You don't need to know much about the WTO and international trade law, but it's important to understand that under WTO rules we must apply our MFN tariffs to any country with which we have no trade deal, i.e. not discriminate. See them here: gov.uk/guidance/uk-ta…

We set our own MFN tariffs, which can be reduced to zero if we want but can't be higher than our maximum bound tariff rates set at the WTO. Trump unilaterally imposed tariffs on China trying to use national security and "public morals" exceptions but the WTO struck some down.

There are also anti-dumping duties, countervailing measures and safeguards. These are additional tariffs we can impose after proving there has been unfair trade under WTO rules, but that's a long story. They are mainly applied to specific countries and specific products.

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Sarah Hurst

@Life_Disrupted

9 Sep

When I was in the Department for International Trade I asked whether some of our plans would be legal. The answer was that it would take a long time for them to be legally challenged. Afterwards I was sacked.

I found out that we would be making up the rules as we went along and would try to charm other countries into accepting this. I was told they would even be grateful for what we were doing. And challenges at the WTO would take a long time.

I was also told I must have autism because of the way I ask questions.

Read 6 tweets

Sarah Hurst

@Life_Disrupted

23 Aug

The Sun: In Whitehall’s “reasonable worst case scenario” animal disease might rip through the countryside due to shortages of medicines and the Channel Islands could need military airdrops to avoid running out of food.

It warns the Navy might be needed to stop vigilante British fisherman clashing with hundreds of illegal European fishing boat incursions.

One in 20 Town Halls could go bust in a second Covid wave, sparking social care chaos. Troops may have to be drafted on to the streets to help the police in the worst-case scenario — 1,500 are already on stand by.

Read 7 tweets

Sarah Hurst

@Life_Disrupted

2 Jul

So I know this old bloke with a holiday home in Greece. He didn't vote for Brexit but his son is a massive Brexit supporter. The old guy, S., is furious that he will have to deal with new regulations. His son wants to bribe the local mayor. Should I call the police?

I didn't want to get involved but the son is acting crazy. He says we had to get Brexit done to level up and bounce back. Now he's doing press ups in his office. He hasn't brushed his hair for a couple of weeks by the looks of it. I am afraid there might soon be domestic violence

Oh God. The son has put on a hard hat and is pretending to be a construction worker.

Read 14 tweets

Sarah Hurst

@Life_Disrupted

7 Jun

Nigel Farage is saying on LBC that we have to ask ourselves "Who are Black Lives Matter?" and adding that they are "very much of the hard left". Why is this fascist on the radio?

"It's a little bit of Marxism with some anarchy thrown in too. Actually it's based on a false premise." He says "only" 13 out of 163 people who have died in police custody in the UK in recent years were black.

He's now saying that US police aren't racist either. "Black crime in America makes up 53 percent of homicides, 60 percent of robberies," he adds.

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