I do not defend tax exiles or multinationals avoiding paying tax as UK businesses are obliged to. There are many people on zero hours contracts with the flexibility suiting their lifestyle. Of course this is a much better situation than suffering the high unemployment and hopelessness as suffered in many EU countries. The NHS should evolve to produce the best possible results, it is ridicules to suggest it remains in a 1940's time warp to satisfy outdated socialist ideas. Dogma is not required, sensible reforms which have been proven to be successful elsewhere, including private partnership, should be the aim. Your constant criticism of the UK government from afar is not replicated amongst the vast majority of UK citizens, again you are in a tiny minority.
No one suggests that the NHS should remain in a time warp. Of course not, many of the treatments available today were not even thought of then. The question is how do you pay for them. I have two friends here that will be receiving treatment in hospital next week for procedures that were not thought possible then, and they are not being asked to pay for them. It will come out of general taxation. If you are below retirement age, why does a simple dose of medicines cost so much in the UK? It is actually a hidden tax in the same way that parking your car is at the council car park. If I feel it worthwhile to ask questions about why the UK government is behaving in the way that it does, then so be it, as I am prepared to answer about what I think is right and wrong here. The big difference between you and I SH is that I am not wedded to just one party, and do not feel it necessary to defend them at all costs. I make critical comments elsewhere when I feel the French government is muddled. The return to schooling is not well thought through at present, but not606 would not be so interested in the school bus etc. We have seen recently MPs trying to defend government policy when their language and expressions show that they do not really believe it. To pay £25 and think that you should support them even when the whole world can see they are wrong is silly. When Trump says that Johnson's leadership has been catastrophic, should I write him off as a nutcase, or someone who wants to do a bigly trade deal. Little of this dream world that the Tories are living in makes much sense.
This is demonstrably untrue and therefore merely a deluded attempt to try and rewrite history, and erase a colossal error. An error that’s costs thousands of lives.
When we look back on this.. All will be exposed... Massive error that yes has led to many dying and unnecessary suffering..
There is no doubt that years of govt underfunding, privatisation of services and profiteering has led the NHS to the brink.. Coupled with lack of forward planning... The situation is shambolic..
Due to the likes of Cummings and his band of ‘misfits’ dictating Govt policy by using untested and non peer reviewed behavioural science models to override the accepted global method of isolating and eradicating the spread of the virus, via mass testing and social lockdown. ‘Take it on the chin’, ‘wash through the population’, these were words spoken by Johnson himself. Herd immunity was brought up in the daily National briefings, when the sole Govt message was ‘wash your hands’. To deny that herd immunity was their plan, until the 500k+ death rate was shoved under noses, is nothing but denial of the facts.
It is strange that you are perfectly willing to highlight the recognised superior health systems in many European countries despite their funding systems involving a much higher degree of the use of private enterprise and health insurance. It is accepted by most serious politicians and senior health officials that major reform of the NHS is long overdue. The problem is politicians cannot have an open and proper discussion about alternative funding methods without hysterical nonsense and claims of 'selling the NHS'. This is simply opportunistic political dogma to keep the status quo, a failing outdated model designed to digest enormous amounts of cash without any discernible improvements. Even the Tories have taken the easy option of promising to throw huge amounts of funding at it without serious reform. In fairness the government may have rather a lot on its plate at the moment with the Covid-19 pandemic and Brexit. I am quite willing to criticise the Tories when required. Theresa May talked the talk on Brexit then capitulated at the first sign of serious negotiation. Let's be fair, there has been very little in the way of political opposition to the Tories in the last few years. The Labour Party was more interested in fighting an internal class war within rather that presenting itself as a serious alternative. The LibDems have also been an embarrassment, flip flopping without direction culminating in the recent disastrous election. If I was a moderate Labour supporter I would be heartened by the election of Starmer, a competent and clever operator. His main problem is that he comes across as dull, maybe not such a negative but he does need to find a little more personality to win over the general public. More importantly is the slight loosening of the grip around Labour's throat by the infiltrated Momentum faction. Despite dodgy selection for hard left candidates in safe seats Momentum's time in power now looks to be declining with the loss of several key positions in the NEC. Labour may actually get their party back and be considered electable sometime in the distant future. My £25 investment into the Tories coffers was an excellent move. It helped ensure Boris was elected by a large margin, it led to a stunning Conservative electoral victory and the formation of a cabinet based on policies of the eurosceptic ERG group. It made sure the UK had a proper negotiation team who had the confidence and the backing to repel the bullying Barnier's unreasonable and unusual cherry picked demands. The current UK government will actually honour the previously stated position that a no-deal outcome is better than a bad deal. There will be no further costly extensions, the UK will leave the EU, in totality, on the 31st Dec 2020, deal or no deal. A dream world is reserved for those that envisage a UK government which is anything but Conservative for many many years to come.
How can you sit there pontificating about a no deal Brexit at year end? whilst we’re currently in the biggest economic downturn since WWII, and we’ll be looking at 3-4 million unemployed once the true impact of this is felt, as the furlough scheme is merely delaying the inevitable, as business readjusts it’s cost base to account for the drop in demand. But here’s you, putting forward a suggestion of no deal, that’ll provide yet more economic shock to a system already on its knees. Putting your precious and utterly pointless ideology before any semblance of common sense. People like you are societal vandals.
