Topic: Brexit: "Vultus inanis est et mori in fossa ego sum!"

[TepidT2O]

The republic?

Yep.

Fucking disgusting behavior

I know they’re doing it on purpose and they know full well it won’t happen, but it still stinks.  It’s so utterly disrespectful.

[Billy The Kid]

Stupid baldy shit manager twat.

See, it's shit like this that I find genuinely and seriously worrying.

The stability of Northern Ireland is now in serious jeopardy and a return of violence a real possibility, yet Ian Holloway is championing Brexit on the grounds that it will allow for rule changes in football? I mean, what the actual fucking fuck? How can you be that myopic? How can you be that close minded? How can you be that ignorant? How can you be that reckless? And Holloway isn't the only one. There seems to be quite a few politicians who don't seem to be acknowledging the seriousness of the consequences that await Northern Ireland post October 31st. It's not just frustrating to watch, it's actually kind of fucking harrowing 

[Jiminy Cricket]

If anyone has paid any sort of attention to EU leaders, there will be no "Labour deal" even if Corbyn magically gets 100% of the parliament. There won't be any negotiations. That window has closed and EU has moved on with other issues.

There are three options: Remain, May's deal, and hard brexit

The last option will most likely end up in a situation similar to May's deal anyway. Legally different, but practically similar.

In effects, you are correct. But if Corbyn did become PM before Brexit, he'd repackage the deal and claim it as his own. So, Technically, a Labour Deal, drop Remain, and have No-Deal as the other option. And, if he loses the Referendum (No-Deal wins), he'd still win, because that's his (secretly) favoured option anyway.

Anyway, this all is highly unlikely. I cannot see Corbyn becoming PM, even for a temporary Unity Government.

[Jiminy Cricket]

Stupid baldy shit manager twat.

Steady.

[Billy The Kid]

The republic?

*edit - fuck me, that is staggering. Exactly what you’d expect from someone like Johnson. Monumental arrogance and an underlying assumption that Ireland still belongs to Britain in some way.

This doesn't surprise me and I don't think it will surprise most Irish people, including our Government

I said it on here yesterday that I reckon Johnson is going to attempt to pass the responsibility of dealing with the border issue over to the Irish Government

There's a clusterfuck waiting to happen here, and anyone with half a brain could see it coming the moment the Brexit referendum was touted

It's saddening and deflating to watch. It really is   

[Jiminy Cricket]

Mother of god!

Now they want Ireland to split from EU rules  temporarily.

Out fucking rageous

Link?

I can only find reference to this in that red-topped rag.

[eddymunster]

Link?

I can only find reference to this in that red-topped rag.

I've only seen a twitter link to the editor of the sun but it does contain a direct quote from a "senior minister".......

Which is apparently an idea ripped directly from Prosperity UK Ltd hedge fund Alternative arrangements commission, which the EU and Ireland have already rejected.

Again, all from twitter so.......

[TepidT2O]

I've only seen a twitter link to the editor of the sun but it does contain a direct quote from a "senior minister".......

I just saw something quoted on twitter from a senior minister.

Apologies if the original source was indeed him

[Millie]

Just want to make it clear I was in no way trying to trivialise Brexit by bring up football.

I am seriously worried re NI - seriously don't want to go back to anything like the troubles.  Can't believe politicians are not taking this seriously at all.  Twats the lot of them.

[redmark]

Yep.

Fucking disgusting behavior

I know they’re doing it on purpose and they know full well it won’t happen, but it still stinks.  It’s so utterly disrespectful.

With a border around the island of Ireland...

From the 'logic' of the Tory position, it's sort of inevitable. A hard border on the island of Ireland breaks the GFA. The UK has no need for customs checks on the border (because our standards are going to be shit within a year or two, so the bad stuff is only going one way). So the Tory UK government can claim not to be putting the GFA in jeopardy. Ireland, however, is still subject to EU rules and can't have an open border with a non-member and 'pollute' the rest of the EU with our genetically modified chlorinated chicken. But Ireland can't break the GFA, either. The UK government has offloaded the most difficult problem onto the Irish.

