I made the mistake of agreeing to an interview from German TV yesterday in London. I assume as they are intelligent people, their pro EU bullying questions presumably came from the EU and or the German authorities.
Why were we risking a border in Ireland? I explained again the UK was not proposing any new physical barriers. They seemed to think there was no border at the moment, ignoring the obvious differences between the UK and the Republic of Ireland . There is already an Excise and Vat Border.
But surely there would need to be a border for the tariffs, they asked? The current border can handle tariffs in the same way as we handle excise and VAT today. There is a free travel area which will continue. The only threat of new physical border controls comes from the EU. How many more times do we have to explain this? Why do they never ask the EU what they are playing at using the border issue in this way? What controls will the EU place on their side of the border?
I was asked why we are breaking the Good Friday Agreement. I explained we are not. They could not explain which clause of it we were alleged to be breaking. We were not planning a new physical border, as above.
I was asked why we are breaking international law. I explained we are not. We are making new UK law to govern our trade and our own single market which was one of the main points of Brexit. Our implementation of the Withdrawal Agreement was always partial as we included in the legislated version an overriding soveriegnty clause which we are going to need to use given their persistent wish to boss us about.
I was asked how we would handle Tge tariffs when they come in. I explained that we would decide what tariffs to impose on imports, not them. I pointed out that their high tariffs were reserved for foodstuffs from outside the EU, where we have a massive trade deficit with them. The issue is how will they manage our tariffs as exporters to us, if they renege on their promise to agree a tariff free trade deal.
I was posed the usual false question based on the presumption that you cannot trade without a Free Trade Agreement, and more of the same old absurdities we have faced for five years now.
It’s time to end the talks. The EU is not acting in good faith. No deal is a lot better than the kind of one sided deal the EU still has in mind for us.
November 12, 2020
Sir John,
At least, from the perspective of the majority of contributors here, the TV Station asked the RIGHT person to answer their questions. I would love to see the interview, so if it is at all possible, could you please post a link on here. I am sure many others would also appreciate it.
Hopefully the interview will air right across the EU, although, no doubt, would be dismissed as irrelevant by the ‘Big Boys and Girls’ in Brussels.
November 12, 2020
So John was made to look a fool on TV and didn’t like it.
Every single one of the genuine problems which was raised with him could have been solved simply by moving from the ERG’s fanatical and puritanical version of brexit.
Instead he claimed that black was white.
November 12, 2020
Martin in Brussels
How pathetic your usual EU views like your usual negative propaganda.
We voted out of the analogue EU who cannot understand democracy freedom of non-elected in the new digital age stuck in the protectionist past. Get off your high horse snobbery.
November 12, 2020
Tsk! Tsk! Martin, your sheepās clothing is slipping again!
Not very pc to use that offensive word about someone now is it?
EU would NOT be pleased.
Rapped knuckles!
November 12, 2020
Why are you people so obsessed with putting us in as bad a position as possible vis a vis the EU? Just because you lost the referendum (and the EU elections and two General Elections……). You make Coriolanus look like a philosophical and forgiving chap.
November 12, 2020
MiC,
No JR is no fool.
However it was clear from the outset in 2016 and pointed out by prominent people the EU would never agree a fair deal or a good one. it would make other countries leave. The EU could only ever hope for the UK to agree a bad deal to act as a warning to others.
Mayhab was a traitor to our country and was prepared to do this to get back in the EU. She should be investigated and punished irrespective of Minister immunity rot. Chequers written by EU AKA Germans.
You do have to wonder how the Fake Tory party could have five out of six poor leaders on the bounce! One or two perhaps, but five!
Party needs to go back to letting grass roots choose a conservative not from he centre.
November 12, 2020
To wish to be free of EU laws and (specifically wrt this deal as the EU imagines it) courts equals “the ERGās fanatical and puritanical version of brexit.”
You’ve gotta laugh
November 12, 2020
You believe a TV reporter knows more about current UK legislation and negotiations than a highly-respected MP with more than 30yrs of Parliamentary experience?
November 12, 2020
And everything you write suggests you know that black is white.
November 13, 2020
Spot on!
November 12, 2020
Have you seen the program, Martin? Is there a link to it?
November 12, 2020
Utter rubbish from Martin as usual
November 12, 2020
-10!
November 12, 2020
Martin
Quite right. Why is ‘winning’ not good enough for the likes of John Redwood and his ERG chums? Guilty conscience about the lies they themselves told to get just 17m voters to determine Brexit and the catastrophe this will mean for a rump England after Scotland and Ireland vote to leave the union?
If not why should he get annoyed about being asked perfectly legitimate questions by the German journalist?
November 12, 2020
If you really read the article it shows how Sir John answered all the points you raise.
November 14, 2020
In case you haven’t noticed Ireland is not in the United Kingdom. Before you post your EU adoring comments do a basic history lesson
November 12, 2020
Martin, Like many another Remain, you keep trying to convert the Leave mandate into continued alignment with the EU. Even David Cameron’s “Remain” option on the ballot paper – which you voted for – involved no longer being subject to ever closer union. So your imaginary Brexit is not only BINO, but actually close to the “Remain” option anyway.
November 13, 2020
NickC
It sounds like what you are tyring to do with the finished election in the US and the winner has been found
November 12, 2020
Did you even read what JR wrote ?
November 12, 2020
Absolute rubbish! The ERG were the heros of Parliament, not for nothing were they called ‘The Spartans’ as they held off the whole gamut of reumoaners.
November 13, 2020
Dee
The ERG had a purpose buttheir researchand arguments were mostly not worth the paper it was writen on as it was mostly just wrong and unscientific
November 13, 2020
Your opinions blind you to the ideas and views of the other side bill.
Despite that, the referendum was lost by people who share your opinions.
November 12, 2020
So you’ve seen the broadcast then?
Got a link to it that you’d care to share?
I’ll wait……
November 12, 2020
Perhaps you could enlighten the Germans, John Redwood and everyone else, the specific clause in the Good Friday Agreement, the internal market bill breaks. Perhaps you could explain why we should not have an Internal Market bill, when there is a specific clause in the Northern Ireland Protocol allows for such a thing, where agreement is not reached in the joint committee, both sides are allowed to give 30 days notice of remedial action that will be taken. Unfortunately thanks to Gina Miller, it is not simply a case of parliament making the decision, because it involves a treaty change it requires an act of parliament, which would take a lot more than 30 days to pass.
November 12, 2020
Dear Martin–Rarely have I read such twaddle
November 12, 2020
+1
November 12, 2020
Does anyone have a link to the interview?
November 13, 2020
Martin’s seen it apparently!
November 12, 2020
āItās time to end the talks. ā
I could not agree more. This has been the case for some time now.
I am sure I am not the only one who thinks Boris would never do that.
I am just waiting for him to announce an unsatisfactory deal. There will be other distractions in the media and the spin will have been painstakingly prepared. However, the truth will out. This will be the final nail in Boris political career.
I hope I am proved wrong but it is best to prepare for the worst.
November 12, 2020
Pathologist: ‘Mass testing in Liverpool shows testing we have had has failed.
YOU TUBE
A consultant pathologist has told talkRADIO the mass testing of Liverpool has proven the original coronavirus tests “failed.”
Speaking to Julia Hartley-Brewer, Dr Clare Craig said she was initially against the idea of mass testing, but “whatās happened in Liverpool has completely turned the tables.”
Mayor of Liverpool Joe Anderson has said more than 44,000 people have taken part in the cityās mass coronavirus testing pilot, which began on Friday. Dr Craig says only 0.5% of those testing were found to be positive.
“What that means is we have a really good test at showing who has definite Covid. It has shown up the testing that weāve had to have failed.
“Mass testing the whole of Liverpool is not the key.
“We need to be re-testing people who have been misdiagnosed and get the diagnosis right.ā
November 13, 2020
The was little point at all to mass testing in Liverpool or anywhere else. If we have spare tests then clearly use them where it is most sensible to do so. To protect the vulnerable for example nationwide.
November 13, 2020
The ONS random testing using the usual PCR method estimated that the rate of infection in the general population was 2.2%, meaning that the estimate of infection which was used to justify lockdown 2 was over four times too high. It did not mean that covid cases were not increasing at all but that the probable number was much less. The pathologist suggested that the new protein test should now be used in hospitals, where it would not detect many of the patients being treated for other diseases and classify them as with covid in the statistics.
November 13, 2020
The latest from the BBC on the new test in Liverpool is 90,000 tested and 337 positive. 0.3% infection rate.
November 12, 2020
No German TV/Media outlet coverage of John’s interview thus far – John’s corrections, truths and logic are not suitable for the anti-Brexit narrative. Even now, after all this time, I am still being asked why the UK wished to leave the EU. Many Germans believe the UK had a pivotal place in the EU and did well out of the arrangement; such is their ignorance.
The continued prevailing wind is that the UK is nuts to leave the EU…The Germans just can’t get their head around the British thinking. It is wise not to try and go head to-head with German ingrained logic!
Below sums up German thinking on the subject…..
“The Perfect Storm of Brexit and Corona”
Boris Johnson’s Failures Add Up to Eroding Trust (irony)
Boris Johnson thought he could handle Brexit and believed British exceptionalism would protect the country from the coronavirus. He was wrong on both counts.
All the usual media suspects are anti-Britain…..the realization that their “Treasure Island” will soon be in jeopardy will no doubt increase their derogatory statements.
November 12, 2020
Dennis Zoff
Never mind Dennis. Boris’s girlfriend will soon sort him out.
PS As regards the lack of German media coverage of the Redwood interview, do you really think our media would show much interest in watching a discussion with an unknown foreign politician?
November 13, 2020
Says an unknown margaret howard….
November 13, 2020
Why did they interview him then? The were bested, thatās why the interview is not broadcast far and wide. Did you not know that that is how the media works? When I was sub-Agent in a Tory by-election, our candidate gave an interview every morning to the media. He did not put a foot wrong, so nothing broadcast. They were waiting for a faux pas. I told him to stop the interviews because it was time taken from vote winning for no gain at all, and great risk.
November 13, 2020
margaret howard
“PS As regards the lack of German media coverage…….”
…if the foreign politician was a Remain supporter, then absolutely (BBC et al would be all over it)…or have you missed the finer points of “open gate for Remain support” (in all its guises) and complete shut down of any positive Brexit narrative by biased foreign press?
On one thing we both agree, Boris needs sorting out urgently!
Regarding our kind host’s international credentials, he is well known to the foreign media. Perhaps if you were a little more diligent regarding John’s background, you might be better informed. I have yet to read one of your comments that is informative or factually correct, so your insult towards our kind host is to be expected!
