Topic: Brexit. the Con continues

[Red-Soldier]

Ooh get you miss pixel 4a.
Possibly more secure than a wireless phone ?

Was just about to say this.

Wired is generally more secure than wireless.

[Elmo!]

A lot of offices are going to things like Teams for voice calls but generally the vast majority will still use phones like that.

They connect up to a PBX which allows them to do all sorts of things with phone routing. Wifi phones are a nightmare if you use more than a handful.

[reddebs]

Ooh get you miss pixel 4a.
Possibly more secure than a wireless phone ?

So how the hell does he multi task if he's stuck in one spot whilst he's talking [emoji16]

No wonder the country's gone to the dogs!

[Skeeve]

So how the hell does he multi task if he's stuck in one spot whilst he's talking [emoji16]

No wonder the country's gone to the dogs!

He can't even single task properly, so expecting multi seems overly optimistic.

[Ziltoid]

Alexander Boris de Pfeffel Johnson talking with Biden ... or not.

https://twitter.com/SebastianEPayne/status/1353319403740426242



"optical illusion" 

[PaulF]

Haha, Bernie sees dead people.

[PaulF]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-55796426

Credit card giant Mastercard is to raise the fees it charges merchants when UK cardholders buy goods and services from the EU by fivefold.

It has sparked fears that consumer prices could rise if merchants choose to pass on those costs, especially on items not available from UK retailers.

Transactions with airlines, hotels, car rentals and holiday firms based in the EU could all be affected.

Mastercard attributed the move to the UK's decision to leave the EU.

It added that "in practice" UK consumers would not notice the move.

The change affects the "interchange" fees Mastercard sets on behalf of big banks, so that its customers can use their payment networks.

Visa and Mastercard accused of 'excessive' fees
'I was asked to pay an extra £82 for my £200 coat'
From October, Mastercard said it would increase these fees to 1.5% on every transaction, up from 0.3%.

The EU introduced a cap on such fees in 2015 after concerns they pushed prices up for consumers and unfairly burdened companies.

Analysis box by Dharshini David, global trade correspondent
British customers makes tens of billions of pounds of purchases every year from European merchants on credit cards alone - and the hike in fees from Mastercard will affect the majority of those.

The increase may be relatively small but it's significant, coming at a time when retailers may face extra paperwork and checks - higher costs - for goods coming into the UK.

With Covid restrictions bringing their own challenges, businesses, especially smaller ones, may be compelled to pass on the costs to consumers.

And it's not just items crossing borders. The payments for most items bought on Amazon in the UK are processed via its Luxembourg headquarters.

With the increase not coming in for several months, international companies may look at ways to reclassify UK sales, to avoid the charges.

Mastercard is implementing the rises simply as it's no longer bound by the restrictions imposed by the UK being in the EU. The banks which receive the fees have said in the past that they are invested in areas such as card security and innovation. This time, however, the trade body which represents them has declined to comment on the rises.

2px presentational grey line
But Mastercard said that since the end of the Brexit transition period, the cap no longer applied to many payments between the UK and European Economic Area (which also includes Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway).

"As a result of the UK leaving the EEA, Mastercard will adapt interchange rates on UK cards to the commitments it gave the European Commission in 2019 for non-EEA card transactions," the company said.

"In practice, only EEA merchants making e-commerce sales to UK cardholders will see a change."

'Opportunism'
Kevin Hollinrake, chair of the parliamentary group on Fair Business Banking, told the Financial Times, which first reported the story, that the move "smacks of opportunism".

And Callum Godwin, chief economist at CMSPI, the global payments consultancy, said airlines, hotels, car rentals and travel groups would be hit.

"[This will happen] anywhere the consumer is in the UK and the merchant is in the EU," he said.

He added that many firms in these industries were already struggling due to the pandemic.

Visa, Mastercard's larger rival, has not announced plans to change its fees but told the FT it was keeping the issue under review.

Companies in the UK and EU are already facing added costs and delays due to post-Brexit trade rules brought in on 1 January.

Some EU exporters have already stopped deliveries to the UK because of new VAT related charges.

Meanwhile, UK consumers who have bought goods from firms based in the bloc have found themselves facing hefty charges to cover customs duties, taxes and administration.

Project fear though  , innit.

[rob1966]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-55796426

Project fear though  , innit.

Bloody Remoaners ignoring all the positives of Brexit.

I mean there is all this big list of how Brexit has already made things better below

[Jono69]

Not sure where some of you are shopping but I've been to Tescos. Morrisons and Asda since the start of the year as I'm a bit of a shop slag and can honestly say all fruit and vegetables have been fully stocked

[Jono69]

Bloody Remoaners ignoring all the positives of Brexit.