At that point, border checks (on goods with a supply chain crossing the invisible border on the island of Ireland, and with the mainland of Europe) might be pushed to the border between Ireland and the rest of the EU as a 'least painful' option - and a blind eye turned to trade only within the island of Ireland.

It's extremely shitty for Ireland, but I'm not sure Ireland has an alternative without damaging the GFA. And the problem applies in case of No Deal potentially urgently, so the Tory position may well be "you're going to have face this anyway, so you might as well put it in a deal".

[jepovic]

This doesn't surprise me and I don't think it will surprise most Irish people, including our Government

I said it on here yesterday that I reckon Johnson is going to attempt to pass the responsibility of dealing with the border issue over to the Irish Government

There's a clusterfuck waiting to happen here, and anyone with half a brain could see it coming the moment the Brexit referendum was touted

It's saddening and deflating to watch. It really is

Yes. Corbyn doesn't want to stop brexit. He wants the no deal, as long as Johnson takes the blame so that Corbyn can emerge from the ashes as the chosen one. Johnson has given up and is mainly trying to shift the blame on EU.

[filopastry]

There's been a lot written in recent months about how the Brexiteers want a hard Brexit at all costs (and thus preparing to exit on October 31st by delaying an election/proroguing Parliament if necessary) - which I think is wrong. The hard Brexiteers want the benefits (as they see them) of No Deal; to reap those benefits - a US trade deal, de-regulation, a full-on gig economy, etc - they need to be in power post Brexit.

I think the Tories want an election before October 31st (an election in the midst of food, medicine and fuel shortages would be a huge gamble) and the portrayal of the EUs position will start to shift (over the next week or so?) towards facilitating that.

Yes I think the approach that makes sense for the current Tories is that they want to be seen to be straining every muscle to deliver Brexit but were blocked by the filthy Remoaners in Parliament, so we get the joys of an election campaign built on a fiction of Parliament v The People, that is probably Johnson's best chance for a win.

I doubt he will want to fight an election in the immediate chaotic aftermath of a No-Deal Brexit in November, obviously they will try to pitch that as being caused by enemies without (EU) and within (collaborating Remoaners) but its a tougher sell.

[filopastry]

Its symptomatic of the sort of bollocks you could read for a fair while in the Brexit rag that the Torygraph has become, basically it boils down to "Ireland should know their place and remember who their masters are", vile fuckers

[oldfordie]

https://twitter.com/robharris/status/1163929537488576512?s=21

Ian Holloway sums up the stupidity of brexiteers

What are the WTO rules on hand ball.
Tosser.

[Iska]

Just want to make it clear I was in no way trying to trivialise Brexit by bring up football.

It’s not trivialising brexit to bring it up.  It’s another aspect of life where we’re being asked to take a leap into the unknown.  Sure it’s not as important as eg agriculture, but it’s still plenty of people’s livelihoods.

[Ghost Town]

If anyone has paid any sort of attention to EU leaders, there will be no "Labour deal" even if Corbyn magically gets 100% of the parliament. There won't be any negotiations. That window has closed and EU has moved on with other issues.

There are three options: Remain, May's deal, and hard brexit

The last option will most likely end up in a situation similar to May's deal anyway. Legally different, but practically similar.

There could be new negotiations and a new and different Labour deal if they changed the red lines. Think the EU would find it tough to justify not negotiating if an entirely new government with no, or different, red lines approached them, however late they think it is or exasperated they feel.

[Ghost Town]

Does anyone know the  implication relating to football?  (That idiotic Holloway clip sparked my interest).  The Bosman rule?  That will become defunct, surely? As it's EU Case Law.

Most existing EU laws will be enshrined in UK law as part of a one-off wrap up of legislation, and Bosman would be among them. There's no way the UK will unilaterally go back to treating players like chattel.