November 13, 2020
Pominoz,
Look at Margaret Howard response to the intereview that will give you the answer
November 12, 2020
The talks should have ended weeks ago. The EU intends to bounce us into a last-minute take it or leave it deal which Boris will be panicked into accepting. Just like the lockdown.
Boris is week and must be reached. His whole premiership has been a collosal failure.
November 12, 2020
I agree with your assessment of the PM – and the news about the ‘Chief of Staff’ crisis is yet more evidence that he is ill-suited to any leadership position. In the New Year, the party needs to give him the boot. I wonder if we’ll be down to the 30% mark in the opinion polls by then.
November 12, 2020
9%
November 12, 2020
+1
November 12, 2020
Boris has rather changed form a pro “real Brexit”, small government, climate realist and Conservative into a big government, climate alarmist, freedom destroyer who looks as though he is now going to enter an appalling EU deal. Possibly partly driven by the lefty, greenish mother of his latest child – who now seems to he an his HR consultant too.
As JR says:
Itās time to end the talks. The EU is not acting in good faith. No deal is a lot better than the kind of one sided deal the EU still has in mind for us.
Professor Thomas, Professor of Risk Management in the Department of Civil Engineering, has evaluated options available to national governments to combat the COVID-19 pandemic. It seems he expects the current approach might causes as many ten times as many deaths non covid deaths throught the lock down as from Covid. This through economic damage etc.
An excellent new podcast episode out today Planet Normal.
November 12, 2020
Small correction. Talks should have ended in March of last year, it was always apparent that the EU were intransigent. Agreeing to give them all that stuff for nothing in the WA was just a sign of weakness.
November 12, 2020
+1
November 12, 2020
+1
November 12, 2020
I think the government is playing the game wisely and well. Of course we don’t walk away until the end game, we don’t need to, we just need to prepare. And we clearly are preparing.
November 12, 2020
No unexpected letās face it. He has no discipline, no integrity, no morals. He voted for Mayās WA. The other options were worse and we have the Remain Parliamentary Party to thank for the shortlist.
November 12, 2020
JR, not just EU learning how about your fake Tory govt? How many years does it bang its head against a brick wall before it walks away.
Yesterday Treasury select committee meeting revealed Treasury did not have an assessment or economic plan for second lock down! Nuts! Led by science, or economics my arse! SAGE minutes from 21/09/2020 brought into question. Were they truthful on this point? Moreover, why was this not considered after the first lock down as part Contingency planning if an outbreak occurred? Johnson and co. are complete idiots. Johnson is destroying the health, wealth and democracy of our country and you lot are allowing it to happen.
What must the EU think when it sees such repetitive incompetent behaviour?
November 13, 2020
When asked why he kept banging hiis head against the wall.
He replied it’s so nice when I stop.
Just like dealing with the EU.
November 12, 2020
Ian Wragg, The only thing preventing Boris from capitulating is the plethora of centre-right parties – from UKIP, to Reclaim, to the Brexit (Reform) party – just itching to decimate the Tory party. Given the Tories support for HS2, the CAGW religion, and covid mania, it won’t take much more to turn voters off the Tory party.
November 12, 2020
It will be presented as a TINA and we will have to accept. Just as Heath did 50 years ago.
November 13, 2020
We got a vote on what he had done.
And we backed it by 68:32.
November 13, 2020
When extreme lefties hated the EU
Rich bosses club they called it.
How times have changed.
November 13, 2020
Well he did save us from Corbyn and 9% May. I am very grateful for that.
November 13, 2020
Did he though, he has outspent Corbyn and if he fluffs WTO Brexit he will āachieveā 9% with ease.
November 15, 2020
+1
November 12, 2020
Are the French as dim as the Germans, if so we just NEED to LEAVE NOW
November 12, 2020
Neither the French nor the Germans are ‘dim’, they are trying to look after their own national interests while subscribing, for various reasons, to the notion that – this time round – a perfect European Federation (or Empire) can be simultaneously created and sustained.
They/we are fighting the much same political battles that were seething in Europe between the interests of Prussia, the Russian Empire and the Austro-Hungarian Empire – a significant portion of which were caused by the conflict between those wanting national independence from Imperial control, and those who believed either that some kind of federation gave protection, or that it gave more power to the strongest ruling regime. It didn’t end well for the man on the street, you will recall.
November 12, 2020
SM yes it’s all about France and Germany. Everything has to be good for them and stuff everyone else.
November 12, 2020
The Uk’s biggest battle is the political traitors within. We saw this with the Lords this week. When will it be disbanded?
November 12, 2020
The French have abolished themselves.
November 12, 2020
O dear, did you really tell them the UK is not proposing any new physical barriers? In fact the UK has already agreed to new physical barriers, between NI and GB. Itās the oven ready deal! Seems the Germans have read the Withdrawal Agreement, and you havenāt
November 12, 2020
There’s nothing in the WA about physical barriers.
November 12, 2020
+1
November 12, 2020
You need to read the Irish Protocol matey. Its all there in black and white. Northern Ireland sold down the river
November 12, 2020
No deal and WA and NIP need to be repudiated ASAP. Then the country has a true Brexit that we voted for. Not some contrived nonsense from traitor May. She is an intelligent person so her actions were not a mistake.
November 12, 2020
The NIP is Johnsonās! May refused point blank to break up the Union, Johnson popped the break up in the oven. If you hate the NIP, Johnson is the one to blame, plus all the Tory MPs, and it was all of them, who voted for it
November 13, 2020
Read the Sovereignty Clause and take note that under international law it is illegal to demand territory for a trade deal. The WA is dead. If Boris canāt dispose of it we will.
November 12, 2020
You would be advised to read the documents that you wish to use in your argument, it is called research.
November 12, 2020
where are the fences, the barriers, the wall? Who is building them? The contractors names, please? Detail some specific roads where the physical barriers are being built!
November 12, 2020
There is already a physical barrier, it is called the Irish Sea. Can’t do anything about that until the Boris Bridge is built across the old undersea ammo dump. What could go wrong?
November 12, 2020
Why is the Irish Sea different from the English Channel?
November 13, 2020
Lynn Atkinson
Because this is what we agreed to adhere to and there is no land link with France. Do you need more proof?
November 12, 2020
As Sir John says, there are already excise and tax barriers between NI and RoI. Different currencies too, and it currently takes 2 weeks to import livestock from one side to the other – just as when we were in the EU! However, we have consistently said we will not be introducing physical barriers.
November 12, 2020
Yes typical british speak knowing that if things fall apart Ireland will have to erect borders on behalf of the EU but President Elect Biden and his people know this and for that reason Boris has no option but to climb down that’s if he wants to do a deal with anyone. Am I right or am I right!
November 12, 2020
Nothing new about the Irish sea, the only physical barrier between NI and the mainland. No other barriers are being considered necessary, except of course the ones the eurocracy want to imagine are required.
November 12, 2020
What page and article in the WA is this physical barrier accusation you are making Plymouth Gin?
November 12, 2020
I thought you were in Cardiff.
JF
November 12, 2020
…and the WA is an interim agreement which will ādieā – either repealed or replaced. Maybe you have not read the legislation?
November 12, 2020
Lynn Atkinson
NO decision has been made on WA so just take it easy and do not conclude too early it makes you look rather?
November 12, 2020
Bull, read the legislation. Thatās what governs us in the U.K. the WA is illegal in International law. End of!
November 13, 2020
Lynn Atkinson
We have the same problem with you every time lots of talk but no proof, jsut more nonsense, are they all wrong in the House of Lords and the former attorney genral as well?
November 13, 2020
You really need to read it bill.
Parliament has a right to be sovereign.
If there is no deal then the Withdrawal Agreement fails.
Parliament can vote it out.
An independent nation can do this.
But I realise this is a shock for you.
November 12, 2020
Have the people who have read the WA, or even worse written it, ever looked at the GFA. I can thing of a number of occasions that once the WA were to come into play, 1st January 2021. The WA immediately breaks the GFA. Many people have pointed out that the Internal Market Bill will break the WA if the WA is enacted on the 1st January 2021. They are all ignorant of the fact the IMB won’t break the WA as the WA will be breaking the 1998 GFA. The claus in question is “THE PRINCIPLE OF CONSENT” Northern Ireland can not be treated differently to the rest of the UK over Sovereign issues, unless consent has been sought, received and given. The idea of the ECJ and ECHR being in power in Northern Ireland and not the rest of the UK is a Sovereign issue. The different rules and regulations and governance are other issues, where the Sovereignty of the UK will be different to Northern Ireland. I would have thought, a referendum on each and every difference would have needed to be asked and answered and enacted on for the WA to NOT BREAK THE GFA. The Principle of consent is a real clause in the GFA. The WA if in existence on 1st January 2021 is Illegal.
November 13, 2020
Isn’t this what the Foreign Secretary has been trying to explain to the Democrats in America?
November 12, 2020
If you really told them the UK parliament can change a binding international agreement off its own bat, I dont think they will have thought you are a reliable source
Reply You do not understand the legal position. The U.K. only signed up to the WA with a big reservation, the sovereignty clause. As I Explained at the time I would not have voted for the WA as drafted.
November 12, 2020
This point has been made umpteen times. Len, why are you not getting it?
November 12, 2020
It is you who does not understand. The sovereignty clause does not appear in the Withdrawal Agreement. It appears only in a UK statute. But UK law cannot unilaterally change an international agreement, UK law and your clause are irrelevant to the Withdrawal Agreement. This is pretty basic stuff, maybe check with a lawyer eg Martin Howe before you post things so badly wrong in law
Reply Wrong. THe WA only has legal form in the U.K. through the Act
November 12, 2020
…and the WA is illegal in international law because it demands territory in exchange for trade. No court would uphold it even if our Act had not made plain that British Sovereignty stands (so critical that JR and others voted to get that clause on the statute books).
November 13, 2020
The WA is dead if we decide that the EU has not negotiated in good faith. We can rip it in two and, if he’s still hanging around looking for level playing fields, hand it back to take home in a carrier bag.
November 12, 2020
John, was the WA with the sovereignty clause in it agreed on the EU side? Surely the Withdrawal Agreement as written was stamped into a binding agreement?
What is the International Law article precisely that we are accused of breaching can we have it written out large for us all to read because we do have a right to question our media and the EU surely.
November 13, 2020
The EU committed to agreeing a FTA in the WA. It has refused to do so. The WA falls.
November 12, 2020
International agreements only become binding if our own Parliament confirms that in UK Law. Gina Miller made great play of this you’ll recall, that our Parliament was Sovereign so any departure from the EU had to be agreed by the UK Parliament.
So the Internal Market Bill, to protect this position, should the talks break down and the effect be to impose a border between NI and rUK, is going through Parliament to respect and reinforce our Sovereignty.
