How we trade and Brexit is a trivial issue - until media inflated it into a major, vital issue.
Simplified ("take back control") it took over life.
Like "Don't kill babies". Often popular.
I've always said, though anti Brexit I really don't care.
The giant, massive problem is switching out of the EU.
Like driving on the right or left.
Who cares? But changing over would be far worse than staying the same.
Ditto Covid19. Trivial for most; inflated by media ("a great story"). The virus is trivial; how we deal with it can cause HUGE problems (and deaths).
Likewise Brexit.
Why change? It's simply not worth it, even if the pro-Brexiteers are right.

When I first heard Brexit mentioned, I imagined something like a twenty year gradual change over, not a load of waffle and a last minute panic.

Leaving the EU will have an enormous negative impact on the UK - if no deal is agreed.

Without a deal (as is likely), the UK will immediately default to WTO terms from 1 January 2021. Every WTO member has a list of tariffs and quotas that they apply to other countries.

The UK will have to apply tariffs and quotas to goods coming into the country from the EU, and the EU will apply its 'third country' tariffs and quotas to the UK.

Consequently, the UK will be hit with a 10% tariff on exports to the bloc, which could amount to £6 billion a year. Increasing - for example - the average price of a British car sold in the EU by about £3,000.

Our trade with the EU is currently tariff free - but the CBI predicts that no deal would mean that 90% of the UK's goods exports to the EU would be subjected to tariffs.

It may well be a 'trivial issue' - if you don't mind paying more for virtually everything. And seeing our exports (like cars) made uncompetitive, with all the resultant negative affects on places like Sunderland, Bridgend and Derby.

Fishing rights, law enforcement. borders and customs, immigration, data sharing and medicines - amongst so many other important matters - will have to addressed also, without the benefits of club membership.
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Commander wrote:
Leaving the EU will have an enormous negative impact on the UK - if no deal is agreed.

Without a deal (as is likely), the UK will immediately default to WTO terms from 1 January 2021. Every WTO member has a list of tariffs and quotas that they apply to other countries.

The UK will have to apply tariffs and quotas to goods coming into the country from the EU, and the EU will apply its 'third country' tariffs and quotas to the UK.

Consequently, the UK will be hit with a 10% tariff on exports to the bloc, which could amount to £6 billion a year. Increasing - for example - the average price of a British car sold in the EU by about £3,000.

Our trade with the EU is currently tariff free - but the CBI predicts that no deal would mean that 90% of the UK's goods exports to the EU would be subjected to tariffs.

It may well be a 'trivial issue' - if you don't mind paying more for virtually everything. And seeing our exports (like cars) made uncompetitive, with all the resultant negative affects on places like Sunderland, Bridgend and Derby.

Fishing rights, law enforcement. borders and customs, immigration, data sharing and medicines - amongst so many other important matters - will have to addressed also, without the benefits of club membership.
.

The "Benefits of club membership" are to the detriment of other (Less white? ) countries, which is why in principle I would prefer to not be in a club like that.
But really, I am beyond caring.

Brexit will never make sense in the detail or economic projections because it isn't about our prosperity it is about politics.

I have no idea really why we are doing it. The strongest arguments are democratic ones, but I can't say currently I am thrilled at the prospect of any of the current generation of politicians having MORE power over us.

Though for some reason millions of people seem to think this is vastly preferable to European officials having power over us.

Their reason seems to be the charming illusion that we (a) have a meaningful choice over who we return to Parliament and (b) they will then spend their time representing our best interests.

In January, the cost of food will rise (if no deal) - including mince beef, oranges, cheese and cucumbers - the British Retail Consortium says. Together with other imported goods such as clothes, footwear and furniture.

The BRC's report - 'Why Tariffs are Bad News for UK Consumers' - states that 85% of foods imported from the EU will face tariffs of more than 5%. Including 48% on mince beef, 16& on cucumbers and 57% on cheddar cheese.

Accordingly, your Big Mac (largely made from beef imported from the Republic of Ireland, which remains in the EU) will see a major price hike - and the poorest households will be hardest hit.

Non-tariff barriers, such as additional regulatory checks, form filling and goods verifications, will also reduce choice - while tight margins for retailers mean that businesses will be forced to pass on some of their additional costs to shoppers.

During the month of January, the effects of Brexit will slowly dawn on the British public - probably when they receive their credit card statement, at the end of the month.