Also, Liverpool, recently have been buying some young talented players from Holland.  Is this coincidence, or have Liverpool's Board been buying these players now in case of Brexit?  Surely, if a no deal Brexit goes ahead, these young talented players will no longer be an option.  The same rules will surely apply, as it does to non EU players right now.

the granting of work permits to overseas players has always been up to the UK government to decide, except that our EU membership meant that EU players were free to come here and couldn't be stopped.

After Brexit the UK government could make it harder for EU players by imposing similar restrictions upon them to the ones they impose on non-EU players. A more inward, nationalistic mindset could hasten that.

It will be the best opportunity there has been for the bigots in football who have long wanted severe restrictions on how many non-UK players an English side can field, so I imagine they will clamour loudly for quotas. Whether it will work or not is another matter as a post-Brexit UK government would want to see English clubs do well on the European stage, so probably wouldn't hobble them - though you can't rule anything out with these morons.

[Jiminy Cricket]

From the 'logic' of the Tory position, it's sort of inevitable. A hard border on the island of Ireland breaks the GFA. The UK has no need for customs checks on the border (because our standards are going to be shit within a year or two, so the bad stuff is only going one way). So the Tory UK government can claim not to be putting the GFA in jeopardy. Ireland, however, is still subject to EU rules and can't have an open border with a non-member and 'pollute' the rest of the EU with our genetically modified chlorinated chicken. But Ireland can't break the GFA, either. The UK government has offloaded the most difficult problem onto the Irish.

As I understand it, the GFA was possible only because of mutual membership of the EU. The GFA even makes reference to the UK and Ireland being "partners in the European Union". Since successful operation (including an invisible border) of the GFA is only possible via mutual membership of the CU and SM, and since it is the UK who is leaving the EU, the UK are the ones responsible for breaking the GFA. Ireland has legal obligations to the EU, and the EU to the WTO.

At that point, border checks (on goods with a supply chain crossing the invisible border on the island of Ireland, and with the mainland of Europe) might be pushed to the border between Ireland and the rest of the EU as a 'least painful' option - and a blind eye turned to trade only within the island of Ireland.

This would be up to the UK.

It's extremely shitty for Ireland, but I'm not sure Ireland has an alternative without damaging the GFA. And the problem applies in case of No Deal potentially urgently, so the Tory position may well be "you're going to have face this anyway, so you might as well put it in a deal".

It is indeed extremely shitty for Ireland. They will really suffer economically, and none of it their fault. I can only assume (and hope) that the EU properly supports Ireland during this difficult time. I expect, after some time, it will be the UK who capitulates, ending up as an associate member of the EU, with no voting or vet rights, in the Euro, paying through the nose, etc.

[jepovic]

There could be new negotiations and a new and different Labour deal if they changed the red lines. Think the EU would find it tough to justify not negotiating if an entirely new government with no, or different, red lines approached them, however late they think it is or exasperated they feel.

What would be the point? There's already one agreement which UK doesn't want to respec, so why make another one? It was a huge effort to get 27 countries aligned once. There are so many other problems to deal with.

Remember that all the deal does is postpone many aspects of brexit until there is a trade deal. The final agreement could be based on other red lines.

Nah, Corbyn and Johnson are just playing a media blame game now.

[redmark]

As I understand it, the GFA was possible only because of mutual membership of the EU. The GFA even makes reference to the UK and Ireland being "partners in the European Union". Since successful operation (including an invisible border) of the GFA is only possible via mutual membership of the CU and SM, and since it is the UK who is leaving the EU, the UK are the ones responsible for breaking the GFA. Ireland has legal obligations to the EU, and the EU to the WTO.

That's the point, though - while the UK is responsible for this chain of consequences, it can claim not to be breaking the GFA, because the UK has no need of customs checks at the border (leaving aside the likelihood of wanting border security at some point in the future). Ireland has a contradiction - to have legal obligations for customs checks, while having legal obligations not to have a border.