November 12, 2020
You talk as if NI has no sovereignty- you talk as if the people of NI have no rights no say- the cheek
November 12, 2020
The people of NI at every election restate their desire to remain part of the U.K.
November 12, 2020
Len Peel, Any treaty can be abrogated.
November 12, 2020
yes we just did and you still say we broke no international law but teh minister for NI disagrees with you
November 12, 2020
It is just his opinion bill.
No facts.
Just his opinion.
November 12, 2020
It was act the opinion of his department he expressed but you missed that, but the houses of Lords did not.
So no it was not just his opinion, Edward wrong again
November 12, 2020
It is an opinion bill.
You seem not to be able to accept anyone’s opinion.
Especially if it contradicts your own.
As I have said several times the House of Commons will pass the legislation.
I hope you will apologise when the legislation is passed.
You will bill won’t you?
November 13, 2020
You do write so much nonsense, even if Parliament agrees on it again,it does not mean thay have not broken international law. And then you also continue with your Trump nonsense. Wake up
November 13, 2020
It is an Agreement.
The clue is in the title.
It is about trade.
Many previous trade agreements have been altered and cancelled as time goes on.
As usual you are wrong.
Out Parliament is sovereign.
Otherwise we are owned by others who we cannot vote for.
Oh hang on…just like your paymasters the EU
November 13, 2020
You just cannot understand the concept of an independent nation.
I haven’t mentioned Trump so the nonsense is all your own.
November 12, 2020
Not unilaterally unless their is a clause to allow it. The GFA can not be amended Unilaterally according to Simon Coveney, which means it can be and I would argue should be, but the EU were not participants in the original agreement and can not be involved now unless President Trump and his nominee rule that it could be asked. to extend the number of parties involved.
November 12, 2020
Yes, any contract can be breached.
And you end up in court if it matters.
November 13, 2020
It isn’t a contract.
It is an agreement.
November 12, 2020
38 Parliamentary sovereignty
(1 )It is recognised that the Parliament of the United Kingdom is sovereign.
November 12, 2020
Good Morning,
I really don’t mind if we continue to negotiate right up to midnight on 31st December, PROVIDED we are fully prepared for WTO trade arrangements on 1st January; will we be?
November 12, 2020
Are we ready for shortages and price rises? Hmmmm. Thereās a thinker.
November 12, 2020
an every day situation!
November 12, 2020
You notice that all these people who talk about what we should do do not themselves do anything other than tend their roses and collect their pensions.
It has taken out Company years to prepare for this disaster .I dare not think about the time and work wasted . No it is not simple .
November 12, 2020
I work. My own money invested in British Retail. I want a clean Brexit.
November 13, 2020
There’s no such thing, Lynn.
Disasters are always messy.
November 12, 2020
Yes, the covid epidemic has been perfect preparation. Then once we’ve weathered that we can move onto the lower prices and prosperity from global free trade.
November 12, 2020
Were we prepared for the EU meat and milk mountains post 75 and the resultant prices rises then ?
November 12, 2020
Have a go at explaining to us why there will be price rises Andy.
November 12, 2020
Andy, You’re not doing too well with your prophecies, are you? You tell us we’ll have shortages when we leave; but you tell us we left on 31st Jan. So, either there are no shortages or no Brexit. Oops.
November 12, 2020
Nick C
there will be no shortages just 270 million custom forms as oppose to 55 million now according to the government and a number of other significant inconveniences but I konw you are happy to live with them
November 12, 2020
They are all electronic documents.
It isn’t a big problem.
I am happy to live with the inconveniences the EU impose.
As long as the UK is free of the control of the EU and becomes a free independent nation once again
November 12, 2020
By ‘we’, you’ll be referring to you and the rest of the ā¬U?
November 12, 2020
Aye, whatever will the good burghers of Paris, of Rome and of Berlin do without dimpled pint pots?
November 12, 2020
Not if business does not have even a day to prepare!
November 12, 2020
Most businesses realised that by leaving the EU there would be changes, for a start export documentation would have to be submitted, this could be generated within the business itself or by the shipping agent, who already has the experience from exporting to non EU countries. This is the main requirement, businesses are already familiar with product codes, they are already used on the monthly intrastat submissions, an EU requirement. Other than this all that is left is payment of tariffs, which can be part of the sales contract, deciding whether it is the sender or recipient that will pay, such payments will be submitted electronically, gone are the days when vehicles making deliveries needed to carry cheques.
November 12, 2020
It would be interesting to discover how many of your answers were actually broadcast; anyway, kudos to you for continuing to discuss the issues – I don’t know how you maintain your patience and courtesy.
November 12, 2020
Interviewers are so rude now I wonder whether there even is a case for maintaining patience and courtesy.
Or submitting to interviews at all.
Or making it clear to interviewers beforehand exactly what the rules of engagement are going to be.
November 12, 2020
Interviewers can never resist a good sound-bite! It’s a form of trial by ordeal.
November 12, 2020
Seems even unflappable JR has ploughed that furrow once too often. Years of ādiscussionsā and not an inch of progress.
November 12, 2020
The 1st of January 2021 can’t come soon enough!
Please keep our PM well away from any ongoing and 11th hour deal making.
November 12, 2020
Dear Radar–Very much agree huge risk of some cobbled together last second deal. I really do feel sorry for those who have to concern themselves with which way we go on 1st Jan. Plain as a pikestaff we should leave immediately and give our word that it will be WTO. At our leisure and after a few months of that we can consider whether anything better can be agreed. The EU needs to be taught a lesson. Seems obvious they will move to protect their surplus and fairly quickly. I have a very good German businessman friend (not exactly a statistical sample I accept) and he cannot believe what is being said and done supposedly in his name.
November 12, 2020
+1
November 12, 2020
How is the letter to President-Elect Biden coming along ? Have you had the courage to finally send it to him ?
I guess not
Reply
It is not a question of courage. Mr Biden is not yet President elect. I am awaiting the result of recounts and court cases before sending it to him as he will be preoccupied with confirming his position. I have made my points about the UKās Response to a likely Biden Presidency by publishing the draft.
November 12, 2020
Tab. Silly questions worthy of a pro EU supporter.
November 12, 2020
Biden claimed in September he would not claim victory until the result was certified!
November 12, 2020
Johnson is going to be very embarrassed if the many witnessed depositions to the US courts prove that there was widespread and coordinated electoral fraud. There is good chance of an investigation and reversal and even if the media and American civil service push Biden into the Whitehouse 70% of the population think the election was unfair. It seems strange that the Conservative government has decided to go out of its way to suck up to the this socialist politician and his likely replacement. For Johnson to point out that he is pursuing similar disastrous policies of running the economy on entirely renewable energy reveals that on both sides of the Atlantic the politicians are governing without the authority of the electorate. It is urgent that MPs get rid of the Prime minister before he does any more damage.
November 12, 2020
Wrong – most Americans think that the election was fine.
70% refers to REPUBLICAN voters – so even 30% of them thought that it was OK.
November 12, 2020
Will these people think it is all fine when they get proof of voting irregularities.
November 13, 2020
Edward
Which irregulariteis and how many, prove it
November 13, 2020
Just wait and see bill
Patience is a virtue.
November 12, 2020
Donāt be absurd Biden has 5m more votes. Could be a few tens of thousands were illegal or errors, but itās clear he got more than trump. A better explanation than some nefarious conspiracy as to why trump lost would be to watch the first presidential debate.
November 12, 2020
The war on CO2 religion is indeed appallingly damaging to the economy. As is the latest lockdown (justified by a dodgy dossier or duff figures and lies). It clearly does far, far more damage than good. In economic damage and indirectly in the cost in lives.
November 12, 2020
I have little confidence in any of the likely replacements.
November 12, 2020
FYI – you spelled ‘ruining’ wrongly and substituted an extra ‘n’ for the first ‘i’. ;o)
November 12, 2020
Reply-to-reply: Boris Johnson has already sent his congratulations to Joe Biden. Do you think that it is too premature ?
November 12, 2020
Yep! When the President is returned Boris MUST resign.
November 12, 2020
The Pope doesn’t think so as he too has sent his congratulations.
November 13, 2020
Normal procedure but not given his blessing yet as a wise move in case it backfires!
November 13, 2020
Well he is a One World Govt. fan too isnāt he? So as Mandy would say, āhe would, wouldnāt he?ā
November 12, 2020
Reply to reply. Letter to Biden
It is a shame that our PM has jumped the gun in recognising the pretender before he is crowned. It could cause diplomatic problems.
November 12, 2020
You wish
November 12, 2020
There is a very interesting video on YouTube presented by MIT data scientist Dr. Shiva Ayyadurai, along with MIT software engineer Bennie Smith. In it they present the work of data analyst and software engineer Phil Evans, who has conducted a mathematical analysis of the voting data using a sample coming out of Michigan. It purports to show that votes for Trump/Republicans were flipped to become counted for Biden/Democrats. I recommend it.
November 12, 2020
SP,
One hour of rather complex theory explained in an incredibly clear fashion. The revelations are frightening. Thank you so much for the pointer.
November 13, 2020
Thanks for that. It needs investigation most certainly and is fundamental to the so called democratic process not as pure and democratic as those whose name they follow!
November 12, 2020
JR is a cut above, for instance nr 10, because he makes the case for whatever might transpire, so he is not winging it and making mistakes.
The case to Biden is, should he triumph, made for capitalism supported by at least tens of millions of Americans.
We all wait to see for which of the candidates live, legal Americans voted. We obviously will accept their decision, once the American Courts and authorities are content that the result reflects their wishes.
November 12, 2020
The Eu āFrance/Germanyā donāt like the idea of us being an independent country once again weāll tough we did leave on January 31st 2020 and if it means leaving with no deal so be it, as for a hard wall in Ireland if the Eu wants one then erect it
November 12, 2020
+1
November 12, 2020
MIck,
This is not teh EU that wants to erect a hard wall and neither do the Irish, so tell us where you found that story? we have signed deal wihich does not erect a wall so tell me what you are thinking about?
November 12, 2020
The EU wants a hard border.
The UK and the Republic and the North do not.
Have a think who might try to construct one.
November 12, 2020
Edward 2
Read the WA again and you will see they do not want a hard border. But I know you hve your own beliefs and even if the contrary is proven you still do not listen
November 12, 2020
Just ridiculously wrong.
How can you say such total nonsense.
November 13, 2020
A member of the Dail has demanded that the troops from Dundalk are deployed on the boundary until a Hard Border can be erected.
So it seems, Bull, that you speak neither for the British or the Irish.
November 12, 2020
+1
November 12, 2020
“Nobody has been corrected; no one has known to forget, nor yet to learn anything” – it is what evil empires be like.
November 12, 2020
Good morning
It is to be expected of lazy journalists. They do not fact check. So you will get the same tedious questions. Why bother with them ?!?!
