UK Politics Thread part II

[Jimbuna]

Johnson to run for NATO Secretary General

Former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson is to run for NATO Secretary General.

He made this statement on the air of the nationwide telethon "United News", informs Censor.NЕТ referring to Ukrinform.

"Yes, that's a great idea. You know, it's a very good one. I want to say, dear friends, that I have to announce to everyone that I have this intention. Let no one forget that there is such a candidate in reserve here. I feel like I'm going to be lucky this time," Johnson said.

The former prime minister believes that the next Secretary General should not necessarily be a citizen of the European Union.

"I am definitely considering myself. It is a very good position, an important one. It's worth saying that we have a NATO that's stronger than ever as well as inventive and active," the politician emphasized.

He noted that with the membership of Sweden and Finland, it is quite clear that Ukrainian membership is a prospect. Source: https://censor.net/en/n3401777

[Jimbuna]

NI Protocol: Will Rishi Sunak's deal pass DUP checkpoint?

By Enda McClafferty
BBC News NI political editor

Rishi Sunak started the week in the green lane heading for a deal and ended up trapped in the red lane with no clear path out.

The prime minister thought he had his paperwork complete after months of delicate negotiation.

All he needed was clearance from the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) and his backbench Brexiteer MPs before signing off with the EU.

But, as his predecessors at Number 10 discovered, dealing with the DUP is challenging.

Thanks to those same predecessors, trust between DUP leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson and the Tory leadership has been slowly eroded.

That is why the party was not moved by the assurances offered by the prime minister in the House of Commons on Wednesday.

"We've heard the same warm words from the same dispatch box before, it counts for nothing," said one DUP MP.

That is why the DUP leader warned against "tweaking" the protocol and demanded the "legally binding text" be rewritten.

Unless the DUP can read it in a bill, they can't sell it.

While sidestepping that part of Sir Jeffrey's question, the prime minister hinted in another answer that legislative changes are in the mix.

That will be key for the DUP to be able say the old Northern Ireland Protocol is gone.

But any changes will come in the form of new legislation "overlaying" what has gone before both in London and Brussels.

Overlay but not replace.

So the EU will equally be able to say the original protocol text remains.

Nuances like that matter when it comes spinning and disguising compromises if we ever reach the point of a deal.

Judging by the Westminster whispers this week that is far from clear.

There is real concern among some less vocal Tories that a deal which was within touching distance could slip through their grasp.

Some of those non-European Research Group (ERG) MPs question why the Prime Minister is spending so much political capital on an issue which does not stir their voters at a time when other more pressing issues need attention.

The protocol does not appear in Mr Sunak's five key priorities and there is a budget looming within weeks.

"There are some on our back benches who are certifiable and Mr Sunak needs to stand up to them" said one frustrated Tory.

After briefing heavily that the deal was to be published this week, Team Sunak are now in crisis management.

The daily calls with European Commission Vice-President Maros Sefcovic on the surface suggest Brussels is being squeezed for more concessions, but equally it could be for the optics ahead of a deal being agreed next week.

Mr Sunak has invested too much to walk away.

He cannot sit on a deal which provides much needed remedies for businesses struggling under the burden of the Northern Ireland Protocol.

Plus, he is desperate to bank the gains he has secured.

That may include taking back control of state aid, VAT and other tax breaks in Northern Ireland which, under the protocol, fell to Brussels.

That was leaked this week and was not totally discounted by sources in Brussels.

Such leaks are useful in countering back bench and DUP pressure in the absence of publishing the deal.

Could this be one of the important areas where Sir Jeffrey Donaldson told us real progress has been made?

But what the prime minister really needs is for the DUP to hold back on its verdict of any deal.

This would allow the government time to win over business leaders and other stake holders before the DUP passes judgement.

But if the government is to secure its goal of restoring the Stormont institutions then the DUP will have to be won over at some stage

The party is expecting the deal to be published early next week and it will likely flag concerns but reserve full judgement until it sees any accompanying legal text

With a council election looming in May, rejecting the deal is the easiest option for Sir Jeffrey.

But saying no is not a long term sustainable position and that is the calculation the government will be banking on.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-64750736

[Skybird]

Originally Posted by Jimbuna

Johnson to run for NATO Secretary General

Former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson is to run for NATO Secretary General.

He made this statement on the air of the nationwide telethon "United News", informs Censor.NЕТ referring to Ukrinform.

