howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
ray hutstone- Registered: 1 Apr 2018
- Posts: 2,158
Both are informative articles, Howard. The first dealing with Felixstowe is the more relevant. I spent a lot of time up there in the 80s when I first joined Townsends. Then P&O bought the port as the importance of freight traffic grew. And then they bought Townsend Thoresen! Happy days.
Brian Dixon
- Location: Dover
- Registered: 23 Sep 2008
- Posts: 23,940
not a happy time for townsend seman in in those years ray.
ray hutstone- Registered: 1 Apr 2018
- Posts: 2,158
No, it wasn't. I was caught in a horrible dilemma. My computing role gave me management status because they had to pay me the market rate. Unfortunately that meant I was expected to man the buses for the strike breakers to enter the docks amidst the pickets. Trouble was that I knew more of the pickets than I did my fellow "managers". That's the trouble with drinking with friends!
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howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
Courtesy of the Telegraph
Britain must be “fully out” of European Union customs arrangements by the 2022 general election, Brexiteers have warned Theresa May.
The Prime Minister is believed to be considering a bid to break the negotiating impasse with Brussels over the Irish border backstop issue by offering to keep the whole of the UK aligned with present customs rules beyond the end of the transition period in December 2020.
But Tory Eurosceptics are adamant there must be a hard deadline when the UK will diverge from the EU to avoid Britain having to adhere to the rules indefinitely. However, the EU has insisted any plan to avoid the return of a hard border on the island of Ireland must be an “all-weather" fix and "election proof".
Button
- Location: Dover
- Registered: 22 Jul 2016
- Posts: 3,033
A tweet from Charlie:
"Moreover any checks that the EU might feel are needed after Brexit could be done via juxtaposed controls as currently happens at Dover & Calais docks for passport & security checking. No need for any problems or delays at any UK border."
Strange lad; juxtaposition means that controls are done pre-crossing, the French ones in Dover and the UK ones in Calais and Dunkerque. So that whizzo wheeze would get us where, exactly?
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(Not my real name.)
Brian Dixon- Location: Dover
- Registered: 23 Sep 2008
- Posts: 23,940
there is a sniff of rebelian in the house, if the SNP join up with labour as they said they will, plus the tory rebels, mrs may and her gang will have a paxo moment.
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howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
The way I am reading this is that Cruella is going to Brussels in the next few days to agree a deal that will effectively keep us in the customs union and single market without consulting with her MPs.
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/conservatives-general-election-theresa-may-brexit-david-davis-chequers-canada-labour-a8575991.htmlBrian Dixon- Location: Dover
- Registered: 23 Sep 2008
- Posts: 23,940
she [ cruella ] is in deep bull doings I mean really deep.
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
Courtesy of the Telegraph.
Theresa May has been urged to isolate “hardline Eurosceptics” and deliver a Brexit deal capable of uniting pro-European Tory and Labour MPs. Ken Clarke, the Tory former chancellor, said the “maths makes it obvious” that the only way for the Prime Minister to get an agreement through the House of Commons would be to unite Europhile MPs. But Mrs May said she hoped “everybody across this whole House will put the national interest first” when it comes to voting on her deal as she said MPs had a “duty” to deliver on the result of the 2016 EU referendum.
Mr Clarke’s intervention came as pressure continued to grow on Mrs May to ditch her Chequers plan for Brexit and as talks entered a critical phase ahead of a crunch EU summit next week. Mr Clarke suggested Mrs May would need to strike a soft Brexit deal with Brussels in order for a majority of MPs to back it. Speaking during Prime Minister’s questions, he said: “It is obvious that the biggest task facing the Prime Minister this winter is firstly to obtain a compromise agreement with the other 27 European governments on the terms of our withdrawal and then to win the approval of this House, a majority in this House, for that same agreement or something like it in a meaningful vote on the terms of our departure.
“Do you equally accept that the maths makes it obvious that that majority can only be obtained if the agreement retains the support of the pro-European Conservative backbenchers in this House and also wins the support of a significant number of Labour pro-European backbenchers on the other side of the House which would reveal that the hardline Eurosceptic views of the Bennites on the Labour frontbench and the right wing nationalists in our party are a minority in this Parliament.
“Will she therefore proceed courageously on that basis in the formidable task that lies ahead of her?”
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
In my humble opinion Cruella and Barnier have already agreed about us staying in the customs union and the forthcoming meeting is just to give the impression of hard bargaining.
https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2018/oct/10/brexit-deal-may-must-agree-on-customs-union-says-barnierBrian Dixon- Location: Dover
- Registered: 23 Sep 2008
- Posts: 23,940
I predict this in the house and streets of Britain.
Brian Dixon- Location: Dover
- Registered: 23 Sep 2008
- Posts: 23,940
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
Chris Grayling says it is very unlikely to happen Brian so we can all sleep safely in our beds!! Incidentally why do they say a month as if the problem would suddenly disappear after that time?
Brian Dixon- Location: Dover
- Registered: 23 Sep 2008
- Posts: 23,940
pass on that H.
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
More cabinet resignations expected over the next few days over the proposed indefinite stay in the customs union with those leaving saying that it is not what people voted for. The thing is we all voted to leave for different reasons.
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Neil Moors- Registered: 3 Feb 2016
- Posts: 1,298
I love the fact that nobody complains, or makes the point, that nobody voted for stockpiled food and medicine, closed motorways and a shrinking economy. Yet, heaven forbid we stay in something that I guarantee 75% of referendum voters had never even heard of when voting does make me smile.
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
I wonder how many people know about how the customs union works and its importance to our economy. Most politicians don't seem to understand it even cabinet minister Chris Grayling is clueless. Another MP insists there will be no delays if we do the same in Dover as they do in Southampton!! The only sensible appraisal I have heard was from Keir Starmer who took the trouble to come here and listen to all involved therefore arming himself with factual information. Too many who demand to leave without a deal really don't understand the practicalities.
Jan Higgins
- Location: Dover
- Registered: 5 Jul 2010
- Posts: 13,821
I suspect that the 75% quoted by Neil would not have bothered to vote if they did not know what they were voting for, that also goes for the Remainers so they cancel themselves out.
Unlike normal elections the referendum vote was not along party lines so voters were not like the sheep who only vote for the party they have always voted for, where that 75% is often applicable.
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I try to be neutral and polite but it is hard and getting even more difficult at times.
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howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352