Still banging that tatty old drum... The will of the people will never stand for this... https://news.sky.com/story/seven-fewer-mcvities-digestives-in-packs-because-of-brexit-11213339
Trump’s State of the Union address tonight, expect all the stuff about walls and healthcare etc that he didn’t get done this year to be repeated, in what I have come to see as part of the build up to the next Superb Owl sighting, rumoured to be in Minneapolis on Sunday. What really might change healthcare in the US is the announcement by Amazon, JP Morgan and Berkshire Hathaway (Warren Buffett) that they are setting up another company, a ‘healthcare provider’ for US employees. Whether this will be an insurance model or actually provide services is unclear, but it’s badged as being ‘technology’ driven and ‘free from profit incentive’ (not quite the same as not for profit). Given that the high volume low margin Amazon model has destroyed stock prices in any other sector they have moved into, if you have shares in US health insurance, drug making or pharmacy companies, you might want to think about selling. Or checking if your pension fund managers has some of your cash stashed there. Shares in my company, which were at a 12 month high this morning, down 2% since the announcement.
Its only for those employed by those companies initially and looks like they're looking at technology to make their system more efficient and cheaper. Many companies already self insure.
Yes, details seem sketchy, but the markets seem to have reacted as if it could disrupt the current system. Presumably if they can set something up which is cheaper for both companies and employees while offering the same coverage, others will follow or ask them to take over their schemes. Bold stuff in the US context.
Seagul, Mr's Ellers bought me a pack only Saturday and I actually said "there doesn't seem to be as many biscuits". She just called me a greedy pig.
These stories are always bollocks and inevitable even if Brexit probably will speed the process up. Inflation is a given but people don’t like paying more ergo it’s more palatable to reduce the weight of the pack than either increase price or reduce quality. Simple but it fills a few column inches.
Merkel (who cares about her dead in the water etc etc, good, that’s that out of the way) has told a bunch of German journalists about a recent meeting with May. Merkel: So, what do you want the EU-U.K. trade deal to look like? May: what are you offering? Merkel: Err, you started this process, we assumed you had clear objectives. What are they? May: what are you offering? Merkel: sorry, perhaps I’m not being clear. It was your decision to leave the EU, you must know what you would like the future relationship to be. So what do you want? May: What are you offering? And so on for several minutes. Merkel told the story as a joke. I’m full of confidence that May will be equally effective in her discussions with the Chinese leadership, who are obviously pushovers. Current trade with China is £60bn, £42bn of which is what we import from them. Let’s see if we can get that up to £50bn Theresa! Just ask them what they are offering, should kick things off on the right note. Whatever my position on Brexit, or who I voted for last time, I want my country to be represented by someone competent rather than a ****wit. She has to go.........but then I think about the alternatives, both from within her party and from other parties. Jesus **** what a mess.
Merkel is not important now. She has lost the power she had and needs just about every small party to keep her in office. She is history. As for China, I have just watched TV and they were saying our exports have increased by 60% since 2010 as you said £60b (£20b exports). They went on to say there are big opportunities in China. The thing is that now we can sort our own trade agreement with China which the EU wouldn't allow. Although I totally agree with you and others in that we have managed to f22k up things. We don't need to be desperate.
You missed my point. It could have been Merkel or anyone else May was talking to, she’s clueless. 19 months to figure out what she wants from Brexit and still has no idea. Trade with China has risen, you might remember that Cameron and Osbourne had it at the top of their list, visiting with huge delegations of ministers, diplomats and businessmen at least once a year. This is important to the Chinese, it gives them face to for visitors to bring lots of important people, and also enables relationships to be built at many levels. This is May’s first trip there other than for international G20 jamborees, which has been noted by the Chinese (who will also remember she ****ed them around over Hinckley) and British business which is crying out for more engagement. She is taking a team less than half the size of Cameron’s last visit, in which the star players are Liam Fox and her husband. She’s either been poorly advised or really couldn’t care less. There will be positive announcements about two way investment, because there always are, but I think we are playing catch up with them. Having said all that I think the Chinese regime is hideous and the less we suck up to them the better. Apparently one of the barriers to a free trade agreement with the EU is also linked to China. Our Customs and Excise has been very lax at taxing Chinese imports of clothes and shoes to the U.K. A lot of these are instantly re exported to Europe. The EU reckons £4.4bn of duties have been missed, allowing the Chinese to undercut the market, and they are demanding that we tighten up.
totally agree. I would rather deal with the US/Canada/Australia/EU than with them. Don't get me started on human rights. The World needs to watch China.
A lot of the "missed" duty vat etc on imports from China would be down to what the exporters put on the documentation and the shipping agents not checking that the description matches the contents. The shipping agents have to account for the Vat/Duty before the goods are allowed into the country and collect the amount direct from the importing company, I suppose like most things it is down to HMRC numbers plus if it's happening in the UK it's more than likely that other EU countries are having the same problem with China, has the EU demanded that say France or Germany tighten up?
It’s fraud and negligence mate https://www.politico.eu/article/uk-faces-e2-billion-eu-payment-for-china-fraud-trade/
Implying? It’s a news journalism company founded by refugees from the Washington Post. Which makes one assume it would be liberal, but the agencies that measure such things say ‘centrist’ and its US subscribers are 30% Democrat, 30% republican. I quite like it because it does long form stories.
Yes I read that as well but they are stats for the American company and there have been may coming and going since. I was talking about the European arm and its partners. There may be a little bias in favor of the eu, maybe.