I'd say that it still is their plan - very little that they have said since then matches with what they have actually done. Their forte appears to be little more than the ability to stand, either in public or in parliament, and quote fudged figures & tell downright lies - as well as blame everyone bar themselves for the current debacle the nation finds itself in. When I look at Johnson, his acolytes and his Cabinet members, I'm entirely convinced that each and every one of them was selected for the job by the party hierarchy on the basis of their level of incompetence.
There cannot be a deal with the EU while it refuses to accept the fact that the UK will be an independent sovereign nation. It is attempting to maintain controls and restrictions which no country would, or could, accept. Unless the EU drops its default bullying stance there is absolutely no chance of a deal. Brexit will present the UK with a complete break. Fortunately the UK has made the doomsayers look ridiculous over the past few with millions of new jobs being created. There will be a huge rise in unemployment in the UK but no other country has the attitude and ability to rebuild and create new businesses as this country. Trying to hang on to the coattails of the failing EU by extending the transition period is the last desperate act of defeated remoaners, prepare for disappointment. The present UK government is united on Europe for the first time in decades, they will not be bullied. It is looking much more likely that Italy will be following the UK out of the EU before very long. The EU is a sinking ship.
Listen to yourself, still wanging on about imaginary bullying and talking about ‘remoaners’ ffs. It’s a matter of time and priority. Both sides can’t focus on this at present and if a deal can’t be concluded in time the transition should be extended until it is. Even many of the hard line Brexiters agree with this now. To willingly self inflict yet more economic damage at this point would be utter madness, and of ZERO benefit. You’re that buried in the ideology that you obviously don’t care though.
It is spread over the front pages today that people entering the country will have to self isolate for fourteen days, but not before the end of the month. Why if it is thought to be a measure that can help is it being put on hold for three weeks? So how are these people supposed to get to their registered address? Public transport I suppose. Who is going to check that they stay in that address, or will they simply be ignored once they have given the information? Other countries took over hotels where people could stay for their period of isolation. That seems a far more sensible idea, but of course this government is not sensible. Most business visitors to the country stay in hotels, so are they considered to be a private address? This just another example of the chaotic and tardy way the Country is being run by Boris Johnson. For a part time PM he sure has created mass havoc.
I do care, I have contributed to creating many jobs in the past. Any extension would involve a huge financial cost to the UK, we would be dragged into subsidising the cost of recovery for the remaining 27, without any input on decisions. This money will be much better spent helping UK businesses and regions. Whilst the EU negotiators maintain their unreasonable and unacceptable demands there is no point in continuing the uncertainty. The negotiations should finish in June so businesses have six months to plan for a no deal exit. Over 80% of UK businesses have no dealings with the EU, they will benefit from the removal of unnecessary restrictive practices. Those that do trade with the EU will have additional time to adapt to the new trading procedures, the same ones used for trading with non EU countries. The effect of tariffs has been greatly exaggerated, they are relatively minor and are easily dealt with by freight forwarders.
Unnecessary practices: Employing 50,000 people to deal with the mountain of paperwork. Even if the two sides strike a trade deal by December, agents will still be needed to process an additional 200 million customs declarations, according to estimates by Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs. Applications for training have fallen by 80% and it is unlikely that there will be enough trained persons. Without enough agents, goods traveling to and from the EU, the U.K.’s single biggest trading partner, risk being delayed at ports, disrupting supply chains and heaping more pain on companies reeling from coronavirus. In a sign of how the virus has sapped attention away from Brexit in Whitehall, the Freight Transport Association submitted a proposal to the Treasury on March 17 about how to set up a mass education program to train up agents. More than a month later, the lobby group hasn’t received a reply. “My impression is it has come to a full stop,” said Rod McKenzie, managing director of policy and public affairs at the Road Haulage Association. He expressed surprised he hadn’t seen any job ads for customs agents. “Nothing is happening.”
The bosses running the Calais and Dover ports do not envisage too many problems given goodwill and self interest on both sides. There is no doubt the French will resort to wrecking tactics once they realise Macron's undeliverable promises to keep their fishing rights after Brexit are dashed. Businesses on both sides of the channel will adapt to the new trading conditions, there will be less reliance on supply chains which have shown their weaknesses during the pandemic. Customs & Excise do not get involved with day to day customs declarations, this is done by freight forwarders on a trusted trader basis. My company used to have very occasional checks by company staff, maybe less than once a year. There is no need for paperwork to be physically processed at the port. If transport companies do not learn the process or fail to employ those that do understand then they can only blame themselves for any potential delays. I'm sure the freight forwarding companies are relishing the chance of extra business and will be fully prepared once the sham talks are ended by June.
What is the need for 50,000 staff that Gove is trying to recruit then? What are they going to be doing?
The figure of 50,000 new freight forwarders came from the RHA, this organisation is simply trying to prolong the present status quo. Gove just repeated their estimate, it is not his prediction. In practice a much smaller recruitment number will be needed.