In short, it's the UK's fault, but Ireland's problem. And the Tory position has some weight behind it - because that contradiction becomes an immediate reality in the event of a No Deal. If Johnson sticks his fingers in his ears for the next two and a bit months and we exit the EU, what does Ireland/the EU do about the border - given that the UK may choose simply to do nothing about their side of it?

[Ghost Town]

What would be the point? There's already one agreement which UK doesn't want to respec, so why make another one? It was a huge effort to get 27 countries aligned once. There are so many other problems to deal with.

Remember that all the deal does is postpone many aspects of brexit until there is a trade deal. The final agreement could be based on other red lines.

Nah, Corbyn and Johnson are just playing a media blame game now.

What's the point of Brexit? Or much of politics. They still have to do certain things, act in certain ways.

Remainers do this to themselves, as much as Leavers, making grandiose claims that aren't quite correct, because every aspect of the Brexit issue is based on the details and context, not on what you feel, or how annoyed you are.

It's true the EU won't enter into further negotiations with the current government; that's because everything that can be said, done and looked at has been said, done and looked at. The well is empty, based on the parameters and red lines from both sides.

The EU's parameters and red lines won't change, because they are rules-based. IF a new UK government is constituted and has the same parameters and red lines, or broadly the same, then there'll still be nothing more to discuss. But in the unlikely event that a new UK government is constituted who drop the current parameters and red lines and approach the EU to renegotiate then they will talk. You really think if Labour, or whoever, decide that they want to remain in the SM or that they no longer object to the Four Freedoms, that the EU will just say 'Sorry, too late!'?

[oldfordie]

That's the point, though - while the UK is responsible for this chain of consequences, it can claim not to be breaking the GFA, because the UK has no need of customs checks at the border (leaving aside the likelihood of wanting border security at some point in the future). Ireland has a contradiction - to have legal obligations for customs checks, while having legal obligations not to have a border.

In short, it's the UK's fault, but Ireland's problem. And the Tory position has some weight behind it - because that contradiction becomes an immediate reality in the event of a No Deal. If Johnson sticks his fingers in his ears for the next two and a bit months and we exit the EU, what does Ireland/the EU do about the border - given that the UK may choose simply to do nothing about their side of it?

I don't think that's correct. we have to have a border for 2 reasons, to protect the integrity of the WTO, we have to have customs to enforce WTO tariffs. theres also the most favoured nation rule which stops us treating one nation more favourable than other WTO countries, I think throwing open your borders to cut down on bureaucracy would be classed as breaking the rule, other countries may well demand we throw open our border to them as well.

[redmark]

I don't think that's correct. we have to have a border for 2 reasons, to protect the integrity of the WTO, we have to have customs to enforce WTO tariffs. theres also the most favoured nation rule which stops us treating one nation more favourable than other WTO countries, I think throwing open your borders to cut down on bureaucracy would be classed as breaking the rule, other countries may well demand we throw open our border to them as well.

Maybe. But it was government policy back in March, in preparation for No Deal.

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/temporary-tariff-regime-for-no-deal-brexit-published

The government has also confirmed today that it will take a temporary approach to avoid new checks and controls on goods at the Northern Ireland land border if the UK leaves the EU without a deal. The UK’s temporary import tariffs will therefore not apply to goods crossing from Ireland into Northern Ireland.

[Zeb]

May be relevant, from the Yellowhammer leak (so dating start of August at the earliest):

Northern Ireland

On Day 1 of No Deal, Her Majesty’s government will activate the “no new checks with limited exceptions” model announced on March 13, establishing a legislative framework and essential operations and system on the ground, to avoid an immediate risk of a return to a hard border on the UK side.
 