As to legislation with regard to the WA, am I correct in thinking that the government has been defeated in the unelected HoL ? If so, how does that affect things ?
I believe it is our government that is not acting in good faith. It is pretending to negotiate a FTA when in truth it is negotiating a rehashed version of Cameron’s amendments. He asked for little and was surprised when they gave him nothing. And the Tories are trying the same trick as before thinking that most of the population will not notice.
The Tories, and especially Johnson, haven’t got the guts to walk and both we and the EU know it !
November 12, 2020
Mark, I fail to see why you think it takes guts! They are like petulant children You tell them firmly NO! And thats it done.
November 12, 2020
Mark B
Totally agree with your entry especially the last paragraph.
November 12, 2020
I’m not interested in what the EU does or doesn’t do. I am only interested in what this PM does or doesn’t do. To date Johnson has embraced all that the liberal Marxist left have thrown at us and Johnson’s embraced it with a smile on his face.
With that in mind, this PM will deliver an UK-EU agreement that betrays all that we are. Indeed an agreement about UK sovereignty and independence is an issue for the British people not for the EU or indeed the UK government. That might be somewhat naive but the British people spoke and as ever the British political class refuse to listen
This PM’s not to be trusted. He’s betrayed the UK across the board on a myriad of issues. A charlatan of the first order
His grovelling acquiescence to the BBC, Biden, identity politics, BLM and XR should have provided the evidence to confirm our suspicions of who this man actually is. He’s on the same page as Starmer, Khan and all the other Etc ed
He simply refuses to confront those issues that need determined intention and aggressive confrontation and therefore he simply bows down to them and passes on the consequences to us
So the EU will succeed in their aim and force the UK to submit to its demands simply Johnson isn’t the man some think he is.
November 12, 2020
And no doubt you have seen fairies at the bottom of the garden. This extreme dystopian view has zero relation to my, and my networks, day to day quality of life.
Maybe some evidence as to how desperate your actual life has become would add some worth to, what to me, look like angry rants.
November 12, 2020
If the PM plans to surrender to the EU, why is he persisting in the Internal Market Bill?
It looks more complicated than you suggest.
November 12, 2020
Dave Andrews
Smoke and mirrors, perhaps ?
November 12, 2020
Let’s hope Farage continues to frighten the cattle.
It’s all they understand.
November 12, 2020
I think he has!
The COVID RecoveryGroup.
Unless of course they are all in cahoots?
After all Mr F could be interpreted as having served the tories well!
November 12, 2020
Yes I tend to agree, and now Carrie is apparently running the show this outcome is even more likely.
November 12, 2020
I fear you are right.
November 12, 2020
RG. Yes …..our Prime Minister needs to remember that the electorate voted for HIM.
Spouses and partners come and go but the electorate will be here forever.
November 12, 2020
+1
November 12, 2020
Dominic
The PM cannot be trusted?
Very true but how many of the existing Westminster parliament would/should we trust?.
We wont go down the road regarding the devolved assemblies.
The answer to our hosts question is a resounding NO
November 12, 2020
It would appear that we can gauge how our PM will behave by considering his partner’s views. Who in their right mind takes their partner into work to influence their decisions, deliberately creating a huge and unnecessary conflict of interest? It leaves those appointed to post in a no-win situation unless they comply with these views.
If the unelected Carrie truly cares more about our country than her own elevated status, she will stand aside from her position, official or otherwise, and use her skills elsewhere. We need her man to be acting with grit and incisiveness, not wishy-washy woke. It does, perhaps, explain why we have an unrecognisable PM from the one who took the Tories to a stonking 80 majority at the GE.
November 12, 2020
+1. I’m very worried. I have no confidence in Boris. He seems to have his own agenda. He’s weak, unfocused and makes U-turn after U-turn. Why has his Director of Communications, who is a Brexiteer, quit? Does he know the betrayal is coming?
November 12, 2020
We need to have an argument about what ‘Liberal Marxism’ and what Capitalism is.
There are 2 forms of Capitalism – one good and one bad:
1) The Good – Gentleman Capitalism. People who work hard and honestly and provide properly for their family. Are truly loyal to the Queen and Country. Support the The Arts, Architecture, The Armed Forces, the Vulnerable, and so on
2) The Bad – Selfish Capitalism. People who are greedy. Just focused on their own snouts in the trough. Sometimes work together, but only like rats, to accomplish a common goal. Money and their reputation and ego before everything else.
We’re all of course a mixture between the two. But we need to remember this when just focusing on the ‘enemy’ – for the real enemy of ALL men is in themselves – not outside. And to focus on just the enemy outside is dangerous – look at the USA now.
November 12, 2020
As we approach Christmas, Dicken’s Scrooge is a perfect example of a Selfish Capitalist transforming into a Gentleman Capitalist. And a Christmas Carol isn’t sentimental. In it, Scrooge is haunted by a ghost, his old partner in the bank, who is now a damned soul in Hell (God forbid).
Selfish Capitalism isn’t just bad for Patriotism and Family, it’s also bad for the individual, in truth making them miserable underneath, with a false kind of happiness on the outside.
As a Capitalist, I welcome the good fight of defending Capitalism but Capitalism based on work ethic, patriotism and love of the family. Which makes everyone happy including the gentleman capitalist.
November 12, 2020
And the other side of Scrooge, when he turns from Selfish Capitalist to Gentleman Capitalist is the GREAT HEAVENLY JOY he experiences (a joy that I have truly experienced when I decided to TRY and not to be a greedy capitalist but a gentleman capitalist – so it is NOT sentimental at all):
‘I donāt know what to do!ā cried Scrooge, laughing and crying in the same breath; and making a perfect Laocoƶn of himself with his stockings. āI am as light as a feather, I am as happy as an angel, I am as merry as a schoolboy. I am as giddy as a drunken man.’
November 14, 2020
“We’ve got one that can see “
November 12, 2020
You are right apart from your conclusion, they are always disappointing, you are a quitter. Boris will NOT be allowed to betray us because if he does we will dispense of him and the Tory party and resolve our sovereignty issues in āthe traditional wayā.
November 12, 2020
Lynn
“Boris will NOT be allowed to betray us”
==========
Depends if he thinks he can get away with it. He’d be ill advised to try it though.
November 12, 2020
I trust Boris and his team are negotiating with the same clarity John. Very well put and as you say, time to walk away and give businesses here certainty.
November 13, 2020
I suspect Boris and his team are not at all alas.
November 13, 2020
Boris is arguably not even the same species!šš
November 12, 2020
You didn’t make a mistake, Sir John. Do more interviews with European radio and TV channels. And do, please, let us know how they went. We must now set Europe free – again!
November 12, 2020
Canāt be done.
November 13, 2020
Atypical defeatist talk from you, Lynn. Now, get back up onto the firing-step!
November 13, 2020
Sea-warrior the British people have saved the European people from disaster often. There is a psychological anomaly which in short pans out at people hating you for saving them instead of being grateful. (The Irish suffer same disease).
This time the European people must save themselves. Then they will appreciate freedom.
Anyway we have our hand full resolving the aftermath of āCarrie gets what Carrie wantsā (to quote Kathy Gyngell) and save ourselves from penury.
November 12, 2020
Agreed re conclusion and from the various on line message boards and surveys, so do many of the āordinaryā voter. The question is, has anyone the balls to follow through or if not, are there enough votes in Parliament to reject any Sell out?
Unfortunately I think the answer to both is, no. Get ready for a Farage onslaught, take 15% etc of your vote and let in Starmer?
November 12, 2020
There is an advert on tv about getting ready for 01/01/2021 for business.Do they know what they are to implement?
November 12, 2020
If a business cannot prepare for a future they know is coming then they do not deserve to survive.
November 13, 2020
Would you have a word with Lynn?
November 12, 2020
There have been adverts for the past 4 years. They just change the date every time there is a transition extension. Delivery of Brexit has taken longer than the first world war and still we aren’t prepared for no deal.
November 13, 2020
How can a country reasonably prepare for a near-total blockade, with no access to the roads, ports, airspace and infrastructure of the twenty-seven nearest countries? And in the middle of a pandemic?
All of these things require separate deals if an overall one os not achieved.
November 13, 2020
Are you actually claiming the EU will blockade the trade routes between all European countries and the UK?
Really?
November 12, 2020
Exactly what my businesses were ready to do from July 2016 – WTO Rules.
November 12, 2020
Joe, truck driver in N. Ireland, drives south with his carload of chlorinated chickens, but he is not supposed to cross the border into the R.o.I. and yet there are no physical border structures.
How to prevent him?
That is the kind of situation that Britain has to be able to prevent.
Currently they want to do this with their oven-ready deal. OK. Break that WA and another Joe (Biden) will see that the Good Friday Agreement is endangered.
reply The untrue case you offer us of course an issue for the eu not us
November 12, 2020
reply to reply: It is the UK brexiting, not the EU, so it will be up to you.
If you make it impossible for the EU to continue with no border, it will be on you, and the whole world understands that, including president-elect Mr Biden.
Reply What nonsense. The EU is a bully , now having a tantrum because we do not wish to be a colony
November 14, 2020
Sir JR
“not wishing to be a colony” what a childish nd rather uninformed answer to Peter. You wold have beenbetter off not answering.
November 12, 2020
Person in Netherlands in tolerated possession of cannabis wants to drive to Germany where itās clearly illegal. What to do? Better have a barbed wire fence and watch towers all along the border.
November 13, 2020
You don’t apparently understand the difference bewteen civil and criminal law.
November 13, 2020
@Richard1: Interesting! For better comparison, letās assume that there are tens of thousands Dutchmen driving daily to Germany with packets of cannabis and letās assume that they want to sell them over there.
At some stage, the Netherlands will then have forced Germany to take measures, like e.g. border checks. Germany is then not having a tantrum, but simply has to ensure that rules and laws are adhered to.
November 13, 2020
Exactly Richard, who in Southern Ireland would be buying PVL’s rubber chickens? Would there be no invoice between the two, are there no customs checks now for the different taxes and currency? There must be random checks of bills or as you say what would stop true VAT avoidance 80% of which goes to the EU
November 13, 2020
Sir JR,
According to the WA it is actually also a case for us
November 13, 2020
Chlorinated chicken, which prevents salmonella inflected meat- which Dutch producers are familiar with- would have to be labelled as such in the UK and would not be saleable in S. Ireland. Besides which British farmers have persuaded the government make it impossible to sell in the UK.
November 14, 2020
Well the driver Joe would be breaking EU law surely?
When the customers complain about said chlorinated salads or whatever . The EU inspectors can do enforcement visits at the destination. Are you saying you dont trust Eire to do this.
Let it go. You sound ridiculous.
