exit thwarted.
May 10, 2019
Little known because it’s total rubbish!Spanish-American War,arguably the first of it’s imperial wars,to start you off.
The USA has been at peace for only 16 of it’s 242 years as a nation.
May 9, 2019
I believe the present US administration is particularly friendly towards Britain – but will be less so if we carry on in the direction we are now.
May 9, 2019
I hope Theresa May has taken full note of the address and taken the time to understand it in detail. If she hasn’t or doesn’t, she may well regret hanging on as PM long enough to be in office for the Trump visit. He will not hold back in telling her and the whole world what a complete mess she has made of both Brexit and putting our security and US alliance in danger.
She needs to dump the WA and ensure that the Chinese have absolutely no involvement in our 5G network. Will she? I doubt it, and she will dig the hole that she, and the country is in because of her appalling Brexit negotiations, even deeper.
May 9, 2019
Mark B
I think you must be right.
One of those heavily ironic sorts of joke.
Paying back UK for rudeness to Trump maybe?
Heâs not a great fan of climate disaster theories either!
May 9, 2019
Interesting. Despite all the opprobrium (sometimes justifiably) heaped on President Trump in the UK and other EU countries, he is right on some issues: Chinaâs abuse of the world trading system and IP theft; Iranâs malevolent role in so much of Middle East terrorism, for example the arming and financing of Hamas and Hizbollah terrorists; the folly of Germany making herself and Europe more dependent on Russian gas; the wisdom of exploiting shale gas, whether in the US or the UK – cheap and abundant energy with lower CO2 emissions, who can reasonably be against it? Probably the `Huawei issue also.
We should certainly try to get a rapid trade deal done with the US. I doubt very much that once itâs on the table and itâs benefits for the US are clear, latent sympathy for Irish nationalism will be enough to kill it, as implied by Nancy Pelosi. Besides it is now abundantly clear no one is going to put up a hard border in Northern Ireland .
May 9, 2019
Anyway..whatâs the point of all these talks etc?
MM only listens to the EU. ( Trump was happy to teach her how to negotiate).
And as far as I can see she will be in situ FOREVER!…and ever…and……
Donât think impeachment has ever worked in UK but these are desperate times?
May 9, 2019
Oh! Did we actually win our freedom then? What WERE we fighting, dying for?? To defeat Germany?
I often have to pinch myself.
To think that in this once free, democratic ( what is democracy?I ask) country where we had plenty of warnings from the likes of Orwell (taught in schools even)…
I must look at my every word,nuance,preference for fear of state retribution.
It is being cheered on by people who do not believe it will affect them!
It will!!
May 9, 2019
Some easy targets for praise and criticism. Russian gas pipeline. Huawei devices in 5G network. Humanitarian Aid. I don’t see much in the way of clear thinking on our relationship, intentional so Trump can speak his mind and not be leaked in advance? So the US joined in over Salisbury telling Putin ‘ You are a naughty boy!’. Impressive stuff.
May 9, 2019
USA expelled 60 Russian diplomats as a direct response to the Salisbury poisoning, however they didn’t tell Putin “you are a naughty boy”. Maybe check your facts before posting here ?
May 9, 2019
Roy….sarcasm lost on you?
May 9, 2019
Not only that but Trump subsequently let it be known that he had meant that the US should only match the no of expulsions of individual EU nations ,NOT the EU total.
May 9, 2019
Mrs May gives the impression that she would rather side with the EU than our closest ally. She is a threat to our democracy and our security as well as your party but Conservative MPs stand by impotent in the face of such treats.
May 9, 2019
Sorry last word should be “threats”.
May 9, 2019
You can sleep easy in the knowledge that thanks to Mrs May and the WA, the EU considers us to be their first colony.
Joke? maybe, but the joke is on us!
May 9, 2019
They actually said that last night in the fly on the wall documentary with Vorhofstadt on BBC4.
May 9, 2019
Yes I agree the PM is a complete liability
The conservative party needs to be ruthless if it is going to survive
May 9, 2019
The EU is our closest ally. The US has not been our closest ally since 1945. You guys have just not caught up.