I mean there is all this big list of how Brexit has already made things better below

You forgot to put all the good stuff down Rob 

[PaulF]

Not sure where some of you are shopping but I've been to Tescos. Morrisons and Asda since the start of the year as I'm a bit of a shop slag and can honestly say all fruit and vegetables have been fully stocked

I'll let you off , but only because I love your avatar.

[blert596]

You forgot to put all the good stuff down Rob 

I think he must have accidently switched to white text mate. I cant think of any other reason not to be able to see the benefits.

[Jono69]

I'll let you off , but only because I love your avatar.

Thanks

[oldfordie]

Maybe we should start off a "Lets join the EU"  party. all we need is a few slogans.
Absolutely no down side to joining the EU,.
Not 1 job lost.
Easiest deal in history.
Lets join the EU we can send £350 mill a week to the NHS.
Lets join the EU, we can save our fishing industry.
Lets join the EU, we can save our Farming industry
Lets join the EU, we can cut out the costly import/exporting red tape.
We can get far better trade deals than the ones we have now.

[Jiminy Cricket]

Maybe we should start off a "Lets join the EU"  party. all we need is a few slogans.
Absolutely no down side to joining the EU,.
Not 1 job lost.
Easiest deal in history.
Lets join the EU we can send £350 mill a week to the NHS.
Lets join the EU, we can save our fishing industry.
Lets join the EU, we can save our Farming industry
Lets join the EU, we can cut out the costly import/exporting red tape.
We can get far better trade deals than the ones we have now.

Sounds familiar for some reason, but I like it!

[redbyrdz]

Nearly fell afoul of a Brexit thing yesterday. Was going to order some bike stuff from an online shop. Website in English, .co.uk adress, prices in £. UK phone number for customer support. Add stuff to my basket, go to checkout - just under where it tells you how much VAT is included, is a line "customs charges are the responsibility of the buyer". Er, what?  No address of where they're shipping from anywhere on the website. No mentioning of customs in their T&C, just shipping charges. On a closer look, the place is registered in Barcelona. I know it's hard for small companies, but surely they must tell you if they're not shipping from the country they're selling in?

(Mostly posting this to say, watch out when you're buying stuff online.)

[eddymunster]

Sounds familiar for some reason, but I like it!

I think it could really do with a dash of xenophobia and a pinch of casual racism if it's going to be a real vote winner.

[PaulF]

I think it could really do with a dash of xenophobia and a pinch of casual racism if it's going to be a real vote winner.

Not  to mention some blatant lies plastered on the side of a bus.
I'm curious , in the grand scheme of things , what impact that had.

Is the vaccine issue a BIG win for brexiters? I know the details are coming out slowly, but it's looking like we will be way ahead with the vaccine. Could we / would we have ordered bucket loads if we were in the EU proper?

[rob1966]

Not  to mention some blatant lies plastered on the side of a bus.
I'm curious , in the grand scheme of things , what impact that had.

Is the vaccine issue a BIG win for brexiters? I know the details are coming out slowly, but it's looking like we will be way ahead with the vaccine. Could we / would we have ordered bucket loads if we were in the EU proper?

The way Morgan was yakking on this morning, has was trying to make it sound like the EU were clowns

[J_Kopite]

The way Morgan was yakking on this morning, has was trying to make it sound like the EU were clowns

It's hard to come to any other conclusion on this issue, it looks like they've spectacularly mishandled it.

[redbyrdz]

It's hard to come to any other conclusion on this issue, it looks like they've spectacularly mishandled it.

Woudn't call it that, they are just very slow. That's the problem when trying to keep 27 countries happy.

It's always easier when you are just dealing with one country, and can do what you want. Look how quickly Israel are vaccinating.

[eddymunster]

Not  to mention some blatant lies plastered on the side of a bus.
I'm curious , in the grand scheme of things , what impact that had.

Is the vaccine issue a BIG win for brexiters? I know the details are coming out slowly, but it's looking like we will be way ahead with the vaccine. Could we / would we have ordered bucket loads if we were in the EU proper?

I've two issues with that;

1. We could have (and did) choose this path from within the EU, so from a could point of view, yes, from a would point of view, if we could, then that'd be the fault of our government, not the fault of being a part of the EU.
2. I don't see how the vaccine can be a win for Brexiteers, unless millions of people before the vote somehow understood modern pandemic response and voted on that basis 3+ years before anyone had even heard of Covid-19.

[J_Kopite]

Woudn't call it that, they are just very slow. That's the problem when trying to keep 27 countries happy.