November 12, 2020
There seems to be a presumption in the media and sections of the political class, that the Good Friday Agreement is a ratchet towards Sinn Fein’s United Ireland goal.
The Internal Market Bill doesn’t break the Good Friday Agreement and I agree with John it doesn’t break International Law either. Which begs the question, why do the likes of Michael Howard believe it does?
November 13, 2020
A related question: why do you think Sir John has a better grasp of the IMB and its potential impact on the GFA than Lord Howardās?
There seems to be a presumption within the contributors to this blog that Sir John is the āGood Bookā incarnate.
Simply because Sir John is a prolific writer does not mean he is always right, or is that the axiom you start with?
November 13, 2020
Dave never suggested what you claim.
You read too much into posts of others hef.
Then you get all cross and start making critical comments.
Try to keep calm.
Sir John posts every day, at least, and he posts with great lucidity.
I realise you and your pal bill are implacably opposed, but many of us think his articles are the finest political commentary articles available.
November 13, 2020
Has Michael Howard been asked to set out his case with evidence, references and clauses so that we can read for ourselves?
November 12, 2020
I support your last paragraph fully, I just wonder why it took you so long to reach that conclusion.
They are trading opponents not friends as our PM insists in saying
November 12, 2020
They are trading opponents not friends as our PM insists in saying’.
And that is it!
It really annoys me when he talks about the EU being our friends and partners. They are not!
November 12, 2020
Given the EU states are fed all of their information by Barnier and his team, I wonder how many of the Eu members are as equally ill informed as the Journalists.
The President elect of the USA also needs to get up to speed.
November 12, 2020
I think that Trump has proven that he knows his stuff when it comes to globalism.
November 12, 2020
+1
November 12, 2020
EU citizens are better informed than their British counterparts.
They at least know that leaving the EU means leave behind all that comes with the EU and that you cannot have your cake and eat it.
Enjoy your queues at the airports.
November 12, 2020
There are queues now.
November 12, 2020
We know that āleaving the EU means leaving behind all that comes with the EUā i.e clean WTO Brexit. That is what we are fighting for!
November 13, 2020
Tab aren’t you concerned that would kill off the tourism trade for any EU Country causing unnecessary problems and delays in their arrivals and departure suites?
November 12, 2020
The only people who have ever understood the Irish question are the Turks.
November 12, 2020
Heās NOT the president elect!
November 12, 2020
There is NO President ‘elect’ currently – get up to speed!
November 12, 2020
Alan Jutson
The usual ‘I am right and everybody else is wrong” syndrome.
November 12, 2020
That applies to eveyone’s opinions.
November 12, 2020
There is no President elect.
November 12, 2020
Lynn Atkisnon
According to the latest CNN report 80% of Americans disagree with you , so get on with life, Trump has lost with more than 5 million votes as well
November 12, 2020
According to CNN..hilarious.
November 12, 2020
EdwARD 2
what is hilarious is your continued belief in a man who has obviously lost and has still not proven any of his statements about systemic fraud. But let us just wait till all this is finished
November 12, 2020
Yes let us all wait until it is finished.
You first sensible post for many days bill.
November 12, 2020
Granted, the derisive laughter from the media and opposition jackals might be becoming too much.
But it is in the gift of the Conservatives to end this absurd game of deadlines and headlines.
Forgive the bluntness but what do you expect us to do about this?
November 12, 2020
+1
November 12, 2020
If we cannot get a deal which allows the U.K. to exploit the freedoms of Brexit, as clearly set out here and elsewhere by Brexit supporters, it would be better to do no deal. We need to see whether this govt with a majority of 80, and led by Brexiteers, can make a success of Brexit. We cannot have them with one hand tied behind their backs a day longer than Jan 1, and claiming that as any kind of excuse.
If itās the disaster forecast by continuity remain, amplified by outlets such as the BBC, then we will just have to accept rejoining, inc the euro, no opt outs or rebates, under Starmer, in 2025.
Sign a good deal or leave on WTO terms, and Conservative MPs must then fight with their political lives to make independent Britain the success Brexit supporters have claimed it can be. No time to waste.
November 12, 2020
Sounds as if you did an excellent job, in countering all the negative media spin surrounding the issue. Wearisome, yes, but a very necessary job well done. Thank you, Sir John!
November 12, 2020
That’s the trouble with Remainers, you patiently refute their assertions and they just repeat the same assertions a few days later. This is because it isn’t actually a discussion, it’s an argument.
November 12, 2020
+1
November 12, 2020
You handled the interview well! How utterly frustrating for you.
I agree its time we walked away, past that time really – we should have stuck to the July deadline. Weāre just beating our heads against the wall trying to have an adult conversation with them. They wonāt change, itās in their DNA – they must have things go their way, and each person sings from the same hymn sheet.
The worry is that our negotiators may have been worn down by it all – like someone being water boarded- eventually agreeing to anything for it to just stop!
November 12, 2020
Sharon I think it might assist clarity if you further defined your use of the w0rd, ” We”, with, ” We who would like the UK to be an impoverished isolated International laughing stock who will believe any old rubbish ”
I am not included
How can you read this and take it seriously ? If the Irish border is no problem why are we breaking International law or at the very least , our word so as to avoid having it in between N. Ireland and the rest of the UK ?
November 12, 2020
I understood Sharonās post perfectly. Do all you Remainers have comprehension problems?
November 12, 2020
+1
November 12, 2020
I have more faith in David Frost than most of his predecessors.
We finally put someone competent up against Barnier, which must have come as shock to him after the previous walkovers.
November 13, 2020
I wonder if he begins with ‘Hello, good evening and welcome’.
November 12, 2020
Frostyās pretty tough.
November 12, 2020
Frosty is a pussycat
November 12, 2020
SHARON. Hear Hear. !
November 12, 2020
If you say Uk is not going to make a hard border on Island of Ireland and then by your follow up actions ie. in the IMB you intend to renege on protocols already agreed then by default you are forcing others to make borders you are very much responsible- even the Germans understand this
November 12, 2020
But this āprisonerā is volunteering for water-boarding.
November 12, 2020
Lynn Atkinson
Why don’t yo argue for your case and tell us why, instead of this high level nonsense that you also write about Germany and South Africa
November 12, 2020
Bull you are unintelligible again.
November 13, 2020
Lynn Atkinson
It is not my fault you cannot remember what you have wirtten of nonsense in the past
November 12, 2020
As the govt and advisers cast around for ideas to get economic recovery going to deal with the huge costs of lock-down, a govt funded quango has come up with the brilliant idea of raising capital gains tax to the highest level in the developed world. What a good idea, how come we havenāt thought of it before, what could possibly go wrong?(!)
Iāve got a better idea – save the money this quango costs by closing it and invite sensible ideas and analysis from the private sector for free.
November 12, 2020
Funny I do not recall, a referendum about whether we wished to leave the EU with no trading arrangements whatsoever in the middle of an economic calamity loathed by Europe despised by the New American President .
Great Idea ..really brilliant .
November 12, 2020
They MEANT to do it.
Just like Trump’s mob MEANT to hold a press conference outside a garage at a garden centre between an “adult” store and a crem.
November 13, 2020
What is wrong with a Garden Centres Martin? If the ‘adult’ store is legal then what is your problem with that business are you one of those who want Ann Summers and Victoria Secrets closing down? And does it matter if it was in front of a Crem? Really in the scheme of things, this is all petty.
Trumps biggest problem is he won’t be able to ‘prove’ dodgy software and the linear/straight line vote switches, there is no oversight. All we will hear for the next four years will be the other side bashing on about this collusion and fake election as the democrats taught them with their Russian Hoax conspiracies. The left really have unleashed this nasty side of accepting they lost and they won’t like it back at them at all.
November 12, 2020
What new President?
November 12, 2020
Yep no deal please.
November 12, 2020
Well said. I would be interested to watch the video, assuming that it is not adulterated in the editing department.
November 12, 2020
Good morning Sir John
As always and thank you, you are correct.
The problem is with the EU, their imperative is not to cooperate but rule!
Do we, does any one need, to have any involvement with that controlling aspect of the EU Rulers. The EU rulers seems content to break any international agreement just to give the impression they are mighty and powerful. You have to feel sorry for the EU citizen they have become puppets and pawns to a dictatorial rule.
November 12, 2020
Ian@B
We borke the rules with the internal market document as well?
November 12, 2020
You can’t be seen to break a rule for something not acted on or implemented. The proposal is just a signal on how the UK will respond when the EU fails to honour their part of the WA.
Not forgetting this was in part in response to the threat by Barnier to cut of food supplies to NI if the UK doesn’t accept EU rule.
November 13, 2020
Ian
Brnier actually never said this
November 12, 2020
Bull you Germans really think the British came down with the last shower of rain. Do you think you are successful at personation? šš
November 13, 2020
Lynn Atkiinson
Take your medicine and it is actually Danish and British, but I would not mind a third passport. thank you
November 12, 2020
Wine flows freely in Brussels as the non elected behave like the Holy Roman Empire but think history and gravity doesn’t apply to them. What goes up will come down when based not on solid foundations but rocky assumptions awaiting stress testing.
So far they have managed to limp along from crisis to crisis and with Britain’s contributions dragged out. But now they have a major test of survival without our money props.
That is why they pretend not to hear – simple – and they “no like it” to coin a well known phrase.
November 12, 2020
ukretired 123
“Wine flows freely in Brussels as the non elected behave like the Holy Roman Empire …”
But do they let their girlfriends dictate policy in Brussels?
November 13, 2020
And do you predict that will be a good thing?
November 13, 2020
You don’t grasp the relatively very minor funding of the European Union’s institutions and projects compared with the vastly greater income and spend within the national economies.
November 12, 2020
It would be worth watching to see how much is edited out, or lost in translation.
To answer your question though, Has the EU learned anything about Brexit?
They do not learn… That is something they cannot allow themselves to do…. They know that their bullying and deceptive ways have always worked for them so they see no need to take account of any other viewpoint.
November 12, 2020
Well played Sir John! I agree entirely with your last paragraph.
I wonder if these journalists have any understanding of the common travel area between the UK and Republic of Ireland? If they do, do they know that it predates the EEC?
I somehow doubt it.
In some respects I feel a little sorry for the Republic of Ireland, because so much of their GDP relies on the goods that they export to the UK. This was why they followed us into the EEC.
Now it seems likely that their exports may suffer because they will have to reduce the price of their exports to combat our Home grown foodstuffs and the goods that we import from outside the EU on which we will no longer have to apply EU Tariffs.
November 12, 2020
What, or who, does āGerman TVā mean?
This is now beyond farce. Here we are, less than 50 DAYS away from really being out of the EU and, still, NO-ONE in the whole country has a lie what it means and what will happen.
Will there be tariffs and what rate will they be?