"Yes, that's a great idea. You know, it's a very good one. I want to say, dear friends, that I have to announce to everyone that I have this intention. Let no one forget that there is such a candidate in reserve here. I feel like I'm going to be lucky this time," Johnson said.

The former prime minister believes that the next Secretary General should not necessarily be a citizen of the European Union.

"I am definitely considering myself. It is a very good position, an important one. It's worth saying that we have a NATO that's stronger than ever as well as inventive and active," the politician emphasized.

He noted that with the membership of Sweden and Finland, it is quite clear that Ukrainian membership is a prospect. Source: https://censor.net/en/n3401777

[Catfish]

Originally Posted by Skybird

^

[Jimbuna]

[Skybird]

Neue Zürcher Zeitung:
-------------------------
Is the Brexit to blame? British supermarkets ration tomatoes, cucumbers and salads due to supply shortages

Vegetables and fruit are in short supply in the United Kingdom, with the government blaming crop failures in Spain and Morocco. But many British greenhouses also remained empty this winter - due to a lack of labor and high energy costs.

Britons have almost become accustomed to the fact that there are always gaps in the supermarkets' product ranges. After the implementation of the Brexit, there was initially a lack of truck drivers, which led to major supply bottlenecks in the retail trade and at gas stations. Last fall, there was suddenly an acute shortage of eggs due to inflationary prices for chicken feed and an outbreak of bird flu.

Now the country is being hit by shortages in the supply of vegetables: Several large British supermarket chains, such as Tesco and Morrison, last week limited the number of pieces of tomatoes, cucumbers, lettuces and other vegetables that each customer is allowed to buy.
Rationing instead of price increases

The main reason for the shortage is believed to be poor weather conditions, which have led to crop failure in Morocco and southern Spain. Normally, the market reacts to a shortage of supply with price increases. However, the major distributors apparently want to prevent stocks from emptying in one fell swoop.

A sharp price increase would mean that the poorer sections of the population would no longer be able to afford vegetables. Food inflation was already 17 percent in January anyway. However, average Britons are not known for particularly healthy eating habits. Various users boasted on social media that they haven't eaten salad in decades, which is why the vegetable crisis doesn't affect them.

Rationing is a dramatic measure, which is why the supermarkets' move made for outraged tabloid headlines. In practice, it is also hard to prevent a customer from shopping more than once at the same store or at different stores, thereby circumventing the quantity restrictions.


The case of a customer of a Lidl supermarket who was prevented by the manager from buying a hundred cucumbers, which she wanted to turn into detox drinks in her beauty salon, caused a sensation. The store had limited the maximum number of tomatoes and cucumbers customers could buy to three.

Connection with the Brexit?

Agriculture Minister Therese Coffey tried to calm tempers, saying the supply problems should be resolved in a few weeks. The Tory government denied any responsibility for the crisis, pointing to the unusual cold weather in southern Spain and floods and storms in Morocco. According to the British Retail Consortium organization, the UK is dependent on imports for 90 to 95 percent of its supply of tomatoes and lettuce this winter, with the lion's share coming from Spain and Morocco.

Producers from these countries, of course, also supply many other European markets that are not suffering from acute supply shortages. There are also reports of vegetable shortages in Ireland and Denmark. But Britons living in the EU published pictures of bulging vegetable shelves from continental European supermarkets - suggesting that the empty British racks were a consequence of Brexit. On Twitter, the catchphrases #BrexitFoodShortages or #BrexitFoodRationing made the rounds.

However, a direct link to the Brexit is not obvious. Morocco is not part of the EU single market, which is why nothing at all has changed in trade relations between the Maghreb state and the UK since the Brexit. In addition, the British have postponed the introduction of tighter Brexit controls on EU imports until early 2024, which is why no non-tariff trade barriers have yet arisen for Spanish tomatoes.

However, some observers believe that in the event of bottlenecks, coordination within a single market will be easier. In addition, transportation costs for shipments to the U.K. are higher than to more readily accessible continental European countries.

British greenhouses remain empty

Much more plausible is an indirect Brexit effect. British farmers have long complained that they can no longer recruit enough foreign labor to harvest fruits and vegetables since leaving the EU. That has made farming production costs more expensive, as have the high energy prices needed to heat greenhouses.

