How is the Tory government doing?

A lot of poorer Tories suffer from the same delusion that many Americans suffer from. They genuinely believe that hard work alone can make you rich and if you are poor it is your own fault. Whilst it is possible to achieve great success through your own efforts the reality is that most very wealthy people inherited their wealth and have done nothing to deserve it.

I'm struggling to understand why the "level playing field" thing is an issue. Both the UK and the EU already trade with many countries that have no or low wage standards and worker's rights which gives them a reduced cost base and therefore a competitive edge. Isn't that why many companies moved their manufacturing to e.g. China and India in the first place? 
And the EU itself has a history of throwing money at business - the UK has had £billions in European Social Fund (ESF) and European Regional Development Find (ERDF) grants to get business moving as well as farming, fishery and scientific innovation subsidies and they still do it throughout Europe.

A simple formula would be to agree the UK can subsidise to the extent of our share of existing subsidies rising in line with "what would have been our share if we had stayed in".
If that can be agreed - and we do have to replace the lost business investment on a fair basis - then it's simply a matter of allowing bilateral access to markets without tariffs. Problem solved.

Rees-Mogg: "Bloody Unicef....coming over here and feeding our children! We've got a footballer to do that, for Christ's sake!"

Mogg is why God blessed us with a middle finger.

Marina Hyde has a few good lines in this rant.

wanderlust wrote:I was reading about wine merchants trying to stock up but having trouble at the ports as everyone is apparently trying to do it and there are already trucks queuing. Shouldn't be too problematic as there are plenty of wines in Oz, NZ, SA and S America. Never heard back from Bob re how he got on with the Portuguese merchant I put him on to - prices are so low that and extra 15% or whatever won't be too punitive. Like a nice Douro red TBF.

I think you must have missed it but I did thank you, Lusty. Had several orders from Portugal Vineyards - excellent choice of wines, good prices and first-class service.

Ten Bobsworth wrote:
I think you must have missed it but I did thank you, Lusty. Had several orders from Portugal Vineyards - excellent choice of wines, good prices and first-class service.

My apologies Bob. Glad it lived up to the billing - and I may just sneak a cheeky order in before New Year's Eve

okocha wrote:

Rees Mogg regularly meets this man, on the banks of the Thames, for a tincture of Laudanum.

Looks like we are heading to a no deal brexit. Largely it seems due to the dispute over fishing. This article provides a good summary of the position:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/46401558

Three key points if you can't be bothered to read the full article:

1. Parts of the British quota have been sold off by British skippers to boats based elsewhere in the EU. In England, for example, more than half the quota is in foreign hands.

2. Most of the fish landed by UK fishermen is exported (while most of the fish eaten in the UK is imported). And of all those exported fish, roughly three quarters are sold within the EU. Some parts of the industry - such as shellfish - are totally dependent on such exports and would collapse if they were suddenly faced with tariffs or taxes on their products.

3. Fishing is only a tiny fraction of the overall economy in the UK - less than 0.1%.

Well done Boris!!!

xmiles wrote:Looks like we are heading to a no deal brexit. Largely it seems due to the dispute over fishing. This article provides a good summary of the position:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/46401558

Three key points if you can't be bothered to read the full article:

1. Parts of the British quota have been sold off by British skippers to boats based elsewhere in the EU. In England, for example, more than half the quota is in foreign hands.

2. Most of the fish landed by UK fishermen is exported (while most of the fish eaten in the UK is imported). And of all those exported fish, roughly three quarters are sold within the EU. Some parts of the industry - such as shellfish - are totally dependent on such exports and would collapse if they were suddenly faced with tariffs or taxes on their products.

3. Fishing is only a tiny fraction of the overall economy in the UK - less than 0.1%.

Well done Boris!!!

Nationalist ideology over pragmatism. Sadly the Tories can't be seen to "sell out" the dregs of our fishing industry even if it would bring greater benefits elsewhere in the economy.
Remember the Cod Wars? Full on military engagement and yet we haven't fished our own cod for donkey's years.
All part of the grand Brexit illusion.

I hope Boris isnt going to interrupt Worzel Gummidge. Hopefully he will cancel pointless celebrities for his News Update. Aah it will be on the BBC News channel.

Supermarkets are today warning that the first wave of food shortages are coming a little earlier than expected as Dover is closed and EU countries block trade ostensibly over the new covid strain. Short life products like fruit and veg will be hit first, but rest assured there will be a steady supply of Pepsi and Twirls until at least February.

I can live without lettuce from Spain.

I mean when the Nation looked drop-jawed at Johnsons hair tonight on his speech it does underline that he is a drinker.

If you ever go to one of Rees-Moggs parties, you may see him set aside one of his Croquet Lawns for a danse. His preferred danse is the Gavotte. It is a French dance that starts with three demi-coupes and a full coupe. Here you can learn how to danse the Gavotte in the Ress-Mogg style.

Must try that down the pub.

boltonbonce wrote:Must try that down the pub.

Maybe on New Years Eve you could adapt from the Branles, early 16th Century suite. For added effect of Rees-Mogg authenticity you could danse it to bedknobs and Broomsticks or some other Mary Poppins song.

Rees Mogg once courted Queen Victoria before she met her love Prince Albert. Here is a photo of one of his staff in the pre hedge-fund days.