Will there be lorries parked from Dover to London?
Will there be shortages?
I mean, seriously Mr. Redwood, this is beyond a joke. I wonder what on earth people involved in the import and export of goods are doing. They must be tearing their hair out. It is 7 WEEKS away and we still have no idea. 7 WEEKS!!!! Is Boris awake? Or is he looking forward to Christmas at Chequers with the family and a well earned rest.
Personally, I find all I can do is laugh and stock up on essentials. The game age is full of baked beans and toilet papers. Two things that may have a symbiotic relationship.
November 12, 2020
The tariffs have been published.
No
No
Why do you think you can only buy baked beans and toilet paper from the EUš?
November 12, 2020
…. and BidenĀ“s understanding of Brexit is about as enlightened (and intelligent, I need to say) as the German journalists that you so skillfully batted against.
Unfortunately, it will take more than a single interview of that kind to re-educate Biden and EU people as to the true nature of the “not acting in good faith” bit.
November 12, 2020
Biden and the Democrats are finished.
November 13, 2020
Even if you managed to educate Biden about basic facts about the border, he would have forgotten it in five minutes.
November 12, 2020
Hopefully Boris will not agree. But Carrie Symonds, with her degree in art history and theatre studies, might perhaps order Boris to do so. Especially if he spills any more red wine on the sofa.
She already seems to be his climate & energy & HR consultant and “expert”.
November 12, 2020
All of which suggests the EU don’t want a trade deal.
November 12, 2020
The EU has learnt or knows that they do not want Brexit for the following reasons.
1. It reduces their income.
2. It might act as a catalyst to other members of the EU to also leave.
3. It diminishes , if not loses, the undemocratic control they had over the UK.
4. They do not like sovereign states on their doorstep.
5. They lose control of the fishing they do in our territorial waters.
6. They lose legal control of the way we run our sovereign state and the laws we democratically enact.
7. They do not wish a shining beacon of success twenty miles offshore, as it would highlight their own shortcomings.
While the EU may not appreciate the real reasons for the UK’s desire for sovereignty, I suspect there is a growing realisation that it could be better for them among the people of Europe.
November 12, 2020
Oh, my aching sides, please, no more.
November 12, 2020
Martin
If you hate this country so much, why do you choose to live here!
November 13, 2020
But its the glories of Cardiff (for an Englishman).
November 12, 2020
I have found the degree of ignorance amongst those in other EU countries equally frustrating but hardly surprising. Having lived and worked in Germany for five years in the 1980s I understand the German character quite well and generally speaking I enjoy their company a lot – they are a great deal more like us than the French, that’s for sure.
We have to understand that Brexit is a peripheral matter to the average German. Unless they are a car worker at any of the big four, a no-deal Brexit is hardly likely to affect them at all. There is a chance that some might realise that they are going to have to contribute more to the EU budget because Brussels and Merkel refused to reduce EU expenditure in line with the black hole created by us leaving.
Your TV crew have obviously fallen for the Brussels/Barnier line over Brexit.
But again, should we be surprised ? Most Germans accept EU Membership without question. Their parents did because of the need for contrition after WW2 and they grew up not questioning it at all. If they think about it at all, they regard their huge net contribution to the EU budget as a price to be paid for the very low exchange rate that does so much for German industry.
Finally, there is a big difference between being a citizen of a historically proudly independent island nation off the shore of Europe that being a German citizen living somewhere near Venlo or Flanders. There is still the shadow of two World Wars to take into account, but in reality the benefits of Schengen are more important and mean much more to the average German than they would ever mean to us.
November 12, 2020
I take it the interview was carried out in English and I’m sure we would all like to watch it. Do you know where and when it will be broadcast and hopefully streamed ?
November 12, 2020
The truth is we would have ended the talks a long time ago if we had somewhere else to turn.
That Government placed its hopes in a Trump presidency as being the alternative to trade with EU countries and now that that has failed we are in a bit of a bind really so will have to agree something with the EU and soon otherwise we can expect meltdown for our economy and probably social disorder.
November 12, 2020
Do you think all the missmessages from the UK government over the past 4yrs might have something to do about their misconceptions
November 12, 2020
Is Boris about to sell brexit down the Swanee River with reports of Lord Frost not happy
November 12, 2020
The penny is dropping with some people that they are just there to take the blame for Johnson and the ERG’s absolute train wreck over Europe and the rest.
November 13, 2020
Glen Cullen
Be a dead man walking if he was contemplating such.
Mass riots, police told to keep out of it.
More likely he’d do something sneaky with the fishing or NI.
November 13, 2020
Mass riots?
Like Farage’s “March Of The Hundred Thousand” you mean?
What happened there?
No toilets every two hundred metres?
November 13, 2020
MiC
Nah, Farage has the gab & swagger but when it comes to a fight…….he’s long gone. Only to reinvent himself later, and repeat the process.
November 13, 2020
It has taken such a long time for Cain, Cummings, Frost to become unhappy.
For leading pro-Brexit advisers they must have the patience of a saint.
November 12, 2020
I expect they had been fully briefed by their opposite numbers at the BBC. I am afraid though that if Mr Johnson really meant business he would have terminated the talks some weeks ago.
November 12, 2020
Is there any harm in continuing to talk to the EU? Perhaps there is a chance they will have a major change of heart at the eleventh hour. If they don’t, we are prepared.
November 12, 2020
Why ever would they?
They can sit back and enjoy the spectacle of total scenery collapse, lighting failure, and sprinkler activation at the am-dram production that passes for UK government come the New Year.
November 12, 2020
Because they have yo pay Ā£13 billion net for access to,the U.K. market?
November 12, 2020
The harm costs another Ā£1bn every month for one thing!
November 12, 2020
“I was asked how we would handle The tariffs when they come in.
I explained that we would decide what tariffs to impose on imports, not them. I pointed out that their high tariffs were reserved for foodstuffs from outside the EU, where we have a massive trade deficit with them. The issue is how will they manage our tariffs as exporters to us if they renege on their promise to agree a tariff-free trade deal.”
Could you put in a blog post the questions you were asked and the answers you gave in full please? I want to learn more about this line of questioning from the German media.
November 12, 2020
I have copied your post so I can republish it and you can apologise.
November 12, 2020
Sorry Tracy – this was fro Richard M below.
November 12, 2020
Since the advent of Populist Trumpism form of politics interviewers have to be alert to try to prevent blatant untruths being told. The lie becomes the truth unless countered immediately.
This fact has been better grasped in the US, watching the election coverage on US channels has been a joy compared to UK TV. Trump is no longer allowed to spout utter nonsense without cameras cutting away from his speeches to be correctly fact-checked by presenters.
The BBC has some way to go to counteract the populist lying. They permitted one of Trumps whole speeches, full of nonsense conspiracy theories about the election being rigged, to go out unchallenged.
The lie becomes the truth to the armies of right wing loonies out there, including many contributers to this forum.
November 12, 2020
Dear Sir John,
You say it was a āmistakeā to do the interview. Yet it seems you fielded these same old questions with minimal effort. Repetition can be a useful tool for teaching, as you know. What is more, your answers may have reached a new audience. I would say it is not a mistake to take the opportunity to disseminate information patiently, and with consistency.
Kind regards.
November 12, 2020
Off topic!
I understand that Carrie Symonds is dictating policy in No 10?
I certainly donāt remember voting for her!
That would explain all of the crazy policies regarding the Non- existent threat of the impending end of the world scenario being displayed by Boris Johnson, what a weak PM
November 12, 2020
More censorship from John redwood!
November 12, 2020
How embarrassing for you to be sending a congratulatory message to president elect Biden, heās no such thing ššššš
Boris covered both eventualities, what a truly shocking government, one thing is certain Iām never going to vote Tory again
It now looks likely that brexit will be abandoned
November 12, 2020
Sir John, do you know how much if any of this was broadcast and is it available to catch-up and view online? Which TV station was it please?
November 12, 2020
PS
The Last U Gov Poll 5.11 49 to 41 regret Brexit and from 20% ahead the Brexit Party are now 5% behind . Looks to me as if the Conservative Party are already trying to pretend the whole fiasco has nothing to do with them – good luck with that !
November 12, 2020
Same polling people who did the US Predidential election? You want us to vote for Brexit an 8th time? Even Starnes knows we will!
November 13, 2020
No U Gov- Read think comment . Thats the order
November 13, 2020
Statistics 101: a self-selecting sample is no smaple.
November 12, 2020
Thank you Sir John for standing up to the EU bullies. If only our PM would do so instead of agreeing to any further extensions.
November 12, 2020
Sir John:
The world king is turning out to be a big disappointment. If he caves in on Brexit it will be the end of him, and the Conservative Party. At this stage, after four years of delay, there is nothing the EU can offer us that is worth having. They are treating us like Germany at Versailles. They cannot change now. They had four years to offer a decent deal, it will not happen, anyone can see that.
His judgment seems very poor. There was no need for Lockdown 2.0, he seems to have been bounced into it by Whitty and Vallence. There was no need to suck up to the “president elect” who isn’t, nor to disrespect the “previous president” who still is. Boris is not stupid, and his use of language must have been deliberate. He may yet regret it.
His commitment to the insane green cause seems total. A nation powered by windmills by 2030. They will light our homes, heat them too, and power our electric noddy cars. Does he really believe this tosh?
Finally, the news of power struggles at Number 10 is worrying. Did I really hear that Carrie Symonds vetoed Lee Cain’s appointment as Chief of Staff? If there is any truth to this, then Boris has well and truly lost the plot. His private life has always been chaotic, to say the least, but for it to affect the running of government is unacceptable.
November 13, 2020
In line with expensive useless bridges, electric cars and HS2, Boris chose to highlight floating wind turbines in the deep sea in his speech. GWPPs latest paper by Prof Hughes? finds that floating windmills are twice as expensive as the ones on 500ft poles, that are already producing electricity at over four times wholesale price and disrupting the rest of the grid.
November 12, 2020
For much of your piece today you complain about a German TV station not understanding about the complications surrounding brexit as if a foreign TV station was responsible for the mess we’re in and then in the last part you go on to blame it all on the EU?
November 12, 2020
I suspect Sir John was speaking rhetorically – how else would he have written up the encounter in an engaging manner? I’m sure many here were reassured by his answers, as media comment has confused so many. Confusion and deception abound at the moment, on every hand.
November 12, 2020
Sir John, like I’ve said before, if no deal is better why are we negotiating? In the short term no deal will be worse. Over the long term things will improve. The government should focus on making people’s lives being better and happier, and accept having less influence in the world could be a better outcome. Let Europe send their armed forces into conflict rather than relieing on America and Great Britains armed personnel .