Lee Stiles, secretary of an organization of vegetable producers from the important Lee Valley growing region, told the BBC that a number of farmers had refrained from planting tomatoes, hot peppers, cucumbers or eggplants this season because of the cost. Farmers accuse the government of insufficiently shielding them from high energy prices. Making matters worse, according to the British Growers Association, is the fact that British supermarkets pay lower prices for vegetables than comparable major distributors on the European continent.

Stiles, of the Lee Valley Growers Association, believes the shortages could last as late as May, as there is no short-term panacea for the shortages before more local produce returns to the market. Agriculture Secretary Coffey's only remaining recommendation to the public was to switch more to seasonal British vegetables such as beets.
-----------------------------

[Jimbuna]

Northern Ireland Protocol: New Brexit deal 'inching towards conclusion'

A new Brexit deal for Northern Ireland is not yet done but is "inching towards a conclusion", Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar has said.

The taoiseach said a protocol agreement could come within days but negotiators still have a gap to close.

He urged politicians from the UK, Brussels and Northern Ireland to "go the extra mile".

Rishi Sunak told the Sunday Times he was hopeful of a “positive outcome”, saying: "I want to get the job done."

He said: "As someone who believes in Brexit, voted for Brexit, campaigned for Brexit, I want to demonstrate that Brexit works and it works for every part of the United Kingdom."

The Northern Ireland Protocol was agreed under former Prime Minister Boris Johnson during Brexit talks and came into force in 2021.

It sees Northern Ireland continue to follow some EU laws to get round the need for checks at the UK's border with the Republic of Ireland, and has been an ongoing source of tension.

The UK and the European Union have been negotiating on a way forward and appear to be on the brink of completing a new deal - for which the prime minister has been trying to win support among some critical Tory MPs and Northern Ireland's Democratic Unionist Party.

Mr Varadkar told reporters: "There is the possibility of agreement in the next few days but by no means guaranteed... there's still a gap to be closed."

He said there was ongoing engagement between politicians and he urged them to "to go the extra mile", stressing that the benefits to reaching an agreement are "huge".

There had been plans for King Charles to meet the president of the European Commission in the UK on Saturday, the BBC understands.

The planned meeting between the King and Ursula von der Leyen, originally reported by Sky News, was not part of the negotiations between the UK and the EU and multiple sources said her visit was cancelled due to operational reasons, unconnected to the political talks.

It is not known when she will now come to the UK, but the fact a meeting was planned is significant as it appears to indicate a Brexit deal was about to be done - and publicly presented - while Ms von der Leyen was in the UK.

Some had suggested a new deal on the Northern Ireland Protocol could be called the Windsor Agreement and include a moment in front of the cameras involving Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and Ms von der Leyen.

The scheduled meeting was criticised by Mr Sunak's critics, with Jacob Rees-Mogg - a senior member of the Tory Eurosceptic European Research Group - saying: "If there were a plan to bring the King in before there is domestic political agreement, it would border on constitutional impropriety."

Both the UK and the EU have to make the choreography of an announcement work at a mutually convenient time and place.

Mr Sunak and Ms von der Leyen spoke by telephone on Friday and Downing Street said the prime minister had made "good progress".

A source said afterwards that it had been "positive" and negotiations would continue, with the leaders agreeing "to discuss this further in coming days."

Foreign Secretary James Cleverly has pulled out of a long-planned trip to the Middle East at the beginning of next week - raising expectations that a formal announcement from the UK and Brussels could be days away.

But there have been repeated delays over the past week or so, as wrangling went on between No 10, the Democratic Unionist Party and Conservative backbenchers.

Mr Cleverly said talks with the EU had been "tough and complicated" but were entered into "with good faith", telling GB News: "We will resolve this when we have addressed all the issues that we are seeking to resolve, rather than [working to] some arbitrary deadline."

The DUP is currently blocking the formation of devolved government in Northern Ireland over its concerns about the deal.

Earlier, a source from the DUP told the BBC they had not been involved in any talks with the prime minister on Friday and had no meetings scheduled over the weekend.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-64773113

[Catfish]

Originally Posted by Skybird

Neue Zürcher Zeitung:
-------------------------
Is the Brexit to blame? British supermarkets ration tomatoes, cucumbers and salads due to supply shortages [...]

Nahh ... just like in Germany it's all made in Ukraine and only the war is to blame.

[Catfish]

Originally Posted by Jimbuna

Northern Ireland Protocol: New Brexit deal 'inching towards conclusion'

[...] He (Sunak) said: "As someone who believes in Brexit, voted for Brexit, campaigned for Brexit, I want to demonstrate that Brexit works and it works for every part of the United Kingdom."