The model is likely to prove unsustainable because of economic, legal and biosecurity risks. With the UK becoming a “third [non-EU] country”, the automatic application of EU tariffs and regulatory requirements for goods entering Ireland will severely disrupt trade. The expectation is that some businesses will stop trading or relocate to avoid either paying tariffs that will make them uncompetitive or trading illegally; others will continue to trade but will experience higher costs that may be passed on to consumers. The agri-food sector will be hardest hit, given its reliance on complicated cross-border supply chains and the high tariff and non-tariff barriers to trade.
 
Disruption to key sectors and job losses are likely to result in protests and direct action with road blockades. Price and other differentials are likely to lead to the growth of the illegitimate economy. This will be particularly severe in border communities where criminal and dissident groups already operate with greater freedom. Given the tariff and non-tariff barriers to trade, there will be pressure to agree new arrangements to supersede the Day 1 model within days or weeks.

[Bobsackamano]

This seems to be a good summary of the situation. The UK applying for a WTO national security waiver on goods coming in.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-46892372

A smugglers wet dream!

[oldfordie]

Maybe. But it was government policy back in March, in preparation for No Deal.

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/temporary-tariff-regime-for-no-deal-brexit-published

The government has also confirmed today that it will take a temporary approach to avoid new checks and controls on goods at the Northern Ireland land border if the UK leaves the EU without a deal. The UK’s temporary import tariffs will therefore not apply to goods crossing from Ireland into Northern Ireland.

Am not saying we will put up a border but we should be under WTO rules, we are not just sticking two fingers up at the EU we are sticking two fingers up to all WTO members as well, thing is our politicians are trying to pass of these solutions as long term solutions, there's no way other countries will sit back and allow us to violate WTO trading rules. action will be taken and it maybe harsh, high punitive tariffs for one.

[jepovic]

-snip-
 You really think if Labour, or whoever, decide that they want to remain in the SM or that they no longer object to the Four Freedoms, that the EU will just say 'Sorry, too late!'?

Honestly, not sure, but that's a completely moot point, since Corbyn himself still hasn't formed a coherent and realistic opinion on Brexit. He's still selling fantasies that he knows full well are unacceptable to EU. He demands a referendum, without telling us what he would campaign for.

Even if Corbyn would suddenly have an opinion, his party is split. And even if he magically unites the party, the parliament is split. So, Corbyn would come to EU without a clear opinion, and without a clear mandate. You can find quotes from Barnier years ago, begging UK to make up their mind. You can't negotiate with someone who doesn't know what he wants. So my guess is that EU would just see it as a waste of time.

Of course, if suddenly Labour had the majority and had united around a particular type of Brexit, say Norway, then things could change. But that's about as likely as Corbyn winning Miss Universe.

[ShakaHislop]

Pissed me off earlier that a Sky News presenter had to be corrected on his repeated claims that the Yellowhammer documents detailed the "worst case scenario", when the Times report itself described it as setting out "the most likely aftershocks"

[Jiminy Cricket]

Pissed me off earlier that a Sky News presenter had to be corrected on his repeated claims that the Yellowhammer documents detailed the "worst case scenario", when the Times report itself described it as setting out "the most likely aftershocks"

Juts replied to Zeb on the other thread about the failure of politicians offering themselves up for interview, and when they do, repeatedly lying. Of course, the other side of the coin is crap, 'professional' journalists failing to carry out basic homework.

[thejbs]

I was at a wedding recently where a groomsman from England was discussing brexit with me. He voted for and was still for leave.  His cluelessness on the border nearly made me lose my cool with him. 