It's always easier when you are just dealing with one country, and can do what you want. Look how quickly Israel are vaccinating.

You would absolutely not make similar excuses for the UK government if they'd messed this up!

[rob1966]

I've two issues with that;

1. We could have (and did) choose this path from within the EU, so from a could point of view, yes, from a would point of view, if we could, then that'd be the fault of our government not being a part of the EU.
2. I don't see how the vaccine can be a win for Brexiteers, unless millions of people before the vote somehow understood modern pandemic response and voted on that basis 3+ years before anyone had even heard of Covid-19.

You know they way they work, UK approves first, vaccinated 6.5 million by 25th Jan. EU slow as shit, disorganised, yadda yadda yadda = UK > EU. The Gammons will take everything at face value and cannot wait to put the boot in. They see the inability to import from the EU as a benefit, we can make our own clothes, grow our own tomatoes etc etc. Brexiteers are thick and will believe any old shite so long as its got a union jack and a blue passoprt.

[12C]

Not  to mention some blatant lies plastered on the side of a bus.
I'm curious , in the grand scheme of things , what impact that had.

Is the vaccine issue a BIG win for brexiters? I know the details are coming out slowly, but it's looking like we will be way ahead with the vaccine. Could we / would we have ordered bucket loads if we were in the EU proper?

The fact that years later you are referring to the side of a bus, in relation to spreading your message tells us how effective a stunt it actually was.
Even today people ask where the £350m is.
A bit like the Arteta money...

[rob1966]

The fact that years later you are referring to the side of a bus, in relation to spreading your message tells us how effective a stunt it actually was.
Even today people ask where the £350m is.
A bit like the Arteta money...

Shame most people forget Frottages denials the day after the vote

[Machae]

Is the vaccine issue a BIG win for brexiters? I know the details are coming out slowly, but it's looking like we will be way ahead with the vaccine. Could we / would we have ordered bucket loads if we were in the EU proper?

Its like the ying and yang. Worse for deaths as a proportion of the population, but the vaccination program is going well!

[eddymunster]

Its like the ying and yang. Worse for deaths as a proportion of the population, but the vaccination program is going well!

Ye but everyone knows you can't compare death tolls between countries, unlike vaccine roll-out, for some reason....

[killer-heels]

Gordon Brown can fuck off with his meeting with Gove. You will see lots of Remainers being asked to save the Union.

Fuck the UK Union, seeing it break apart will be fantastic.

[PaulF]

The fact that years later you are referring to the side of a bus, in relation to spreading your message tells us how effective a stunt it actually was.
Even today people ask where the £350m is.
A bit like the Arteta money...

It was staggering, and I think that's my point.  Yes, there are racists and xenophobes that voted for it. But I think a lot of people were 'undecided' \ really didn't care.  The idea of our precious NHS getting a bunch more money, swung it for them.  And once they'd picked a side that was it, it didn't matter if the bus was wrong, or anything else. They were now team Brexit and nothing would change their decision.  I can see lots of 'politics' happening like this in future. Get your emotive message out there, don't worry about the facts, then just reel in the votes.

[Jono69]

Is the vaccine issue a BIG win for brexiters? I know the details are coming out slowly, but it's looking like we will be way ahead with the vaccine. Could we / would we have ordered bucket loads if we were in the EU proper?

I would imagine so and if the EU were doing really well and the UK were doing badly then people on here would be ...................


The whole Brexit thing is so emotive and always will be . It should never have got to the stage where people were allowed to vote but the whole leave argument /charade call it what you will was an absolute disgrace with some of the lies that were told

Many years ago Brexit would have wound me up /worried me so much I can't really explain it but that was like a lot of things in life . It was only when someone sat me down and spoke to me about why I let things I couldn't control worry me so much that I started to handle things better

[Red-Soldier]

Gordon Brown can fuck off with his meeting with Gove. You will see lots of Remainers being asked to save the Union.

Fuck the UK Union, seeing it break apart will be fantastic.

This.

Brown can totally do one!  The Scots remember him cosying up with Cameron and the Torys before the previous Indy Ref.  They don't forget!

[Wabaloolah]

Not  to mention some blatant lies plastered on the side of a bus.
I'm curious , in the grand scheme of things , what impact that had.

Is the vaccine issue a BIG win for brexiters? I know the details are coming out slowly, but it's looking like we will be way ahead with the vaccine. Could we / would we have ordered bucket loads if we were in the EU proper?

That's exactly how they will paint it, I guess there is an argument that says our vaccination programme wouldn't have been where we are if we were still within the EU.


