Thread by @DanielLambert29

Here is my thread updating the ongoing circus of Vi1. As you may recall this is a document with absolutely no purpose and will add a further barrier (& cost) to trade to EU #wines if introduced. The industry wants them removed permanently & immediately for all wines. 1/15

Since the middle of 2019 the trade has been calling out the nonsense that is vi1 and demanding that first they are not introduced for EU wines but also scrapped for ROW wines where this form IS already used. 2/15

As part of the FTA the was agreed on Xmas Eve 2020 Vi1’s were kicked down the road until July 2021. Along with the new rules for organic wines requiring additional paperwork and certifications . 3/15

Now why is any of this important? Well you may remember @BorisJohnson clearly said there would be no barriers to trade with his shitty little deal. Like everything this guy says, that was a lie. 4/15

There are countless barriers to trade already for wine imports and Vi1 would be yet another one, and moreover it’s one that serves no purpose what’s so ever. However it does hinder the U.K. wine industry which could lose its status as a global hub if there pursued. 5/15

In January I highlighted this problem on Twitter when @victoriaprentis told both houses that the U.K. wine trade supported these meaningless forms. Yet again another government minster lying to parliament & at this point had never spoken directly with anyone in the trade. 6/15

Over the following weeks and months pressure has been building on the government to not only stop the misinformation but actually listen to businesses and our industry, in the hope they actually help the trade. This is meant to be there job after all. 7/15

I have successfully had help from a host of Labour and Lib Dem MPs and Lords who all understood very quickly this was a barrier to trade the U.K. does not need and as such have also been pushing government for complete change in direction. 8/15

So despite government saying they are “working closely with the wine trade and @wsta” they actually only had their first meeting with the WSTA this week. So what happened in this meeting? 9/15

First the excellent @mileswsta took time to explain that vi1 under any format for all wines must be done away with. @victoriaprentis has understood this point and agrees but asked for more time “to talk to Government” (Gove). They only had a year already you understand... 10/15

I should point out that due to the industry wide letter than demanded the scrapping Vi1 they were put back another 6 months in April so now go live in January 2022. 11/15

Then of course there is this video

https://twitter.com/cpjelmore/status/1375059716653658116?s=21

12/15

No of course I have heard nothing from @michaelgove and I don’t expect to because this will no doubt be another lie from another government minister. Moreover we know he is a man that says any old bollocks if it makes him look good. 13/15

So to conclude, Vi1 could have been removed on Jan 1st 2021 & therefore deliver in a small way a bit of Brexit. Instead this government lies continuously whilst avoiding actual debate with entire industries. Even those who wanted Brexit didn’t ask for this. 14/15

So folks should government finally back down, do the right thing & scrap Vi1 don’t be fooled but the press. They are being drag literally to make a right decision, this is how god awful this government is. 15/15