EU referendum, brexit and the aftermath

When care home workers in the UK quit to deliver parcels for Amazon you know you have deeper wage issues Brexit won't fix.

Hope you at least still get some enjoyment at work :)

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2022/may/08/uk-will-do-whatever-necessary-to-reform-northern-ireland-brexit-protocol-says-dominic-raab

Now perhaps there is something I'm missing...my first reaction is Bollocks.

The EU has offered ways to reduce goods checks months ago well before the Ukraine war. The response was threats with involving A16. So "government will do whatever to reform protocol" sounds like more cherry picking.

Cherries that are now mouldy and in the brown bin.

No real surprise in the view of the EU to more sabre rattling from the tories and unionist intransigence

“The Taoiseach has said the European Union has shown great flexibility in relation to the Northern Ireland Protocol, but this "has not been reciprocated".

Micheál Martin said this has "made the EU more cautious" in relation to its negotiations with the British government.”

No surprise but it means no Stormont which means no sign off on the NHS budget and strategy.

We have serious problems here, it was ready to go then the dup threw a tantrum.

Many of the Tories are fine with that, clearly, as they are happy to keep stirring the NI protocol pot.

Honestly, ‘politics’ is a joke here. It’s like children in a preschool arguing over their toys.
Any progress is glacial and,even when there is movement, it’s one step forward and two back.
I despair and I am usually patient but I can’t see any real difference between pre - election and now.

As an outsider who is probably wrong - I assume that the DUP want to see the re-imposition of direct rule from Westminster, rather than a Stormont that reflects last weeks vote?

I assume that the DUP want to see the re-imposition of direct rule from Westminster, rather than a Stormont that reflects last weeks vote

The DUP would take direct rule from Moscow ahead of a Stormont that reflects last weeks vote.

There are many decent politicians here. Sure am I going to agree with all they do, no, but that's politics.

I'm sad the greens and socialists didn't do well ok fine I'll annoy Alliance then, the new one here I can live with.

Thanks to the mandatory coalition rules we cannot have a SF Alliance UUP government.

But yeah we just had an election and thanks to the DUP and Tories still nothing!

‘All they do’ - honestly, that isn’t very much. I’d like a job like that 😁

Nothing to stop you trying.

I don't think it's that easy to get votes.

People need to like the "brand"& the policies.

And you better not add cycle lanes as transport minister or bye bye seat...

And then there is the moronic guerning / blame games and other nonsense that takes up time.

But tgr for the local council? Why not!

Fines for whataboutery be my first policy 😜

I will leave it to those who are into that type of thing. My opinion of all politicians are that they are thieves albeit mostly unconvicted. How can this country ever work like a ‘normal country’ whilst sectarianism remains. Vote for a religion - it doesn’t make for good politicians or good policies and never can.
I would be supportive of everyone having to vote - interestingly that may scare some politicians here.

In what sense are they all thieves?

The sectarianism, well younger people are far less orange or green, on average.

But with either SF or the DUP able to collapse Stormont we are going nowhere, again.

Mandatory voting I don't know if it will resolve sectarian voting...?

The expenses scandal. Normal people in normal jobs would be dismissed for fraudulent claims. Oddly, this really really annoys me!

Also second jobs, effectively stealing time from constituents with no downside for the MP, not even a proportionate reduction in their MP salary.

That's fair, that was pure ridiculous.

RHI meeting notes not being taken is another one!

Definitely agree better anti corruption laws are needed.

Politicians who are not corrupt are rare. And likely don’t exist here.

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2022/may/14/boris-johnson-backs-away-from-northern-ireland-protocol-threat-ahead-of-talks?CMP=Share_AndroidApp_Other

So now he's not scrapping it. FFS it's like Brexit all the time, it's not done, there's no direction and I doubt he is going to tell Truss to sign up to improvements to force the DUP to get into government.

Meanwhile, despite the paperwork hassle and cost, manufacturing is up and inflation is bad but less than GB.

Of course the brexiters only quote the problems...from the protocol they signed up for.

https://www.theguardian.com/education/2022/jun/01/uk-may-soon-abandon-80bn-horizon-europe-network-universities-warn?CMP=Share_AndroidApp_Other

Ok I don't think it's classy the EU blocks horizon over the even less classy bull over the NI protocol. Unfortunately emotions are now running high. But it's not I think the strategic or morally right thing to do.

https://www.theguardian.com/business/2022/may/30/brexit-uk-firms-eu-trade-northern-ireland?CMP=share_btn_tw

Some trading statistics in here for the interested.

I don't see this mess go until the Westminster government goes...how many more sleeps?

Penny (or ha'ppeny) slowly dropping?

https://www.politicshome.com/thehouse/article/we-can-upgrade-brexit-and-ease-the-cost-of-living-by-going-back-to-the-single-market

https://twitter.com/joncstone/status/1534835271115673600

Looks like NI will get screwed over to please the ERG and save Johnson
https://news.sky.com/story/theres-one-clear-winner-after-boris-johnsons-grim-week-and-its-not-keir-starmer-or-the-tory-rebels-12631454

The benefits just keep coming thick and fast

It will go to the HOL who vote it down, then it goes through parliament who vote it through..or not?

And if that happens the EU parliament and commission both will potentially finally put the squeeze on with targeted sanctions and more cost increases and economic misery.

Given how the confidence vote went I don't think Boris can count on any legislation being passed through the commons despite the majority he holds on paper.

Fingers crossed