From our conversation, the things some leavers (and maybe remainers) still don't realise:

1. It's not up to the UK or the EU solely to implement border checks. It's up to both. The EU must check items coming into Ireland. The UK must check items coming into the UK.
2. The UK can't just decide not to implement border checks. I mean, they can BUT if they default to WTO and don't implement checks, other countries can rightfully claim that the EU is being treated favourably. The UK will then have to make borders open for everyone at all ports, or create a hard border in Ireland. The EU will have the same issue with it's Eastern borders.
3. The NI supply chain is complicated and relies on open EU borders. For example, Tesco gets fruit from mainland Europe. It'll have to be checked at the border before it can go to shops. This could affect fresh fruit produce that is out of season and some are rightfully apprehensive. For NI it's worse. Currently some food comes into England/Wales from Europe (check 1) is shipped to Dublin (Check 2) and then brought to NI (Check 3).
4. People's home and work often straddle the border.
5. Some farms and businesses actually straddle the border. You can enter a farm in NI and exit in ROI without going across an official land crossing. Other businesses have been deliberately setup so that manufacturing takes place in the North and ROI.  Guinness is brewed in Dublin and canned in Belfast (check 1) before going back to Dublin (check 2) where it is shipped on to Wales (check 3) and then onto Europe (check 4).  Much milk used in Baileys comes from NI to Dublin (check 1), is bottled in Belfast (check 2), goes back to Dublin (Check 3) and is shipped from Dublin to Wales (Check 4) and then onto the EU (Check 5).*
6. 'What about Gibraltar' comments to a NI person deserve to get you slapped. Gibraltar's land border is about a mile long and had ONE physical crossing.  NI border is two hundred miles long and has around 300 border crossings. It's like comparing apples and spaceships. Not to mention, a hard Gibraltar-style border in NI would certainly be a target to dissident republicans.
7. The EU will not be paying for all of the border checks. The UK will have to pay and man all entry points into NI. This will come from the taxpayer. Enjoy.
8. Yes, terrorist threats cannot hold sway over what we do in NI. But at the same time a terrorist threat cannot be ignored. To do so is negligent.
9. Yes, there's a ferry crossing between Belfast and Liverpool, but Dublin to Holyhead is used as it's more reliable, shorter and safer. It's the main route between Roi/NI and mainland UK.

I'm sure there are other points that will come to me when the red mist settles.

*he was drinking Guinness at the time while his wife had Baileys.

[Billy The Kid]

I was at a wedding recently where a groomsman from England was discussing brexit with me. He voted for and was still for leave.  His cluelessness on the border nearly made me lose my cool with him. 

Anyone who voted for Brexit without considering the border in Northern Ireland can fuck right off. Anyone who voted for Brexit and assumed that everything in Northern Ireland would be hunky dory can fuck even further off. Anyone who voted for Brexit in the full knowledge that it would destabilise Northern Ireland or anyone from Scotland England or Wales who thinks Northern Ireland "isn't their problem" can fuck right off until there is no further place to possibly fuck off to. As for the politicians who continue to downplay the seriousness of what awaits Northern Ireland, I hope that if there is a hell then these fuckers burn in it

[redmark]

Anyone who voted for Brexit without considering the border in Northern Ireland can fuck right off. Anyone who voted for Brexit and assumed that everything in Northern Ireland would be hunky dory can fuck even further off. Anyone who voted for Brexit in the full knowledge that it would destabilise Northern Ireland or anyone from Scotland England or Wales who thinks Northern Ireland "isn't their problem" can fuck right off until there is no further place to possibly fuck off to. As for the politicians who continue to downplay the seriousness of what awaits Northern Ireland, I hope that if there is a hell then these fuckers burn in it

I suspect the majority of people in Great Britain barely remember Northern Ireland exists most of the time, and certainly didn't think about the border with respect to Brexit.

[Billy The Kid]

I suspect the majority of people in Great Britain barely remember Northern Ireland exists most of the time, and certainly didn't think about the border with respect to Brexit.

That statement in itself perfectly underpins what a gargantuan clusterfuck this whole thing is. Whatever about the dumb and dumber types in society, the politicians who pushed this thing have absolutely no fucking excuse IMHO. They absolutely should have known better than to be so unashamedly reckless. c*nts the lot of them!

[ShakaHislop]

People can't say they weren't warned.