May 10, 2019
Geographically you are correct.
May 9, 2019
Powerful points made be Mike Pompeo on Germany gas pipeline, trade and Huawei.
Slightly off topic but relevant to today’s news that Jonny Mercer is, rightly in my opinion, withholding support for the Govt. over the hounding of ex servicemen. However he is supporting Mrs May’s WA and as an ex army man he must know that it will hand over much control of our armed forces and security to the EU. His logic defies the imagination.
Not nearly enough attention is being paid to this by Leave MP’s.
May 9, 2019
Yes – Mr Mercer seems to pick and choose his virtue signalling depending on how it will affect his own press. Isn’t he a remainer whose constituents voted leave?
Leave MPs don’t seem to be nearly as vociferous as their Remain counterparts – even though they’ve got a lot more positive stuff to shout about.
May 9, 2019
Indeed BOF but I would rather have Russia as a friend than a potential enemy. Perhaps the Pentagon needs to have an enemy real or otherwise, to justify its existence.
May 10, 2019
Military.Industrial.Complex.
Look how the US economy expanded during WWII-and why.Look at the post-war slump and the Marshall Plan which needed a reds-under-the-bed scare to get through Congress- and on to the Cold War-it wasn’t the Soviets who started that;they were more interested in consolidating their gains and rebuilding their country after the war devastation in European Russia,Ukraine and Belarus.
May 9, 2019
I agree too on the need for democracy in the UK, today it is lacking , here we should be the shining city on the hill, in the past that has been a source of inspiration for the world.
The prospect of a future trade deal with the US must strike fear into the EU, French and German car exports would collapse if tariffs were enacted and US cars were sold at a 12% discount in the UK.
If the next prime minister can strongly put Britain’s interests before those of the EU we will be a successful and prosperous country again.
May 9, 2019
Gareth…the only, rather big, downside to American cars is that UK will discover they are poor.
May 9, 2019
Depends what you buy.
May 9, 2019
Anyone would think we were walking away from a successful and prosperous EU!!!
In truth, the EU are nothing but an overly powerful, costly, incompetent and unnecessary Middleman, that does absolutely nothing that European nations couldn’t do for themselves. What exactly is their purpose?
May 9, 2019
Ah yes Barbara, but single market businesses can gain by sucking at the taxpayers’ teat. About 7.5% reduction in tariffs I believe.
May 9, 2019
The mighty Margaret Thatcher was felled with one ‘powerful’ speech – felled for the EU. Yet Zombie remainer Theresa May is kept in office by the pro federast deep state, ye olde people of this country slandered to make way for the EU. The Tories sacrificed and the country beggared (buggered ?) for the EU.
How long is this going to go on for ???
May 9, 2019
Having caved in to the green blob, there is no way we can reduce our energy imports from bastions of democracy like Qatar. I know I worked there for 20years.
Almost every decision made by this government has been against the common good of the people and to lecture on democracy whilst we have May and Hammond in charge is laughable. I see she is going to ram the WA through for a 4th time.
What an idiot she is.
May 9, 2019
Interesting comments about shale from Mr Pompeo. My more left wing friends think shale extraction is too dangerous. They forget that we had mild tremors when we were extracting coal, but that was when the Left favoured low cost energy for the least well off people. They also seem unaware that an extraction site only takes up the area of a cricket square, creates jobs, and that a flourishing shale industry could reduce energy costs substantially. It’s such a shame that the current regulations, and the Chancellor’s announcement that future new houses will have no mains gas, seem designed to strangle this nascent industry at birth. Another example of the Tory party losing its direction.
May 9, 2019
Interesting that the ‘earthquake’ that stirred Crawley the other day measured 3.5 on the Richter scale. Shale gas exploration and extraction must be temporarily halted by a tremor of 0.5 on the same scale. Each unit of the scale represents a tenfold increase in intensity and a 32 fold increase in energy. So this latest tremor was about 1000 times greater on the Richter scale than the shale gas limit and still did no damage.
