EU referendum, brexit and the aftermath

I went to the most Brexit place in Britain to ask if they regret it

https://twitter.com/edcmpbl/status/1596183362846470145

The amazing thing about these interviews is that after all these years people still don't understand what EU membership did and did not mean for the UK.

There is a certain amount of not realising what's going on with remainers. After all these years we should have realised that half the country are incapable of critical thinking. Sadly no amount of practical evidence seems to make much difference on either side.

It’s not amazing, it’s depressing how long the lies have endured

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2022/nov/26/edwin-poots-defends-attempt-to-dilute-northern-ireland-protocol-bill-brexit-dup

Sumak promised to sort something for next year's anniversary of the GFA but Jeffrey of the DUP still wants the protocol gone.

Well lovely will we ever have a government?

Therefore "making it work" just means "succeeding despite the huge economic millstone tied round your neck."

Surely the moral of this sorry tale is that "making it work" means "moving your business to the EU"?

The Observer reports that a major free trade agreement signed between Britain and Japan post-Brexit has been labelled a failure after government figures revealed exports had fallen since it came into force. In October 2020, then-trade secretary Liz Truss signed the deal, calling it a "landmark moment" for Britain. However, figures from the Department for International Trade show exports to Japan fell from £12.3bn to £11.9bn in the year to June 2022, the paper reports.

I think a big chunk of that is supply chain stuff- Honda used to send Civics from Luton to Japan. No longer.

No idea if relevant but I read that Japan is seeing a raipidly rising rate of imports at the moment...posisbly even more damning about the trade deal if Japan is importing more in general, just less from the UK.

Does what you read specify where the import coming from?

Found the article I saw

https://apnews.com/article/business-japan-global-trade-balance-35a9f9b08d66fb6887cb90255398baad

With apologies for a titleless chart, this is what Japanese imports from the EU look like up until last month. A record high.

Definitely doesn't look great that UK is selling them less.

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Which isn't surprising given their energy policy and reliance on imports

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Edited because i was talking shite

These are the categories that Japan imports most from the UK (or perhaps did). In order of value.

Power generation equipment
Vehicles
Machinery
Chemicals
Pharmaceuticals
Scientific equipment
Food and drink

Let's not forget the reaction to Truss' 'Soy Sauce' deal https://twitter.com/fullfact/status/1321497204079554563

Up there with the cheese speech!

Let's not forget the reaction to Truss' 'Soy Sauce' deal

Looking forward to bringing that up next time someone tries to come up with some Brexit benefits.

I love to Kikkoman when he's down

Doesn’t the EU deal with Japan give the EU the nod on any major trade deal that Japan does after signing?

I love to Kikkoman when he's down

👏

This alone is worth bringing the rep function back for.

My parents have got it into their heads that border force are asking EU residents for proof they're allowed to remain when coming into the UK but that the home office letter they've got for my mother is insufficient. I can't find anything in particular online about it, does anyone know if this is a thing or if my folks are over reacting to something they read?

I don't know if that is always the case but when I returned to Heathrow from Germany I went through the E-gates using my German passport and didn't have to talk to anybody.
They still had the queue at the border control split into UK & EU and other.

I couldn't keep watching but LOLs at the bloke that didn't want his wife's family coming over from Turkey :D

My missus has been hassled by airline staff about 'showing them the ID card'.

We were basically, "wtf are you on about? There is no British ID card". In the end, she dug out an email for her EUSS while I paced up and down swearing about Brexit fuckwits in my usual calm and collected way.

Is that an EUSS letter?

The letter itself is not proof, but you link the passport you use to travel to the EUSS status which should do it.

But I know some people print off the EUSS letter as sometimes the passport linking doesn't seem to show/work, airlines can misunderstand how EUSS is only digital and because EU furrin's don't get a biometric card (but others DO) it causes confusion.