Oh I am sure he wants that

[Skybird]

Originally Posted by Catfish

it's all made in Ukraine and only the war is to blame.

Wels-der-in-Wasser-schwimmt spricht viel in Reimen dieser Tage...?

Well, at this time of the year tomatoes for me just as canned Italian tomatoes by Itallian company Mutti anyway, please. Too expensive and either too sour or too tasteless real tomatoes in winter are: a waste of time, effort, money and expectation.

[Jimbuna]

Northern Ireland Protocol: Sunak 'giving it everything' to reach Brexit deal

Rishi Sunak says he is "giving it everything" this weekend to secure a new Brexit deal for Northern Ireland, and he wants "to get the job done".

But the prime minister said no agreement had yet been made between the UK and the European Union.

Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar said the deal over trade between Great Britain and Northern Ireland was "inching towards a conclusion".

A No 10 source has described the negotiations as positive.

The taoiseach said an agreement could come within days but this was "by no means guaranteed" as negotiators still had a gap to close.

He urged politicians from the UK, Brussels and Northern Ireland to "go the extra mile" to get it over the line.

The Northern Ireland Protocol was agreed under former PM Boris Johnson after the UK left the European Union.

It sees Northern Ireland continue to follow some EU laws so that goods can flow freely over the border to the Republic of Ireland without checks.

Instead, goods arriving from England, Scotland and Wales are checked when they arrive at Northern Irish ports.

Critics, including Northern Ireland's Democratic Unionist Party (DUP), feel this undermines the nation's position within the rest of the UK as well as impacting trade.

The DUP, which also wants less EU oversight of the rules, is blocking the formation of devolved government in Northern Ireland because of its concerns.

The UK and EU have been negotiating on a way forward and appear to be on the brink of completing a new deal - for which the prime minister has been trying to win support.

Speaking to the Sunday Times from Downing Street, Mr Sunak said: "I'm here all weekend trying to get it done... We're giving it everything we've got."

He said he wanted to show that Brexit "works for every part of the United Kingdom", continuing: "There's unfinished business on Brexit and I want to get the job done."

The prime minister said "the idea that the EU can impose laws on Northern Ireland without them having any say isn't acceptable", adding that ensuring stability for the people of Northern Ireland is key.

"It's about the people and communities of Northern Ireland," he told the newspaper. "It's about what's best for them and that's what everyone should have in the uppermost of their minds."
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-64773214

[Jimbuna]

The UK and the EU are believed to be on the cusp of a deal over post-Brexit trade arrangements for Northern Ireland.

PM Rishi Sunak will meet European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen in Windsor later where they are expected to sign off on a new agreement.

The UK wants to change the Northern Ireland Protocol, which sees certain goods checked when entering from the rest of the UK

The dispute has been simmering since the UK formally left the EU in 2020

Unionists believe the protocol undermines NI's ties with the rest of the UK

The DUP, the largest unionist party, has been boycotting power-sharing in Northern Ireland over the protocol.

Some Tory MPs are sceptical of the deal but it has not been confirmed that there will be a vote in Parliament.

[Jimbuna]

NI Protocol: Final talks on Brexit deal due - No 10

By Lauren Turner
BBC News

Rishi Sunak and the European Commission president are due to hold "final talks" on a new post-Brexit deal for Northern Ireland on Monday, Downing Street says.

The prime minister and Ursula von der Leyen will meet in Berkshire in the afternoon to discuss "complex challenges" around the protocol.

The UK wants to change the current agreement - which sees some goods checked when entering Northern Ireland from the rest of Great Britain.

A new deal has been expected for days.

Deputy Prime Minister Dominic Raab earlier said the UK and EU were "on the cusp" of a deal and that the EU had "moved" on some issues.

Downing Street released more details about the talks between Mr Sunak and Ms von der Leyen, which is set to take place around late lunchtime.

If a deal is reached, it would then be announced later on Monday, with the leaders holding a joint press conference after the cabinet has been updated.

The prime minister would then address the House of Commons.

Both Tory and Labour MPs have been told by their respective whips to come to Parliament on Monday.

Downing Street said: "The prime minister wants to ensure any deal fixes the practical problems on the ground, ensures trade flows freely within the whole of the UK, safeguards Northern Ireland's place in our Union, and returns sovereignty to the people of Northern Ireland."