May 9, 2019
leftists do not oppose shale on the basis of facts. most do not understand the Richter scale is logarithmic, and the sort of tremors seen from mining are regularly hundreds of times greater than the regulation max from shale.
May 9, 2019
Mr Corbyn is now as I write being shown LIVE on TV . A sign just in front of him ” Rebuilding Britain”
He has a prospect of becoming PM thanks to the Brexit Betrayal.
We should not be so adult embarrassed as not to openly cry.
May 9, 2019
MPC,
Yes mild tremors due to coal mining. Figure 15 of this paper (https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0264817215300751/pdfft?md5=00059ddaf7bffdb1e1275bb5433bdd16&pid=1-s2.0-S0264817215300751-main.pdf) summarises the number in a nice graph*.
*Apologies for a web address Dr Redwood; it is a publication in ‘Marine and Petroleum Geology’.
May 9, 2019
Given that MPs of all parties over half a century have not grappled with the 100%( one hundred per cent ) honesty and integrity of Local Authorities and far be in for me to suggest they are looking after their seats as determined by political activists within those self-same Authorities, could they not by some moral smear given to them at birth, make sure that Universities and Techs who train not just Housing engineers but what used to be called B-Tech persons and all kinds of LA and Arms length models, that an Independent Monitor should be appointed to investigate the precision and pointed questions on examination papers to see that the 100% pass rate for Housing would-be staff are as pointed as they should be. In that such an Independent Monitor exists, sack him. Find people who will do the job!
Higher Education establishments have a financial vested interest in supplying LAs with what they ask for. They ask for too little for the Good. Universities could also be monitored with greater energy too. In fact some energy as it is laying about doing nothing in practice.
British Universities and Higher Education are world beaters. Does not say much for the rest of the world.
May 9, 2019
surely government majority is negative now that johnny mercer and DUP are wavering partners.
can May really continue is this dead but alive state?
Reply We are not being asked to vote on anything at the moment
May 9, 2019
Sir JR – you write – “We are not being asked to vote on anything at the moment”. I get that – but what IS Parliament doing?
I heard that a bill had been passed regarding 2 animals in a circus; was that a joke or is that really what’s happened & really ALL that’s happened.? Does this imply that Parliament is moribund – and doesn’t this present a danger that the Mad Woman will present her famous (well actually Brussels & Berlin’s famous) Surrender Treaty and MPs will sign it out of sheer boredom or just eager to go on their summer hols (from May 22…)
May 9, 2019
so the NHS is to give free bikes to fat people, doesnt that rather put the wrong incentives in the system (ie fancy a new bike why pay for it just put on a little weight) and given many CCG’s are refusing to fund continuous blood sugar monitoring for people who seriously need it (despite NHS England giving them a 3 line whip to stop the postcode lottery, and Mrs May getting this when her case is clearly far from the most serious being withheld these prescriptions) doesnt it look like the NHS is a joke? where is the political control of these clowns?
May 9, 2019
yes MP’s are being sent to recess just when the European elections are announced, I assume Mrs May is hoping you will all disappear so that you dont get together and demand her resignation
May 9, 2019
WA before Euros.
May 9, 2019
reply to JR reply…..and that is how Mrs May likes it.
May 9, 2019
So what is your point and purpose at vast expense?
May 9, 2019
‘Reply We are not being asked to vote on anything at the moment’
Says it all really, total loss of control, can’t really be called a functioning government at this point
May 9, 2019
Great- so now we’ll end up in the US pocket instead of the EU- we’ll have rubber chicken for dinner instead of straight bananas- I thought that we wanted to be independent of all of this and go to WTO rules to make our own laws to suit ourselves- make our own way- support Yemen, Iran or whomever else we wished without the nod from the great USA- some independence alright? and belated promises now coming from the Trump/Pompeo/ John Bolton campers- wreckers all, who are only likely to be there in any real sense for a few months more anyway- to just before the next US presidential round gets underway- and this is what we are putting our hopes on?
