Baffled, bemused and bewildered observer of politics (mostly the UK variety). Occasional clipper of news/current affair items. Usual caveats with RTs and likes.
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Mar 28, 2022 • 6 tweets • 3 min read
Sunak admits Brexit has hit UK trade.
'It was always inevitable there would be a change in our trade intensity with Europe as a result of the change in our trading relationship *with the EU*.'
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Graph referred to by Mel Stride in above clip.
Source: OBR's Economic and Fiscal Outlook
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Nov 3, 2021 • 6 tweets • 3 min read
@RhonddaBryant devastating speech on Andrea Leadsom's amendment (re: Paterson - Lobbying breach - Changing the rules)
First up the charges against Paterson.
'One Conservative member described it to me as 'a catalogue of bad behaviour.'
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On the process.
'As one former high court judge said to me yesterday, the procedure is consistent with natural justice and similar to other workplaces in the country.'
What have been the consequences for trade in goods between the UK and EU under the TCA?
@Joe_Marshall0 from the @instituteforgov gives some key caveats that need to be applied to this Q, as well as providing a brief assessment.
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Same question as in above tweet to Elly Darkin.
'We have observed over the last 9 to 10 mths a chilling effect on EU-UK supply chains...There is uncertainty about the steady state of EU-UK trade &additional operating costs for trade with the EU SM from a UK biz perspective.' 2/4
Jan 7, 2021 • 9 tweets • 6 min read
1/ Here's everything you wanted to know about TCA (EU-UK trade deal) but were too afraid to ask.
2/ 'I think this deal is actually very unstable. I say that
because there are so many ways that this trade agreement can be brought to an end by either party.' @CSBarnard24
"The EU never said, 'We are not going to re-open the WA.'"Anand Menon explains, with clarity, why this is the case, contrary to much of the media reporting on the matter.
@novaramedia@anandMenon1 2/ Has Johnson's deal united the Tory party?
'It has forced the Tory party to coalesce around a deal, because the UK is *close to* a GE.' @anandMenon1
May 23, 2019 • 10 tweets • 8 min read
1/ A few clips from last week's @CommonsEUexit SC on level playing field provs (state aid, workers rights & env protections) in the WA. 'What is the diff between being bound by a ruling of the WTO dispute body & being bound by a ruling of the ECJ?' @hilarybennmp@GeorgePeretzQC2/ @hilarybennmp asks what the future level playing field provisions (workers rights, environmental protections, state aid rules) might look like in any future EU_UK deal. @GeorgePeretzQC@CommonsEUexit
May 1, 2019 • 7 tweets • 5 min read
1/ A few clips from this morning's @CommonsEUexit. Incredible exchange between @joannaccherry and @RuthLeaEcon. Ruth Lea seems to think the port of Calais could ignore EU law to keep trade flowing freely between the EU27 & UK after Brexit under any circumstances.@SamuelMarcLowe2/ Here's @hilarybennmp's follow up question. 'Can someone at the port of Calais set aside the rules of the EU when it comes to checking goods coming in from a 3rd country?' Short answer is no. @SamuelMarcLowe
Feb 18, 2019 • 10 tweets • 6 min read
1/ A few clips from last week's NI Affairs committee (Implications of the EU withdrawal agreement and the backstop for NI). Here's @DavidHenigUK's response to the chair when asked about the feasibility of so-called 'alternative arrangements' in place of the backstop.
2/ @DavidHenigUK tells the SC exactly why he thinks it may take 10 years+ to develop alternative technological arrangements for the NI backstop. (He was repeatedly asked this by various committee members during the session).
Jan 31, 2019 • 4 tweets • 4 min read
1/ A set of explainers, taken from #5live's Breakfast Show (28/01/19), with @MielkenArne (Institute of Export & International Trade). First up what is the World Trade Organisation (WTO) and what does it do? @rachelburden2/ 'Countries set up FTAs amongst themselves, or bilateral trade agreements, to make it (trade) a little bit better, to integrate more, to have more trade and have less rules and red tape, and therefore we have a spaghetti ball of multiple FTAs.' @MielkenArne#5livebreakfast
Dec 21, 2018 • 10 tweets • 8 min read
1/ A few of clips from this week's DExEU SC. An incredibly impressive panel & I would recommend anyone interested in the politics, economics and legal aspects of Brexit to watch the whole session. @SamuelMarcLowe@CSBarnard24@KirstyS_Hughes & @HenryNewman. So to the clips...