There have been "hundreds of hours of talks" during the "intensive negotiations with the EU", the spokesperson added, saying "positive, constructive progress has been made".

The Northern Ireland Protocol was agreed under former PM Boris Johnson as part of the process of the UK leaving the European Union.

It means Northern Ireland has continued to follow some EU laws so that goods can flow freely over the border to the Republic of Ireland without checks.

Instead, goods arriving from England, Scotland and Wales are checked when they reach Northern Irish ports.

Critics, including Northern Ireland's Democratic Unionist Party (DUP), feel this undermines the nation's position within the rest of the UK as well as impacting trade.

The DUP has complained about what it calls a "democratic deficit", with Northern Ireland being subject to EU rules while not having a say on them.

The party has prevented a Northern Ireland devolved government from forming, leaving it in political gridlock.

BBC chief political correspondent Nick Eardley said that while officials had been negotiating over the weekend, leader-level talks were needed to discuss the final details.

Sources in government have repeatedly said that not everyone will get everything they want from the deal - but the priority is addressing issues with the protocol and protecting the Good Friday agreement, our correspondent said.

There is no expectation in Westminster that the DUP will endorse the deal immediately and many believe it will not be enough to tempt them back to Stormont, he added.

Some Conservative MPs could also rebel against the government in any vote in Parliament, with Brexiteer Tories wanting lawyers to scrutinise the text.

One Tory told the BBC on Sunday night: "The bottom line is - if this doesn't result in power sharing, it's not a worthwhile agreement."

Labour's Shadow Chancellor Rachel Reeves said the opposition would "not play politics" when the deal was announced.

She told BBC Breakfast: "We will support the deal the government bring back."

Taoiseach (Irish Prime Minister) Leo Varadkar said he had been in contact with Ms von der Leyen on Sunday and "very much" welcomed her meeting with Mr Sunak.

He tweeted: "We should acknowledge the level of engagement between the UK Gov, the European Commission and the NI parties in recent months."

His deputy, Micheal Martin, said there had been "very significant progress", adding "a great effort" had been made to resolve issues.

"I would hope it can be brought to a conclusion, but that's a matter for the UK and EU negotiating teams to call."

The government has not confirmed if MPs would get a vote on any deal, but said they would be able to "express" their view.

Mr Sunak has been under pressure from some Conservative MPs over the role of EU law and the European Court of Justice in settling trade disputes.

Former Northern Ireland Secretary Theresa Villiers said it was "crucial" that parliament had a vote on the agreement.

The Conservative MP, who supported the UK leaving the EU, told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "It is a very important step in terms of finally delivering Brexit in full, and that means that it's vital that parliament has a say and a vote on this."

Mark Francois, who heads the European Research Group of Eurosceptic Tory MPs, earlier said EU law needed to be "expunged" from Northern Ireland, bringing it in line with England, Scotland and Wales.

He told Sky News on Sunday that he had yet to see the detail of the deal and it would be "incredibly unwise" to bring in any new deal without giving MPs a vote.

DUP leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson has previously said: "The objective in London and Brussels should be to get this right rather than rushed. The wrong deal will not restore power sharing but will deepen division for future generations."

The Northern Ireland Protocol is a trading arrangement, negotiated during Brexit talks. It allows goods to be transported across the Irish land border without the need for checks.

Before Brexit, it was easy to transport goods across this border because both sides followed the same EU rules. After the UK left, special trading arrangements were needed because Northern Ireland has a land border with the Republic of Ireland, which is part of the EU.

The EU has strict food rules and requires border checks when certain goods - such as milk and eggs - arrive from non-EU countries.

The land border is a sensitive issue because of Northern Ireland's troubled political history. It was feared that cameras or border posts - as part of these checks - could lead to instability.

The UK and the EU agreed that protecting the Northern Ireland peace deal - the Good Friday agreement - was an absolute priority.

So, both sides signed the Northern Ireland Protocol as part of the Brexit withdrawal agreement.

It is now part of international law.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-64780244

[Skybird]

"Deal is done."
The UK and the EU have reached a new deal over post-Brexit trade arrangements for Northern Ireland, sources on both sides tell the BBC. A senior UK government source says: "An agreement has been reached. The deal is done.”

https://www.bbc.com/news/live/uk-politics-64779415


Lets see if it can and will work. At first glance it does not look too bad, or does it?

[Jimbuna]

Much will depend on what the DUP make of the deal.