May 9, 2019
Mike Pompeo is right â we need to get on with fracking:
9 October 2018 â Jillian Ambrose, The Telegraph
âFracking laws on earthquakes could be relaxed to encourage more drilling, the energy minister [Claire Perry, one of whose responsibilities is energy security] has suggested .. Frackers have to down tools following any event above 0.5 magnitude on the Richter scale ..â
[A typical natural UK âearthquakeâ may measure 3.9]
4 February 2019 â Jillian Ambrose, The Telegraph
âThe chemicals giant owned by Britainâs richest man, Jim Ratcliffe, has called on Government to rip up the shale industryâs âunworkableâ regulations or face an âenergy crisisâ.
In a blistering attack on the Governmentâs energy policy Ineos accused ministers of using âslippery back door manoeuvres to end shaleâ including âabsurdâ earthquake limits imposed on shale gas developers.
It also warned Government that it was âbetting the future of our manufacturing industry on windmills and imported gasâ, which could cause âirreparable damageâ to the UKâs manufacturing base.â
May 9, 2019
And at the end of April Natascha Engel, the government’s fracking ‘tsar’ resigned, driven by dismay that ministers are jeopardising Britain’s energy security because they would rather appease noisy green campaigners.
Ideally Alex Chisholm, the permanent secretary at the Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy, should be questioned by the relevant Parliamentary Committee, about its energy policy. He’s an Oxford graduate, with a degree in history, but then Rachel Reeves, chair of the committee is another Oxford graduate, with a PPE. Looking at interests of the committee none of them seem particularly interested in energy. It would be better to have someone with some experience, like Graham Stringer, to question Chisholm.
May 9, 2019
The UK promotes democracy? I see. While totalitarian governments suppress votes,
ours simply takes a democratic decision not to implement them (as Sir Humphrey
might have said). Given the alienation of our sovereignty that has occurred by
means of international treaties, it is unfortunate that American diplomacy continues
yet to flatter this country’s reputation.
May 9, 2019
The Reserve Bank of Australia spelled “responsibility” as “responsibilty” on millions of the new yellow notes. Convicts and sheep keepers!
May 10, 2019
Yes – but the RBA have formally accepted ‘ful rospensiblity’
May 9, 2019
Off topic
Have just heard that the “Grenfell type” cladding removal bill is to be payed for by the govt. Hooray – – -For a while I thought it was going to be passed onto Joe Taxpayer.
May 9, 2019
More than 70 people died in Grenfell. 18 of them were children. Some were toddlers – just a few years old. Some of these children were burnt to death. Some died from smoke inhalation. Children dead because of cladding.
Fixing it to stop it happening again will cost about ÂŁ200m. This equates to a bill of about ÂŁ3 per person in the country. Obviously the tax burden does not fall evenly – some of us pay much more than most of you. But the amount overall for any of us is pretty small.
I think ÂŁ3 is a reasonable amount to make sure children do not burn to death in the UK in 2019. Maybe you would prefer to spend your ÂŁ3 on a pint. Enjoy it. Those dead children wonât ever get the chance of enjoying one.
May 9, 2019
Thank you for reporting on US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo’s London lecture. What a breath of fresh air that must have been for you Sir John! I only hope it wasn’t lost on the rest of your colleagues. The contrast to the sickening state of affairs we now seem to have here in the UK is indeed compelling.
May 9, 2019
Thank you for reporting on US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo’s London lecture. What a breath of fresh air that must have been for you Sir John! I only hope it wasn’t lost on the rest of your colleagues. The contrast to the sickening state of affairs we now have here in the UK is indeed compelling, and must have left you with a sense of longing.
May 9, 2019
Our involvement, even if unintentional, in the creation of the USA is arguably Britain’s greatest national achievement. Our concepts of law and democracy were adopted and improved to create the fairest form of government. Without it the vast majority of the world would be a fearful place to live. Their baling us out in 1917 and particularly in 1941 almost certainly prevented all of Europe being ruled either by fascist or communist regimes for possibly centuries with no answer to modern weaponry.