And matters will get a lot worse if trade deals can't be made with non-EU nations - and there doesn't seem to be too many of those on the horizon!

Oh come on for God's sake; you know Boris; he only espoused Brexit to become PM; of course he'll do a deal (giving away anything the EU wants). Brexiteers will moan he's a traitor. Fishermen will hate him. Judges will wonder why they have less power, not more. We won't have "taken back control" not that any sane person wanted it. And 95% of the UK will just be glad it's over (not MORE bloody Brexit).

JK2006 wrote:
you know Boris; he only espoused Brexit to become PM; of course he'll do a deal (giving away anything the EU wants)


I agree that a deal will be done - simply because of the chaos which would ensue without one.

Four weeks before the deadline, businesses - particularly - are living in an information vacuum, which makes it impossible to plan for the future.

Key issues remain unresolved - as well as the main ones concerning governance, fisheries and the level playing field.


Theses key issues include:-

Tax. Will businesses have to pay VAT on goods at the point of import, and will service firms need to register in every EU Member State where they have clients?

Tariffs. What will Rules of Origin forms have to be complied with to receive preferential tariff rates?

Customs. Will goods be subject to new procedures at border checkpoints?

Regulation. Will checks on goods conducted in the UK be recognised by the EU?

Mobility. Will businesses be able to transfer staff between the EU and the UK using the same procedures as currently?

R&D Projects. Will UK businesses be able to participate in EU projects after 2020?


And there are hundreds more - making the already complex existences of British businesses impossible.

But, of course, many matters remain outstanding also for the tourist and private traveller.

Commander wrote:
JK2006 wrote:
you know Boris; he only espoused Brexit to become PM; of course he'll do a deal (giving away anything the EU wants)


I agree that a deal will be done - simply because of the chaos which would ensue without one.

Four weeks before the deadline, businesses - particularly - are living in an information vacuum, which makes it impossible to plan for the future.

Key issues remain unresolved - as well as the main ones concerning governance, fisheries and the level playing field.


Theses key issues include:-

Tax. Will businesses have to pay VAT on goods at the point of import, and will service firms need to register in every EU Member State where they have clients?

Tariffs. What will Rules of Origin forms have to be complied with to receive preferential tariff rates?

Customs. Will goods be subject to new procedures at border checkpoints?

Regulation. Will checks on goods conducted in the UK be recognised by the EU?

Mobility. Will businesses be able to transfer staff between the EU and the UK using the same procedures as currently?

R&D Projects. Will UK businesses be able to participate in EU projects after 2020?


And there are hundreds more - making the already complex existences of British businesses impossible.

But, of course, many matters remain outstanding also for the tourist and private traveller.

If they weren't bickering and busy having elections since Cameron then all this could of been done and dusted. Then again when has any government actually been organized with an action plan.

No one will be satisfied. This will run for years more...

There will be a last minute deal because while the Gov aren't competent or honorable, they aren't actually insane.

The Brexiteers will be up in arms crying betrayal! The Remainers jumping on every problem and evidence of economic decline like told-you-so vultures!

After a year of hearing about Covid we have this tiresome hit air to now look forward to. Like the Covid reaction, all uneccesary and self-inflicted.

For the first time in my adult life I have stopped buying a paper.

Wyot wrote:
After a year of hearing about Covid we have this tiresome hit air to now look forward to.



Brexit was with us long before Covid was heard of - and Brexit actually happened nearly a year ago.

However, Covid (self-inflicted!) has cost us dear first - to the tune of several hundred billion pounds.

Now we must wait to see whether Brexit (which we, the electorate, selected) will cost us even more.

Commander wrote:
[quote]Wyot wrote:


Now we must wait to see whether Brexit (which we, the electorate, selected) will cost us even more.

Those who voted for Brexit won't really get what they thought they voted for. The deal will see to that. And it won't act to take Britain backwards in time socially to about 1950; so they will still be unhappy about all that.

Sturgeon is now on the warpath to either give Scotland independent glory/break up "Balkanise" the UK depending on your point of view.

Any understanding of 20th century history - economic catastrophe with revived nationalism - should tell us to be worried about the direction we are heading in across Europe right now.

The increasing authoritarianism of our Gov may also not have been born through malevolent intent (just panic and stupidity) but it will prove very useful to them going forward. Govs who gain powers seldom hand them back.

I find it so frustrating that so many are currently content to give up freedoms they don't seem to understand the history of and take so carelessly for granted.