buctootim

Erm, thats just a cut & paste from Lawyers for Britain. How odd.

Here's a little test - see what returns you get when you type in United Kingdom here https://www.wto.org/english/tratop_e/serv_e/serv_commitments_e.htm. There are whole rafts of exceptions and commitments which have been put in place since the founding of the WTO and /or Britain joined the EU. We are part of the EUs umbrella agreement to them. If we leave the EU we will no longer be under the EU umbrella and will have to apply and ratify separately.

Depends on whether they have burgers or steak and that American pale ale I like.

Its a vain hope though. Even the countries that May was probably counting on to act as a bulwark against France and Germany - like Ireland and the Czech Republic - have come out and said not a chance of the single market without freedom of movement and money in.

The EU will not give in to British demands for full access to the bloc’s single market unless London allows free movement of people, Ireland’s prime minister said Monday. Britain’s minister charged with negotiating Brexit, David Davis, said last week that it was pressing for a “unique” deal with the EU to restore sovereignty, reduce immigration by controlling its borders and boost trade with the bloc after the split. “Let me tell you that around the European Council table, that is an issue that will not be given in on,” Kenny said in an interview. Kenny said the British government did not appear to have a clear position on what form of Brexit it was trying to achieve. http://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-britain-eu-ireland-idUKKCN11I0RI

Not at all. Its not 'taking sides' point. There are 30 odd ministers in the cabinet and you and I have no idea what most of them really believe. I think Davis is a genuine Brexiteer and probably Liam Fox, but the others, who knows? By contrast Boris clearly isnt imo, he was just angling for the top job and needed the Tory rights support. May I think may be a closet Brexiteer, but is sharper and better informed so knows what the consequences will be.

You're assuming that the cabinet are all conviction politicians who are espousing views they believe in rather than cynically saying what they think will advance their career. Who knows what any of them truly believe? How many of the 'remainers' were simply protecting their career by not going against the PM? How many leavers like Johnson just wanted to be party leader and he needed to create clear blue water between him and the other candidates?

Think you're missing the point. There may be many things hes not qualified for - but he has spent the last 16 years reporting on politics & business, hanging around Brussels and Westminster. He may not be qualified to advise on economic policy, actually run a business or carry out brain surgery - but commenting on what EU procedures are and what is likely to happen under different scenarios, absolutely. Probably few are better placed.

Jeez is there nothing you can follow adequately? If the weather forecast is for snow and ice then its improbable it will be sunny and warm. You follow the tortuous logic of a forecast yet?

A short tw at?

Not usually. The Principals agree the deal. The lawyers get involved to draw up the contract.

I'm basing my opinion on all the evidence that free movement of labour is a non negotiable for the EU - proven by existing deals with Norway, Switzerland & Iceland and by the fact that various senior figures in the EU have said Britain wont be excepted. You are basing it on a hope. They are qualitatively different.

Do many do that? Is it a real problem? Serious question - I don't know. I suspect the Express have to look pretty hard to find some. You then have to think 'are the numbers of people coming here to live and not working greater than the Brits going to France and Spain? Almost certainly not.

I think its going to be smoke and mirrors fudge. Britain will introduce a system of work permits for EU citizens so we get back control (yay! whoop!) but anyone who wants one can get one so its all meaningless.

We get back control f'sure. Unless the bleeding obvious happens.

Personnel normally means staff. Do you mean random unidentified Chinese people who could be investors?

The UK’s current proposals for a post-Brexit agreement with the European Union are “completely unrealistic,” as Britain must grant access to workers, contribute to the bloc’s budget and submit to legislative oversight to keep single-market access, the top Czech negotiator said. A lack of understanding by at least some UK ministers over how the union works and unwillingness to believe what they’re being told by their civil servants is contributing to contradictory statements from London, Tomas Prouza, state secretary for EU affairs in Prague, said http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/uk-brexit-goals-completely-unrealistic-czech-envoy-says-republic-tomas-prouza-a7232006.html

I liked this comment at the end of the story. "$159/£120?? based on my consumption of £5 headphones from Tesco I reckon an iphone 7 will cost me about two grand a year".

Lol. Seriously? Corbyn has a better grasp of economics. You think the car manufacturers are going to say "Sure we'll pay 10% tariffs on our imported parts and pay another 10% tariff when we export the cars again, because the money will go to the Treasury and that will make us feel warm". There will be people killed in the industry's stampede for the (Br)exit. You should have read the links you've been given before http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-37272163 http://www.smmt.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/SMMT-KPMG-EU-Report.pdf

Definitely a company past they high water mark imo. Designed them to be easy to lose and nice and costly to replace.

Exactly my thoughts. Every time a new minister is appointed they want to change something so they can leave their mark - a legacy. Most of of them are clueless about their departments having never worked in the field before and just disrupt services. Let them pi ss around with permitted bacterial counts in cheese for 10 years.

Must be part of the decline in Ford's you were talking about. You know - the one where they have growing sales, increasing workforce, are market leaders and have record profits. Spin it how you like but post Brexit Ford are reducing investment in the UK - reversing a decision taken only a year ago - despite expanding in the rest of the world. They are planning to make 1.5 million of the new 'Dragon' engines pa worldwide from plants in Europe, Russia, Brazil and China, a reduction of c7% on previous plans. They could have scaled back at any of those, but they didn't, they chose Bridgend and halved volume. Japan are warning they will do the same if 'full' Brexit goes ahead. Sorry if that doesn't fit the narrative. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-37272163 http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-37270372 https://www.ft.com/content/1bef35ac-3c44-11e6-8716-a4a71e8140b0

Fundamentally it came down to manufacturing industry losing market share to foreign competitors and services not taking up the slack. Im sure Government, management, the City and workforce all share some of the blame. Lack of investment in R&D and manufacturing machinery, poor management, workplace militancy are all part of it. France and Germany's membership of the EEC and Britain being outside was also a contributory factor. Who gets how much blame depends on where you are standing. Its got its roots in the post war period. Post war Britain was desperate for foreign exchange - 'export or die' - and focussed on selling the same old products to the same old markets using the same old plant. Germany and Japan had to rebuild from scratch - new products, new factories and a willingness to work hard for next to nothing because they felt defeated and had to rebuild. Britons by comparison felt they were owed something from winning the war.

Could be Fratton Park - the attendance is about right.

You are ignorant Wes, spectacularly so. You couldn't make the claims you do otherwise. Please enlighten us as to why Britain was the world's 4th largest economy in 1960 - 18% ahead of France - but by 1975 France's GDP was 50% more than ours? Did the financial crisis of 1975 not really happen? http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/4553464.stm