Tony Blair and Sir John Major unite to warn of Brexit threat

Tony Blair and Sir John Major have united to warn that Brexit could "tear apart the UK".

The former prime ministers and political adversaries shared a platform in Northern Ireland to warn that leaving the EU would be a "historic mistake" and mean "throwing all of the pieces of the constitutional jigsaw into the air."

.Speaking in Northern Ireland, the political heavyweights said a Brexit could:

    undermine the peace process in Northern Ireland
    trigger a second independence referendum in Scotland
    damage the UK's relationship with the Republic of Ireland and lead to the reintroduction of a "hard border"

https://www.itv.com/news/2016-06-09/tony-blair-sir-john-major-eu-referendum-northern-ireland/

[ShakaHislop]

Brexit: Health leaders issue new no-deal warning

Health leaders have written to Alexander Boris de Pfeffel Johnson issuing new warnings on the impact of a no-deal Brexit.

In a letter to the prime minister, the heads of 17 royal colleges and health charities across the UK say clinicians are "unable to reassure patients" their health and care will not be affected.

They go on to say they have "significant concerns about shortages of medical supplies".

Government said it was working with the health sector on "robust preparations".

The letter, co-ordinated by the Royal College of Physicians, is signed by the heads of organisations including the British Dental Association, the Royal Pharmaceutical Society, Kidney Care UK and the Royal College of Emergency Medicine.

It calls for the Health and Social Care Secretary Matt Hancock to be put on the EU exit strategy committee chaired by Fuckwitted Pob lookalike Michael Gove, who is in charge of no-deal planning.

The signatories argue that - given the scale of the NHS - without sufficient planning, even the smallest of problems could have "huge consequences on the lives of millions of people".

And they say: "The public rightly expects candour from us, and we are simply unable to reassure patients that their health and care won't be negatively impacted by the UK's exit from the EU."

There are also, despite ongoing conversations with the Department of Health and Social Care, "significant concerns about shortages of medical supplies", the letter adds.

"Delays at the border could exacerbate current supply issues and create the very real possibility that life-saving medication is delayed from making it across the Channel."

There have been concerns there will be tailbacks of lorries at Dover and Calais with longer customs checks, if there is a no-deal Brexit.

The government has said it is drawing up contingency plans to create more ferry capacity for medicines and other vital supplies on other routes.

More than two-thirds of the UK's pharmaceutical imports come from the EU.

Last week, the government announced a tender for a £25m contract for express freight services to deliver medicines with a short shelf life within 24 hours.

Pharmaceutical companies have been told to build up stockpiles of six weeks' supply of drugs.

Novo Nordisk, which manufactures insulin, told the BBC it had 18 weeks' worth of supplies in the UK and had secured ferry capacity to renew stocks.

A spokesman for the Department of Health and Social Care said the government was doing "everything appropriate to prepare to leave the EU on the 31st October, whatever the circumstance".

And he said it was working closely with the health and care system and industry on "robust preparations".

"Patients can be reassured that our plans should ensure the supply of medicines and medical products remains uninterrupted and they will continue to receive the excellent standard of care they currently do."

But Saffron Cordery, deputy chief executive of NHS Providers, which represents hospitals and other trusts in England, said: "We are in a very challenging situation 11 weeks out, despite all sorts of planning taking place by health and social care systems.

"I think we need to look at those items which cannot be stockpiled - short shelf life items such as supplies for radiotherapy, things which need refrigeration".

Health leaders have argued elsewhere that the NHS will already be overstretched on 31 October, with winter closing in and the risk that flu cases will increase.

They have noted that there is a virulent strain of flu in Australia, which has put great pressure on hospitals, and what happens there is usually a pointer to what will take place in Europe.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-49420841

[ShakaHislop]

Brexit: Fuckwitted Pob lookalike Michael Gove pledges to ensure traffic flows through ports

The UK government will do all it can to ensure traffic flows through ports after Brexit, its minister in charge of no-deal planning has said.

