UK Politics Thread

[Jimbuna]

The door is "still ajar" for talks with the EU over a post-Brexit trade deal but only if it moves ground in key areas, Michael Gove has said.

Negotiations between the UK and the EU have stalled amid disagreements over fishing access and competition issues.

The cabinet minister told the BBC that the EU must speed up the negotiating process and offer the UK better terms.

The EU has said it is prepared to "intensify" talks but it would not agree a deal at "any price". https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-54589655

It's ain't over till the fat lady sings....apparently.

[Jimbuna]

Have EU-UK trade talks reached a dead end?
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-54609383

A fairly well written and unbiased article which leaves the individual to reach their own conclusion.

[Jimbuna]

The EU has said it is willing to "intensify" talks on a trade deal with the UK this week to try to break the impasse between the two sides.

Its negotiator Michel Barnier said the bloc was prepared to discuss all areas of disagreement, including fishing and competition, based on legal texts.

Michael Gove said he welcomed the bloc's latest "constructive" step.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-54603995

I'm still hanging onto that thin strand of hope.

[Skybird]

British House of Lords votes against single market law by a large majority 395:169. However, they can only delay it, not prevent it.


https://www.nzz.ch/international/bre...ien-ld.1579522

[Jimbuna]

The House of Lords have long been a pointless expensive luxury we could and should do without.

[skidman]

^Hm. But maybe they can at least bring the HoC and the PM to terms. The new Brexit bill has to be stopped.

I've given up on hoping for a trade agreement, we will soon see the ugly side of Brexit: Nobody will benefit, both sides will suffer. Stupid ideas give birth to malformed babies.

[Jimbuna]

Not so quick, there may yet be a light at the end of the tunnel.

A Brexit trade deal is “within reach”, Michel Barnier said before offering to meet all of the UK’s conditions to reboot negotiations with Brussels.

The chief negotiator said that both the UK and EU would have to compromise to get the agreement done in a conciliatory speech to the European Parliament in the Belgian capital.

Mr Barnier said, “We want a deal that will be mutually beneficial to both parties in respect of the autonomy and sovereignty of both sides. A deal reflecting a balanced compromise."

He added, “Despite the difficulties we've faced an agreement is within reach. If both sides are willing to work constructively, if both sides are willing to compromise.”

The speech was intended to satisfy a British demand that Brussels makes clear it will compromise, as well as the UK, to get a deal before negotiations resume. https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/brexi...id=mailsignout

[Skybird]

Words, words, words. You still give something for them? I don't. The actors had interests and agendas form beginning on, and they have not changed. It gets decided by who is stronger, and the UK sits at the longer, stronger lever, after all. It will get it according to Johnson's will - no deal, that is (I'm saying this since a very long time - and there is nothign the EU can do about that. All the time Johnson was only about not havign too many fingers pointign at him when the no-deal becomes reality. Minimising the blame for "no deal" - that is what he always wanted. Not: "getting a deal", that was never his agenda since that referendum's outcome.

Sovereignty necessarily must mean, with the EU raising so many non-trade demands to a trade agreement: no deal.


A clear cut, I was all for it before Corona, I do not like foul compromises. But the pandemic has messed up all expectations and estimations and calculations. Now I do not know anymore.

[Jimbuna]

That's your take on it and I respect that but I will remain ever the optimist until the lights are switched off.

It is still in both sides best interest to come to a deal.

[Jimbuna]

EU chief negotiator Michel Barnier will arrive in London later today to resume talks over a post-Brexit trade agreement, after a week-long standoff.

The Frenchman will meet his UK counterpart Lord David Frost, after the pair agreed to restart face-to-face talks during a phone call on Wednesday.

Officials from both sides will hold "intensified" daily talks in the run up to December's deadline for a deal.

No 10 warned that "significant gaps" remain in the most difficult areas.

Negotiations stalled last week after a summit in Brussels where EU leaders called on the UK to "make the necessary moves" towards a deal.

But the UK side agreed to resume talks after Mr Barnier said "compromises on both sides" were needed, in a speech on Wednesday.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-54642907

Fingers, toes, eyes and everything else crossed.

Here's hoping.

[Jimbuna]

Talks over a post-Brexit trade deal have resumed in London, after negotiators returned to the table following a week-long standoff.

International Trade Secretary Liz Truss insisted a deal can still be done with the EU, as officials began a new round of "intensified" daily talks.

EU chief negotiator Michel Barnier has warned that "every day counts" ahead of a looming December deadline.

He said both sides share a "huge common responsibility" as talks restarted.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-54642907

Britain and Japan have formally signed a trade agreement, marking the UK's first big post-Brexit deal.

The deal, unveiled last month, means nearly all its exports to Japan will be tariff free while removing British tariffs on Japanese cars by 2026.

UK International Trade Secretary Liz Truss called it a "ground-breaking, British-shaped deal".

But critics have said it will boost UK GDP by only 0.07%, a fraction of the trade that could be lost with the EU.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-54654814

[skidman]

The deal, unveiled last month, means nearly all its exports to Japan will be tariff free while removing British tariffs on Japanese cars by 2026.

I'm not exactly sure how this will pan out, but with Honda having already announced they will close down Swindon, Nissan (Sunderland) and Toyota (Burnaston) might mimic that pattern if they can import tariff free.

Of course the Nippon-UK deal puts pressure on European manufacturers producing in the UK (Opel/Vauxhall/PSA, BMW and VW), but actually the UK is between a rock and a hard place here. It makes no difference if the EU can import cars tariff free like the Japanese. No tariffs = close down plants and build them cars cheaper somewhere else. Tariffs = close down plants and accept less cars are sold in the UK, because the UK market share is neglectable. Either way it's Good Bye to the jobs in Luton, Ellesmere Port, Oxford, Goodwood and Crewe.

A Bentley produced in Slovakia? A Rolls-Royce build in Portugal? A Mini from China? Sounds horrible to a Motorman's ears, I know. Well, stupid ideas give birth to malformed babies.

[Jimbuna]

This if true surprises me.

EMMANUEL MACRON is on the verge of caving in over fishing and other key demands, insiders have suggested - paving the way for a post-Brexit trade deal. https://www.express.co.uk/news/world...ier-news-today

[Jimbuna]

The chief negotiators for the UK and EU will continue post-Brexit trade talks in London until Wednesday, says No 10.

Michel Barnier arrived in the UK on Thursday to restart negotiations with Lord David Frost after they stalled last week - but he was due to return home on Sunday.

EU sources told the BBC more talks are also planned in Brussels from Thursday.

Northern Ireland Secretary Brandon Lewis said the extended talks were "a very good sign" a deal can be done.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-54681400

[Jimbuna]

Police are investigating a road collision involving Sir Keir Starmer, which saw a cyclist taken to hospital.

The Labour leader is understood to have been driving in the Kentish Town area of north London when the incident happened around midday on Sunday.

A spokesman for Sir Keir said he stayed at the scene until an ambulance arrived and reported the incident at a police station later that day.

The Met Police said the driver was not arrested nor interviewed under caution.

They added that the male cyclist suffered a minor injury to his arm and was taken to hospital by ambulance "as a precaution".

Sir Keir, a former director of public prosecutions, is not believed to have been injured. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-54701336

Good to know he carried out the correct procedure.