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Adam Payne @adampayne26
, 4 tweets, 1 min read Read on Twitter
An open Irish border is impossible without UK-EU VAT alignment. The House is Commons just voted against UK-EU VAT alignment. Am I missing something?
The House of Commons*
Did all MPs who voted against VAT alignment know what it actually means? The Commons has literally just voted against preserving the invisible Irish border, and technically made it illegal for Theresa May to sign up to a backstop which the whole withdrawal agreement hinges on.
Then again, as @faisalislam has just pointed out, this VAT amendment might be illegal b/c of an amendment passed a few weeks ago! I’m off to bed
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More from @adampayne26 see all

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Former universities minister Sam Gyimah speaking about Brexit in central London: “Make no mistake, Britain is on the brink... We face the greatest constitutional and political crisis in peacetime. And the tragedy is we have done this to ourselves.”
People’s Vote supporter Gyimah says he didn’t want to resign as a minister but for MPs to continue enabling Brexit is a “dereliction of our duty as public servants”
Ex-Tory MP & party grandee Lord Patten of Barnes opens his speech with a studs up attack on Liam Fox. He says Fox’s recent remarks about anti-Brexit campaigners are “impertinent and offensive” and adds: “It’s a sad fact that disillusion and mendacity got us into this position.”
Read 6 tweets
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For those of you who enjoyed today’s poll, I’m led to believe that another is coming this weekend. A huge one, 25,000 sample size. On Brexit.
Expect to see a massive opinion poll on Brexit in one of the Sunday papers. "It's one you're going to want to look out for," I've been told.
New YouGov poll of 25,000 people: Labour would suffer a worse election defeat than it did under Michael Foot if it enables Brexit. Labour support would plummet to 26% if Jeremy Corbyn tells his MPs to back Theresa May’s Brexit deal, the poll says.
Read 6 tweets
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Discussed Brexit/no deal with half a dozen pharmaceutical/medical industry leaders this morning. Here are some concerns/causes for panic they raised...
1) Capacity: warehouses can stockpile *some* goods but others have short shelf lives; need personalised conditions, temperature control. Currently "there isn’t capacity in the system” to deliver such a big, complex array of stockpiling methods, life sciences industry leader said
2) Uncertainty: UK gov is identifying stockpiling sites in UK & EU but still hasn’t said exactly how much capacity is needed to stockpile necessary medical/pharma goods. “There isn’t much info coming out. The honest answer is we don’t know,” life sciences industry head admitted
Read 7 tweets

Related threads

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1. This would be an interesting test for eg university applicants to see how many sleights of hand can be found in one short thread.
2. Let me smooth their task by pointing out a few.
3. First, though the writer promises that he will show that @DmitryOpines has presented a skewed account of WTO rules, he doesn’t actually do that at all.
Read 23 tweets
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“May has left our fingers in the EU mangle but there is a way to get free”; highly dillusional article by ⁦@DavidDavisMP⁩. 1/

thetimes.co.uk/article/335917…
Take this for example, ditch #EU regulation and replace it in order to reach a trade deal with the US. They will have us for breakfast, forcing further deregulation and acceptance of harmful agri-products. Industry don’t necessarily want it and in services they will squeeze us./2
This; how, what and when? @DavidDavisMP has been Secretary of State for 2 years and hasn’t come up with any substantial and viable proposals, as the technology doesn’t exist. Neither has he strongly engaged with the #EU27 to work this out due to lack of internal HMG agreement. /3
Read 8 tweets
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Recap of debate in House of Lords y'day on Amendment 25 re: Irish #border in EU Withdrawal Bill #Brexit
HoL had tabled an amendment specifying no checks & controls of any sort. Pared-back version offered by govt in compromise was passed.
Only 1 dissenting voice @PeterHain
(1/7)
Lord Duncan said govt accepted thrust of amendment but made 3 changes to ensure it's 'fit for the statute book':
- to reflect fact W'drawal Agmt =btn UK & EU not IRL
- to refer to '98 NI Act re: N/S cooperation
- tighten wording (but said still inc. range of checks/controls)
2/7
5 Lords spoke. Lord Cormack welcomed ‘real meeting of minds’ in this instance. Lord Murphy reported from BIIPA ‘unanimous agmt that Brexit is dominating British-Irish rels’
& noted ‘there is no political voice from NI in the negotiations dealing with these important issues.’
3/7
Read 7 tweets
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UK NI 'backstop' proposal problematic on many levels - a short thread.
1.
 ft.com/content/8834c2… via @financialtimes
According to the FT: “Under the proposal, if technology for a new customs arrangement is not ready by the end of the post-Brexit transition period in January 2021, the entire UK will continue to apply the EU’s common external tariff.” 2.
But NI wd need to stay aligned w EU regulations too - & either UK as a whole too (but EU unlikely to agree) or else accept a border in the Irish Sea. 3.
Read 7 tweets
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I did a quick explainer for @prospect_uk on how #Brexit may affect #VAT, both domestically and in relation to EU-UK trade. Quick thread on some of the key points: prospectmagazine.co.uk/economics-and-…
1/ The UK, like all other EU member states, currently is part of the common EU VAT area. While the EU does not prescribe exact VAT rates, it put in place certain guidelines, e.g. a minimum standard rate of 15%, or limits on granting of reduced rates and exemptions.
2/ Leaving the EU presumably means leaving its VAT area (Monaco currently only non-EU state that is a member). This would have a range of serious implications, both positive and negative.

(Though some trade experts expect EU would offer UK continued membership, if asked.)
Read 10 tweets
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Watching this @jeremycorbyn Brexit speech live (news.sky.com/watch-live) - all hot air. "Put people's living standards first" is impossible if Labour continues to back Brexit first. It will hammer the economy in every conceivable sense.
Commitment to supporting the Irish border/FTA - impossible without remaining in Single Market and Customs Union.
"We are an internationalist party" - which is why we're backing a mistaken move to cut ourselves off from our closest neighbours.
Read 20 tweets

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