We should be fully supporting the alliance, in current matters they have the right approach. Unfortunately there are too many deluded and grossly influential people who have adopted the propaganda approach to issues that do not stand up to academic and non partisan scrutiny.
The undemocratic EU is a force for world instability, the premise that it has prevented conflict and is good for peace is a canard. Without the USA and their nuclear umbrella we would all be speaking Russian.
May 9, 2019
What would be the difference between being a “vassal state” of the USA and being one of the EU; please advise? You would end up wishing you had signed Mrs May’s Withdrawal Agreement!
The US is not only the self appointed, heavily armed enforcer of democracy, it is also the most protectionist country on the planet, by far. More Russian gas coming into the EU by pipe, will seriously reduce US LNG potential exports to the EU by tanker. The US is expanding its east coast Shale gas liquefaction capacity to 10 Bcf/day; enough to supply the UK for a day.
Likewise, Trump blocked the takeover by Singapore based Broadcom of US based Qualcomm. That would have made China the R&D top dog in the United States 5G equipment designing race, which other Asian countries will make for it anyway, complete with US spyware.
The US spends 70% of total NATO members defence spending of circa $930 billion. That is one large parking charge for its missiles in Europe.
May 9, 2019
Mrs. Mayâs desire for the UK to sign an international treaty with the EU where we must accept EU laws, taxes, budget payments, fines and policies without representation or veto and with no lawful exit (according the AG) and her willingness to use the Chinese for our major infrastructure and energy projects such as Hinkley C, HS2 and now 5G demonstrates she is a danger to the security and prosperity of the UK.
May 9, 2019
The upcoming EU elections are a farce or decoy as we never get to vote who governs the EU Council of Ministers like Junker and successor labelled the Brussels Monster Martin Selmayr who just loves the German drafted and translated Withdrawal Agreement stitch up.
Mrs May has a say on appointments but this could be unwise given her unknown decision making, making it a two-staged disconnect with the voters. Such indirect control lacks true accountability and good governance and ultimately is totally the reverse of the UN principle of a nation’s right to self-determination.
May 9, 2019
As for May saying she was going to do a Liverpool football comeback is worrying as they voted to remain in EU. The only way she can come back is by really leaving EU no deal or leave No 10 – it’s her choice as always and not ours.
May 10, 2019
I very much doubt she is even remotely interested in the game.
May 10, 2019
But Mark she is an expert at Own-Goals into double figures based on the number of times she said “We are leaving on …..(.Platform Remain ) sound bytes like the Train announcements.
May 9, 2019
‘We finally turned them into a colony! And that was our plan from the first moment.’
Verhofstadt
–
This is what your leader’s imposed upon MY country
May 9, 2019
i understand that tonight’s 2nd part of the BBC4 documentary covering 2yrs of Brexit negotiation will contain the reference to UK(NOT Gibraltar) as a COLONY.
Given previews aired to media and broadcasters why has this reference been kept quiet?
May 10, 2019
The second part last night was pulled.
Why? Is the BBC acting on the instructions of the civil service, who are embarrassed by the revelations with the election coming along.
May 9, 2019
Good on the US, at least Donold is and has been doing just what he said in his Manifesto!
Now Ms May, is it a shame that she will not go, I now prefer to stay atleast untill 23/05
The worst she is guys the better The Brexit party is, And they are soaking up all of us people who have been sick to death with this government and to total disregard of
You guest it. Democricy
May 9, 2019
My wife has just stuck her phone under my nose – it has an item on there that says something like ‘May says UK Health Services will be part of future trade deal with the US’.
Keep it UP! Between you all you seem determined to hand Labour a massive landslide at the next election. You might even lose your seat Mr. Redwood if May and the rest of you offer up ammunition like that.
It beggars belief. It is as if you have pressed a self-destruct button.
May 10, 2019
Both the Tories and Labour have been slowly privatizing the NHS right under our noses. The only jobs that will not go are the numerous committees their mates sit on.
May 9, 2019
JR
“He stressed the important contribution the UK makes to the 5 country intelligence grouping that underpins our security and US security. He praised the UK for its support in promoting democracy and better government worldwide, and for the substantial humanitarian aid supplied to trouble spots.”