November 12, 2020
Sir John,
You KO’d them there! However, the oe point not made often enough about the NI Protocol is that it has to be agreed by the Stormont Power Sharing Executive, which has made it plain it does not so agree.
The logic of the questioning from the Germans – EU is that it is the and the RoI government as their agents, that intends to create a ‘hard border’ to protect their precious Single Market.
Indeed, I understand that armed patrols have already been set up by the Gardai under instructions to the Leinster House Coalition from Brussels.
November 12, 2020
Yes, sadly the media everywhere are rabid reds – and the EU is socialism on steroids, taking from us to give to other “poorer” countries.
It is definitely time to exit any further talks. We have enough ammunition for any future arbitration to show that we negotiated in good faith, so please, please let’s get out on WTO terms now. Any “deal” from here on in will seriously disadvantage us.
After that, we can see what they wish to discuss on a piecemeal basis. I suspect they will await another pro-EU administration which will sign up to all sorts of nonsense in our name which would take another Farage style action to extricate us from.
Our only hope is that the EU goes bust sooner rather than later.
November 12, 2020
“The euro will be dead and buried by Christmas 2012”, said one Nigel Farage.
November 13, 2020
Look what it has cost to keep it alive. Greece, Italy, Spain ruined, even the great France is not immune. Still Germany sails on so that’s alright then.
November 13, 2020
He was wrong, instead the Euro has killed and buried the member states. They are at present, the walking dead.
So much better had Farage been right.
November 12, 2020
Sir JR
As we are still negotitaing and do not know the outcome of the negotiations at this rather late stage , I think your conclusions are rather biased and untinely but not unexpected.
Assuming the questions came from the EU or the German authorities does not speak much for your view of Press freedom in Germany and it would be nice to know how you can reach such a conclusion?
November 12, 2020
Bull are you still defending Mutti? Give it a break. We donāt buy your line and some of us read the German papers every day.
November 13, 2020
Lynn Atkinson
I do not care what lime you buy with all your waffle. both FAZ, Neue Zuricher Zeitiung and Sud Deutscher Zeitung are excellent newspapers if you read German every day
November 12, 2020
Couldnāt agree more
November 12, 2020
OFF TOPIC.
The European Parliament has suffered a significant Covid outbreak: 171 cases among MEPs and staff at the end of October, a spokesperson told the BBC.
She did not have a more recent figure, saying the numbers were evolving, but were decreasing as most parliament meetings were now taking place online. Most were asymptomatic cases, detected because of the track and trace system, the spokesperson said.
MEPs no longer travel to Strasbourg each month, as they used to. And the Brussels meetings have fewer participants than previously.
In total, there are 705 MEPs and nearly 4,000 MEPs’ assistants, plus about 7,500 other staff at the European Parliament.
Over 12,000 generously paid bureacrats Etc ed
November 12, 2020
End the talks AND SEND THE LETTER CANCELLING THE WA.
Good faith applies to both parts, and the EU cannot cherry pick just the WA and payments and not the FTA
November 12, 2020
The WA is illegal in international law, it demands the surrender of territory for a trading arrangement.
Remainers on this blog, so observant of International Law, will no doubt support the scrapping of the WA as a result.
November 12, 2020
“AND SEND THE LETTER CANCELLING THE WA.”
==============
I’m a believer in old fashioned punishments, so I think the author of said treason document should be made to eat it, and be shown doing so on French national TV.
November 12, 2020
Mrs May? The WA was dreamed up by our swamp.
November 13, 2020
clearly not the author.
November 12, 2020
Sir John, you are being disingenuous and misleading your readers. There is an existing VAT and excise border but we are about to leave the Single Market and diverge on standards and regulations. At that point, absent any other agreement, additional checks would be needed on the flow of goods to protect the SM and it is this which would be such an inflammatory issue in the region and is what the GFA states would never happen. To get round this difficulty, the UK signed an international treaty which stated that if there were no other solution, we would create a de facto border in the Irish Sea to control goods “at risk” of being exported to the ROI. Johnson heralded this great “new” idea as a triumph (although the EU had suggested it two years previously) and said it was much better than Mrs May’s agreement. The IM Bill seeks to give the executive the power to override this part of the treaty and the government itself notes that it breaks international law. This was not mentioned in the Tory manifesto and even some on your own side are horrified at such a possibility. Furthermore, if implemented, it would force he EU to create extra border checks as you offer no alternative way for the EU to protect the SM from goods coming in under a different regulatory regime. This was one of the most difficult areas to get a solution to in the long negotiation and it shames the UK if we willfully break the letter and spirit of an international treaty in such an underhand way.
Reply You set out again the bullying EU position. The UKās single market does not need new physical checks on the NI border. Your row is with the EU not with the U.K. if they put up physical barriers.
November 12, 2020
The Great Reset is 100% more important than Brexit.
November 12, 2020
Brexit is a counter to the Great Reset. Sovereign Britain a spanner in the One World works again.
November 13, 2020
and BLM is more important than that.
November 12, 2020
Well done Sir John! – I’ll bet they didn’t like those responses? ;o)
The thing that everybody has to remember is that EVERYTHING the ā¬U Commission has done, is doing and will continue to do, is aimed at preventing the first member state from truly leaving.
There can BE no deal, as the existence of one is an acknowledgement of the fact that the first member state IS leaving. It must be avoided (by them) at all costs, because if it happens, and they are successful outside of the union, then other states will follow and the whole rotten House of Cards comes tumbling down.
Project Fear Mk.6 is aimed at knobbling the economy so that member state is crippled by being ‘outside’.
Their bluff should be called at every opportunity. Boris should have (…actually Theresanous May should have….) insisted that the UK would send NO representatives to either Brussels or Strasbourg. If they wanted to discuss anything face-to-face, then they could come and visit us (now with 14 day’s quarantine at their own expense, obviously!).
Boris is already on very dodgy ground politically, with regard to the way he has handled this pLandemic. If ‘Frosty’ quits and there is an extension to the ‘transition period’, it will guarantee that the tories are booted-out come next election. Sir Nigel is waiting in the wings.
On 23rd June 2016, the UK voted by a majority (regardless of whether people think that the majority was ‘big enough’) to LEAVE the ā¬U. We’ve had almost four and a half year’s of Project Fear B.S. & posturing by the ā¬U Commission, Parliament and Big Business.
ENOUGH!!
The .gov website tells everybody that we have left the European Union. Let us ensure that this is not a BRINO (Brexit In Name Only) and that we do truly leave.
Thanks again for your input & your efforts Sir John.
Regards,
GW
November 12, 2020
I don’t think your Deutschlandfunk interview was a mistake at all, JR. On the contrary, it will have done the Eurosceptics in Germany – there are plenty of them now – a lot of good to read your robust answers. They rarely see your points made firmly and clearly in their own media.
In print at least, I didn’t find the interviewer especially aggressive, he was just asking the kind of prepared questions that you’d expect. (In person it might have been different, I didn’t see the TV interview.) The interviewer’s questions took no account of what you yourself had just said, of course.
The issue that he raised about the internal market and state support for businesses is academic now anyway, with the state in both countries having to bail out the economy for goodness how long into the future, thanks to the Covid response measures.
November 12, 2020
I am glad it was you Sir John that German TV opted to interview . The Germans ( and French et al) are fed a lot of emotional pap about the EU keeping the peace.It will be interesting to see what the German public makes of your rebuttals Sir J
November 12, 2020
Amusing
From the Office for National Statistics (ONS). – Growth of 15.5% in July to September was the biggest on record.
The same story from the BBC – their headline is ‘growth slows’
Who is backing the UK?
November 12, 2020
Boris and Frost should have terminated these fruitless talks weeks ago. The eu have no intention of negotiating so just walk away and prepare for trading on WTO terms.
November 12, 2020
Well said. We should withdraw and establish ourselves as a free trading nation before any possible Biden administration conspires with the EU to pile on the pressure.
November 12, 2020
Sir John, I agree that there was evident insolence in the questions, but you should not underestimate the sheer ignorance of the German media, and its collective, self-convinced groupthink.
I recall reading with hilarity an interview Gisela Stuart gave to the Franfurter Allgemeine before the referendum. Despite several stalwart attempts she made to explain the lack of democratic accountability in the EU and the radical difference of our political traditions, the journalist helplessly persisted in not understanding. Which of course proved her main point, which I (a longterm resident in Germany) could only agree with.
November 12, 2020
mancunius
“…the lack of democratic accountability in the EU and the radical difference of our political traditions, the journalist helplessly persisted in not understanding….”
How can anybody understand a system whereby 17m voters can determine the future of 70m people. Can you explain it to me? Is that your idea of democracy?
November 13, 2020
Yes I can.
We have a list of elliglibe voters.
It is not compulsory to vote.
We count the votes and the one with the most votes wins.
Would you have babies and children voting?
Tourists?
Non UK citizens?
PS
I recall a time when you criticised me and others for saying the population of the UK was 70 million.
Now I see you have come round to agree.
November 13, 2020
We canāt expand the franchise to everyone. The alternative forms donāt seem any better. Thatās my opinion.
November 13, 2020
It’s the system we have. Presumably you were happy yo be in the EU when only 23 percent voted for it in 1975 and they were voting for a trading bloc not a new federal institution which was foisted on the UK by Johnny Major in the Maastricht agreement without any vote at all.
November 13, 2020
Your question is naive. In any population of 70m, there are very many residents who are not qualified to vote, many who do not wish to register, and many who are simply too uninterested or uninformed to wish to vote at all.
The unqualified, the lazy and the uninterested do not get to delegitimise the majority vote on such an important issue. The fact is that after more than forty years in the increasingly tyrannical and pocket-picking European ‘project’ run largely by unelected commissars, more British people voted to reject it decisively than have voted on any issue in the UK.
November 13, 2020
You prefer 16million voters determining the future for all?
November 13, 2020
well we could give a vote to all 67m people?
Some mothers might have issues getting their toddlers to make an X in only one box. And others will spoil their papers in all manner of ways.
Still – – Monster Raving Loony party would be up for it. Best chance they’ve ever had.
November 12, 2020
The talks have one certain value:
Our government can’t be seen to break them unilaterally, our Remoaners will faint in the BBC studios, some Tory backbenchers and all the Lords will have a field year, blaming Boris for everything under the sun.
No, let the talks die a natural death (call it covid-19), we will be sorry but adamant we tried until the END.
I still trust Boris and the ERG to hold the line on our sovereignty and deliver a mini FTA without any of the ridiculous demands, or a dignified WTO exit.
November 12, 2020
Rather than worry about the EU’s comprehension of Brexit, lets discuss where we are up to with the our severance from the EU and the basis of our future relationship. Will UK financial services be able to trade freely within the EU. What is our fishing policy to be in our territorial waters and to what extent will EU boats be allowed to partake. Will it be an FTA or do we revert to WTO rules, Have the EU accepted that the ECJ is for the EU and no longer for the UK. For travellers and residents will reciprocal medical arrangements continue.