Visiting Holyhead, Fuckwitted Pob lookalike Michael Gove again dismissed leaked Whitehall documents predicting chaos as being out of date.

He said there was a new government under Alexander Boris de Pfeffel Johnson, taking steps to ensure the UK was "properly prepared" for Brexit on 31 October.

Port towns in England are being given an extra £9m to pay for preparations.

Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland will share an extra £1.7m of funding - which the Welsh Government deemed was "too little, too late".

The leaked dossier - codenamed Operation Yellowhammer - warned of food and medicine shortages if the UK left the European Union without a deal.

Mr Gove told the BBC that he had "seen those projections several weeks and months ago".

"They were material that was produced under the last government when Theresa May was prime minister," he said.

"The assumptions in that document were the product of work done then.

"We have a new government now, and under this new government we've been taking steps to make sure that we are properly prepared for exit on October 31."

The comments came as the UK government announced £9m extra funding for communities in England with major ports to help pay for Brexit preparations.

"Each local authority will have its own local resilience plan and will decide what is appropriate in its own specific set of circumstances," Mr Gove said.

Asked if he could guarantee no disruption at the ports, he added: "We're doing everything that we can in order to make sure that traffic continues to flow.

"I can't guarantee that there will be no delays - even today before we've left the EU I witnessed a delay here because one particular haulier in good faith didn't have the right documentation.

"Delays can occur at any point, but we're seeking to ensure that we minimise the prospect of delays so that whatever bumps in the road we face we're able to ride them out."

Mr Gove was speaking to harbour staff, council leaders and local haulage firms at Holyhead, the UK's second busiest roll-on roll-off ferry port.

It is also on the shortest route across the Irish Sea to the Republic of Ireland, with a sailing time to Dublin of just over three hours.

Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland will share an extra £1.7m funding as a result of the new money for English local authorities.

Under Treasury funding rules - known as the Barnett formula - the devolved administrations can spend the money however they wish.

However, the Welsh Government said the new funding was "too little, too late".

"We have worked with local authorities and port and ferry operators over the past 12 months to put in place robust contingency plans to reduce disruption caused by Brexit," a spokesperson said.

"However, it is clear that despite our extensive planning, a no-deal Brexit would be disastrous for Wales and place significant pressures on the ports and surrounding communities."

To put it into perspective, the leader of Portsmouth council was interviewed on Sky News yesterday and he said his council alone had already spent £4m. He said he wanted all of the money, funded from the council's budget, given back to them by the government but that the government had only offered £270,000.

Brexit: No-deal plan threatens UK fuel plants

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-49405270

Mr Gove also confirmed the UK government was reviewing its tax plans amid concerns that the UK's oil refineries could be threatened by a no-deal Brexit.

Refinery bosses have claimed they face a "danger to viability" from cheaper imports if the current 4.7% tariff on fuel imports from non-EU countries was scrapped, while exports to the EU faced new charges.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-politics-49420425

[ShakaHislop]

Nick Boles (an independent, former Tory, MP) rules out supporting a government of national unity that has Corbyn as its leader.

If he wants to be trusted on No Deal Brexit, Jeremy Corbyn needs to focus on legislation to secure an Article 50 extension and rule out facilitating any election before that has happened. My reply to his latest letter.

https://twitter.com/NickBoles/status/1164501233970896897

[Machae]

It's funny as most civil service departments and Government offices are told to be totally neutral and leave any "bad news" until after Brexit or keep quiet altogether (from an official perspective)

[TepidT2O]

Nick Boles (an independent, former Tory, MP) rules out supporting a government of national unity that has Corbyn as its leader.

https://twitter.com/NickBoles/status/1164501233970896897

Which is absurd.

But being pragmatic, we need to find a solution that satisfies all sides.

[ShakaHislop]

Which is absurd.

But being pragmatic, we need to find a solution that satisfies all sides.

No, it's not.