All this after nearly 50 years of EU membership?
==
He (Mike Pompeo) then goes on to threaten us with retribution over a possible trade deal with China!
Only a couple of weeks ago the US house speaker Nancy Pelosi issued a similar threat regarding difficulties with the Irish border.
Imagine the howls of outrage if similar diktats had been issued by Brussels!
May 9, 2019
off-topic, but rather relevant to the current BIG ISSUE:
The widely touted possible contenders to replace May as PM include former and current members of the Cabinet, including Boris Johnson, Michael Gove, Amber Rudd, Sajid Javid, Dominic Raab, Jeremy Hunt, Penny Mordaunt and Liz Truss. Rory Stewart has announced he will run and Commons leader Andrea Leadsom might. Today we have Esther McVey throwing her hat in the ring.
Former Chancellor George Osborne has suggested the cabinet should move against the prime minister, so the Conservative Party can change leader and “win over supporters who have disappeared”. Certainly not disappeared, I think he means ex-supporters are going to vote for anybody but Tories. Should frontman Corbyn get elected, his cronies will want to ensure a full term, up to 5 years in office. Electors may well forget what Tories stood for by then. Benefits, nationalisation, reduced armed forces, unionism back in industry and national utilities. Quite a prospect. Scottish Independence?
May 9, 2019
If any of these ‘contenders’ have voted for Mrs May’s surrender treaty even once, they are suspect. How can they be trusted? Who’s to say they won’t just resurrect it once they are voted in? Why not? It’s all ready to be signed, no more work or negotiation needed, all done and dusted and meets with the EU masters’ approval ……….
The Conservative Party needs one of the honourable ones (such as our host) to take up the reins of PM – one of those who’ve nailed their colours to the mast and been seen to be the only ones standing between us and EU thralldom.
That still won’t save the party now, I think, but at least it can go down with some dignity if it has a dignified leader at the end.
May 10, 2019
So they want to rearrange the deck chairs a bit. As if that will work ?
May 9, 2019
What a shame he didn’t highlight the fact that parliament is not democratic at this particular time. They are only democratic when it suits them. I would rather build an alliance with the US any day. Look how many times we have been shafted by many countries in Europe in the past. They lure away our businesses with EU money, fine us for things others have got away with, send us their polluting cars with false emission values, take our fishing grounds, ruin our orchard industry. All Europe want us for is a convenient cash cow. They can go and hang themselves for all I care.
May 9, 2019
Poppycock – all of it!
May 9, 2019
Please SJR can you comment upon “Election Communication: The Conservative Party ” blue and white A5 four page leaflet “Printed at No Cost to the taxpayer” headed ” How to show you want a Brexit deal delivered asap” that arrived by post today via the Register of Electors?
This is full of distorted Theresa Mays wishes “The only party which can get Brexit done is the Cons” and mentions a deal in small print and smears leavers like Nigel Farage and hints about stopping the EU elections if a deal is done.
The final insult is “Find out if your MP has backed the deal yet which is Not how did your MP vote based on the original referendum in 2016.
Looking at the website it has a button “Tell your MP to back the deal” with no other option for the less gullible.
No wonder May thinks she can ignore all calls for her go.
Reply I am getting a lot complaints about both the leaflet and website from people who do not see the Agreement as leaving
May 9, 2019
Thank you, Sir John. You and your honourable colleagues really are our last bastion.
It is appalling that our own government should sink to such underhand manipulation.
May 10, 2019
My response that leaflet has been to make a donation to the Brexit Party, the first ever occasion that my hard-earned cash has gone to any politicians.
I am pleased to do something direct to help defeat T. May and her crowd.
May 9, 2019
Fracking, GMO and loss of standards seem to await a United Kingdom that will soon be exposed to crude American negotiating tactics. Isn’t this what really underlies Brexit? Throw in a customs union with the EU and the UK will have achieved the worst of all worlds.
May 9, 2019
John, the SNP are refusing to accept the results of the first referendum. So Scotland should not take part in any second one.