2/ @hilarybennmp : 'When someone says to you “managed no deal”, what is your reaction? What would you say about it?' @SamuelMarcLowe : 'It is a political slogan of no substantive worth.'
Oct 14, 2018 • 9 tweets • 6 min read
1/ A few clips from last week's DExEU SC am session. @SeemaMalhotra1 asks Sir Amyas Morse (Comptroller and Auditor General, National Audit Office) if there will be enough time to draft and pass the 800 Statutory Instruments (SIs) needed before March 2019.
2/ Sir Amyas Morse : 'And the other thing that is true, you might reach the end of the transition period and find that you don't have the agreement that you thought you were going to have, at all!'
1/ A few clips from #GMB's feature with @IanDunt & @tnewtondunn (14/09/18). 'If I was going on a 2 day trip from Russia, Salisbury maybe not the first place that you go to...' @IanDunt2/ 'I actually think the British govt mostly has got the tone right here, that's not something I say very easily.' @IanDunt#GMB
Sep 11, 2018 • 5 tweets • 6 min read
@SamuelMarcLowe 1/ Here's the interview in full, with @SamuelMarcLowe & Martin Howe QC. 'We already do the majority of our trade around the world on WTO terms...' Actually we do most of our trade through the EU (SM, EU-FTAs and MRAs with US/China/Aus). Am I correct @SamuelMarcLowe & @IanaDreyer?
@SamuelMarcLowe@IanaDreyer 2/ 'When I first read this report, that came out earlier today, I was amazed anyone serious whether a politician or QC, would want their name anywhere near it, because it's embarrassing.' @SamuelMarcLowe
1/ A few clips from yesterday's DExEU SC with Philip Rycroft, Head of UK Gov Group & Permanent Sec, DExEU. @hilarybennmp : 'Is the govt making provisions for portaloos on the M20 in the event of long queues?'*After March 2019*
2/ Very moot question from @hilarybennmp about the govt's use of non disclosure agreements in preparation for Brexit.
Aug 9, 2018 • 8 tweets • 5 min read
1/ A few clips from DExEU SC (11/07/18). 'To try to have similar outcomes but without all of those standards & processes & institutions & co-operation networks, you are asking an enormous amount from the member states.' Michael Dougan on MRA/Equivalence re any future UK-EU TA.
2/ '...where you see more of the discussion on potential relocation of certain
jobs and offshoring on to the EU market from some of the American,
Japanese and Swiss banks. *who are based here b\c of the UK's access to the SM*' @AllieRenison
Jul 25, 2018 • 7 tweets • 5 min read
1/ A few clips from this week's sitting of DExEU - am session - focusing on the impact Brexit will have on the UK's service sector. @hilarybennmp: 'What will be the consequences of a no-deal *outcome* for your members?' Adam Minns (Executive Director, CBA) shares some thoughts.
2/ Same question to @huwevans71 (Director General, Association of British Insurers). 'In many countries - in the EU - if you're not authorised to transact business there, it is illegal to pay a claim.'
Jul 18, 2018 • 6 tweets • 3 min read
1/ A few clips from this afternoon's Liaison Committee. @angusmacneilsnp : 'Where else in the world does this exist? (May's proposal to maintain frictionless trade). May: 'Well it doesn't, it's a novel idea!'
2/ @yvettecoopermp tries repeatedly to get a clear answer to this simple question, 'Will we or won't we expect the EU to collect our tariffs?'
Jul 9, 2018 • 8 tweets • 5 min read
1/ A few edits from last week's EU External Affairs Sub-Committee (Brexit : Customs Arrangements). 'I think we can't emphasise enough, that leaving the EU without a deal is one of the most ridiculous ideas I've ever heard.' @SamuelMarcLowe2/ @jl_owen outlines some of the possible measures that the UK could try and adopt in the event of a no-deal outcome to keep trade moving. There are no silver bullets to put it mildly!