Is it the case? Well, as I don't believe any other EU countries have ordered their own supplies I guess it possibly is true that we were able to get our own orders in and approve the vaccines before anyone else.


Had Brexit not have happened though, maybe the EU would have had more vaccines to share amongst it's member states including the UK.


Was Brexit a good idea? - No
Has Brexit helped us to get ahead with the vaccination programme? -Yes
Will it be used as propaganda that Brexit was a good idea? - you can guarantee that it will

[Wabaloolah]

This.

Brown can totally do one!  The Scots remember him cosying up with Cameron and the Torys before the previous Indy Ref.  They don't forget!

well given the fact that Labour's policy was to campaign for a No vote what did you expect him to do?

[stoa]

You know they way they work, UK approves first, vaccinated 6.5 million by 25th Jan. EU slow as shit, disorganised, yadda yadda yadda = UK > EU. The Gammons will take everything at face value and cannot wait to put the boot in. They see the inability to import from the EU as a benefit, we can make our own clothes, grow our own tomatoes etc etc. Brexiteers are thick and will believe any old shite so long as its got a union jack and a blue passoprt.

Just to make sure everyone is on the same page regarding what the EU are doing in terms of vaccination. They are NOT responsible for getting people vaccinated. They aquired the vaccines for all the countries and make sure that every country gets their fair share of the deliveries. Getting the vaccine into people's arms is the responsibility of the individual member states. Sovereignty you could call it. So, comparing what the EU is doing to what the UK is doing is comparing apples to oranges, if we're talking about the whole process of getting people vaccinated. If you want to compare the two you can only look at vaccine acquirement. You could argue that the EU didn't do a good enough job there, but at the same time you could argue that things just didn't go their way. At the end of the day, it will all depend on what happens in the next few weeks and months. With what I know at the moment, I don't really have an issue with how the EU got the vaccine. The problems rather seem to be down to vaccine producers not being able to deliver enough doses.

[Qston]

That's exactly how they will paint it, I guess there is an argument that says our vaccination programme wouldn't have been where we are if we were still within the EU.


Is it the case? Well, as I don't believe any other EU countries have ordered their own supplies I guess it possibly is true that we were able to get our own orders in and approve the vaccines before anyone else.


Had Brexit not have happened though, maybe the EU would have had more vaccines to share amongst it's member states including the UK.


Was Brexit a good idea? - No
Has Brexit helped us to get ahead with the vaccination programme? -Yes
Will it be used as propaganda that Brexit was a good idea? - you can guarantee that it will

In a nutshell

[Elmo!]

This.

Brown can totally do one!  The Scots remember him cosying up with Cameron and the Torys before the previous Indy Ref.  They don't forget!

Brown is an arsehole. He is in complete denial about his actions in the referendum and how much he has lost respect in Scotland.

No one pays any attention to him anymore but Labour and Westminster still seem to think he will be the saviour of the Union.

[oldfordie]

That's exactly how they will paint it, I guess there is an argument that says our vaccination programme wouldn't have been where we are if we were still within the EU.


Is it the case? Well, as I don't believe any other EU countries have ordered their own supplies I guess it possibly is true that we were able to get our own orders in and approve the vaccines before anyone else.


Had Brexit not have happened though, maybe the EU would have had more vaccines to share amongst it's member states including the UK.


Was Brexit a good idea? - No
Has Brexit helped us to get ahead with the vaccination programme? -Yes
Will it be used as propaganda that Brexit was a good idea? - you can guarantee that it will

How has Brexit helped us get ahead on the vaccination programme. we could have made the exact same decisions we have made if we had still been members of the EU.

[TSC]

That's exactly how they will paint it, I guess there is an argument that says our vaccination programme wouldn't have been where we are if we were still within the EU.


Is it the case? Well, as I don't believe any other EU countries have ordered their own supplies I guess it possibly is true that we were able to get our own orders in and approve the vaccines before anyone else.


Had Brexit not have happened though, maybe the EU would have had more vaccines to share amongst it's member states including the UK.


Was Brexit a good idea? - No
Has Brexit helped us to get ahead with the vaccination programme? -Yes
Will it be used as propaganda that Brexit was a good idea? - you can guarantee that it will

EU member states didn’t have to wait on bloc (eu) approval and procurement.  They were free to do as uk done but choose to wait.  May be the case though that individual member states did not have their own regulatory bodies.  In fact UK made its decision to ‘go’ in accordance with existing EU law.

[Wabaloolah]

How has Brexit helped us get ahead on the vaccination programme. we could have made the exact same decisions we have made if we had still been members of the EU.

why haven't the likes of France/Germany etc made those same decisions then?