The answers to all the above questions decide the fate of this government and the conservative party long term. I wish to see each question forensically dissected in this diary when the facts become known.
November 12, 2020
Well the first question is easy: the answer is no, they won’t.
November 13, 2020
Is Biden going to provide all the financial help and expertise the EU need or will they turn to China.
November 12, 2020
Just listening to Alok Sharma on the deaths from Covid- “our hearts go out to the families” etc etc “in our thoughts” etc- what a load of hypocritical BS politicians and especially Tory politicians care nothing- the people are not stupid so why go on
November 12, 2020
He was asked twice whether supply of the vaccine from Belgium will be affected by Brexit disruption and just blathered on about something else.
November 12, 2020
He was probably laughing at the typical bigotry of the remainer doom mongering. Business is business, we will get what we pay for.
November 13, 2020
He never answers the question. We watch him for a laugh. He seems to have turned it into an art form.
November 12, 2020
Career Politicians care only about themselves and we have many in the House of Commons and the House of Lords.
November 12, 2020
“No deal is a lot better than the kind of one sided deal the EU still has in mind for us.”
Please get this through to the Prime Minister John, because I believe he is under a lot of pressure from the CBI and its members, those who benefit from EU membership, to give us a Brexit in name only, just like his predecessor.
November 12, 2020
Why cannot we just get this done, JR ? The government has been prevaricating since receiving an overwhelming mandate a year ago.
We now have news of bickering and what one newspaper describes as ‘chaos’ and a ‘bitter power struggle’ at Number 10.
For goodness sake, does nothing work ? Please just get this over with.
Congratulations on your fielding of the hostile questions yesterday.
November 12, 2020
When a simple question is put before the British people, and choices offered, we make our decision and expect those in recipient of a mandate to act do so. Such a simple thing beyond the wit of most in power.
November 13, 2020
Yes. Those who voted for Boris and the Tories expected theyād deliver on this, if nothing else.
November 12, 2020
The EU should really be making an annual budget contribution to HM Exchequer in return for a one-sided FTA that only covers goods and food where they have a surplus. Since the proposed FTA would seem to imply EU tariffs on GB-produced electric vehicles it would only become even more one-sided over time. The only mystery is why the British government is still talking to Barnier when the focus should be on preparing British business for the changes on January 1.
November 12, 2020
‘NatWest Group plc (“NatWest Group”) proposes to simplify the way it conducts business in Northern Ireland by transferring the major part of the banking business of Ulster Bank Limited (“Ulster Bank”) a legal entity incorporated and operating in Northern Ireland to National Westminster Bank Plc (“NatWest Bank”).[1] This proposed transfer will help to simplify the governance processes of NatWest Group and reduce associated costs which supports NatWest Group’s overall objectives.’
Now why would Natwest do that? I smell a rat regarding Northern Ireland’s jurisdiction
November 12, 2020
Has No 10 heard anything about Brexit ?
Blairites now in the heart of government.
November 13, 2020
Carrie Symmons seems to be wrong on almost everything. A typical arts graduate full of feelings, virtue signaling and very little rational thought or grasp of science, economic realities or numbers. Most worrying of all the hugely damaging, entirely pointless and job destroying “renewable” energy agenda that she seems to have converted Boris to.
November 13, 2020
well at least Boris will get one vote in the next GE – hers!
November 12, 2020
So at the Downing Street briefing Alok Whosehisname was asked if Tory Brexit would disrupt supplies of the foreign made COVID vaccine. The poor chap couldnāt bring himself to say yes. But yes, yes it will.
This is a very cruel irony. Old people tended to vote for Brexit. Young people did not. Old people need the vaccine that will be disrupted by their Brexit far more than young people do. When I told you all in 2016 that people would die as a result of Brexit you all scoffed. The question now is not if people will die as a result of Tory Brexit but how many will die.
I suggest vaccinating remain voters first.
November 12, 2020
You’ll get no argument from me. And the first Remain voter to receive the hastily tested vaccine should be our very own Andy.
November 12, 2020
I agree and trump you – vaccinate ONLY Remain Voters!
November 13, 2020
Sharma – Andy – Sharma.
It really isn’t that difficult to remember – but then with you anything is possible.
November 13, 2020
The main problem with supplies is the need for 25,000 freezers to keep it at minus 80C and backup generators in case the windmills stop.
The American vaccine uses RNA to create a reaction. Human DNA has elements of ancient virus RNA in it. Normally a vaccine tested this far would be considered experimental. Please put your name forward.
November 12, 2020
They Globalist EU have no intention of learning anything about Brexit. They know we have a weak leader who will cave in eventually due to pressure from the UK Establishment.
We do not have a Donald Trump as a leader however when he is inaugurated on 20 January 2021 the situation will change.
November 12, 2020
Since when was a TV station the European Union?
November 13, 2020
I was not relating to a TV station but the EU in general. However noticing your comments over the months you are obviously wll entrenched with the globalist EU dictat.
November 12, 2020
German TV is German tv but the EU is a union of 27 countries as far as talks go how can you equate the two. We cannot expect a foreign TV station to be up to speed with the intricacies of the WA the IMB and then talks about the future- am afraid we are now in danger of losing it
November 12, 2020
John isn’t necessarily equating them.
He just knows that he can rely upon most of his readers to do exactly that, as their comments here show that they have done completely.
It was the word “German” that did it, I’d venture.
November 13, 2020
You venture wrong again.
Your desperation to label everyone you disagree with as a racist is predictable but sad.
November 12, 2020
Just heard it from Peter Bone “we are about to do a deal” he said- on Ch4 news
have to say this coming from a chief brexiteer has me very worried- we voted to leave we did not vote to do another deal with them’ so question is is there anybody in English politics paying attention to what the people voted for and want.
November 12, 2020
You must be excited at finding out ex BBC and Guardian journalist Allegra Stratton and Carrie Symonds is at the heart of Government and influencing policy.
November 12, 2020
And allegedly giving Brexit enablers their marching orders.
November 13, 2020
Our Green Prime Minister has been tweeting about how wonderful it is to be saving fish from dying in the Pacific ocean today. Nothing much about the Liverpool tests showing four times fewer covid cases as the hugely expanding PCR test and how this means fewer people dying here. But then Carrie is on the board of a Green American pressure group dedicates to saving fish and plankton. All those new Brexit voters are going to be impressed..
Time to send in the Tory committee to have a strong word and possibly a psychological assessment.
November 12, 2020
JR
“Itās time to end the talks. The EU is not acting in good faith. No deal is a lot better than the kind of one sided deal the EU still has in mind for us.”
===================
Can’t argue with that. Though to my mind it was time to end the talks on Oct 15th, that’s when Boris Johnson should have told the ungrateful french – led EU to ‘sling their hook’.
But the point is, JR, it’s ok for you to state your sentiments, but do you actually tell Boris like it is ? I mean, if it was me I’d be in his office and wouldn’t be coming out until he absolutely understood he’d better present the country with a humiliated and destroyed Macron – and be damn quick about it. Otherwise, you’ll all be getting your P45’s.
You lot slap Macron and Barnier down, we mean it.
Apologies for being so blunt, but that really is what must happen, the majority who voted leave will accept nothing less.
November 12, 2020
Well said Steve. Some blunt talking is necessary. Tge public have had enough.
November 13, 2020
The only deal the UK voted for was to leave, nothing more. Yet these remainers still keep fighting, which is why the EU is dragging its feet to inflict damage in the hope we would want to keep them in charge.
November 12, 2020
It’s a good idea to read the Belfast Agreement before commenting on what it does and doesn’t say.
As someone says “just saying” š
November 12, 2020
It has amazed me how many high profile Journalists and Professionals simply do not keep up with the EU post-Brexit relationship negotiations. How anyone who has kept up can claim EU have negotiated with “goodwill” is beyond comprehension. EU seem to think we have said we have left but “not really” they continue to expect UK will somehow be subject ultimately to the ECJ we won’t. The constant claim that the UKIMB contravenes International is completely wrong. Withdrawal Agreement contains a Soverignty CAVEAT and the UKIMB simply ensures that for any reason the remaining post-Brexit future relationship oustanding issues are not resolved amicably, that our domestic law on Trade is suitable for the new situation we find ourselves in.
November 12, 2020
Crikey, have a look at the hatchet job that the Daily Telegraph has done on Mr Cummings and Mr Cain this evening. Multiple articles, detailed blow-by-blow accounts of what happened and lots of speculation about Mr Cummings’ future in his role. I can only imagine that Mr Cain must have made some enemies there while he was Director of Communications.
November 13, 2020
I think the leaving card for Boris is being quietly (and for some not so quietly) signed in small conversations.
It is way past GET A GRIP time.
November 13, 2020
It would appear Boris has a new boss and it isn’t the UK voters.
He is now being guided to confirm the Tories are the new loony left
November 12, 2020
Perhaps others have asked this here but did you educate them with your answers, did they understand your answers and did they accept them? Did you ask them?
November 12, 2020
So many mixed messages & arrogant reports in the media and the in-fighting in number 10 & what that has entailed & who has influenced all this is beyond belief and at a time like this too. We must “knuckle down” & get a deal we are told, post Brexit lorry queues could make Kent toilet of England, chaos will ensue on our future divergences and we’ll be subsequently hit in the face by the EU at every turn ! Continually we read that the EU remains resolute in its three demands, I’m sure we’re all totally sick and tired of reading that one but… we’re about to get a deal very shortly we hear. So what’s going on now with Financial Services and the City, something we hear & read little of day to day in the Brexit context. Has there been capitulation? Have our leaders abandoned a financial services deal as has now been suggested in one media report ? Please, government, now do everything possible to assist our businesses and the country in general to deal with the forthcoming difficulties. It surely can’t wait until the end of December just hoping. The rest of us are here & waiting and willing to do our bit to get things up & running again, please no more deceit, short termism, delays, obfuscation nor subjugation. As others have said, the country’s had enough.
November 13, 2020
If only there were another 200 (or thereabouts) like you in the Commons. Then our government would get it done.
November 13, 2020
She wants Boris to stop them being cut off
November 14, 2020
The simplest course of action would be to state that after 1st January the UK will admit goods from the Republic of Ireland tariff free and propose that the Republic reciprocates, letting in goods from Northern Ireland tariff free. We might, in a spirit of good neighbourliness, identify containers travelling from UK to Northern Ireland that were destined for onward transport to the Republic in whole or in part and forward a copy of such declarations to the Republican authorities. There is no need for us to anything more. What the EC and the Republic do is up to them.
November 15, 2020
I agree with that. wise course of action.
November 17, 2020
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