Boris Johnson’s government is accusing Brussels of adopting a “purist” approach to meat regulations enshrined in the Brexit withdrawal deal – warnings that the import of sausages from Great Britain to Northern Ireland could be blocked entirely.
The rows comes ahead of a looming “grace period” deadline in a temporary agreement, which has allowed Northern Irish supermarkets to continue importing chilled meats – including those all-important sausages.
Why so much fuss over sausages?EU food safety rules mean that only frozen meat can be imported into its single market. And under the Northern Ireland Protocol, those food safety rules are imposed on good moving across the Irish Sea.
Mr Johnson’s government has threatened to act unilaterally to ignore legally-required checks on chilled meats such as sausages and mince moving from GB to NI when the current “grace period” expires at the end of June.
Defiant wrote: ↑Fri Jun 11, 2021 11:17 pm
Sausage wars are the wurst.
The country is facing a summer of food shortages likened to a series of “rolling power cuts” because of a loss of 100,000 lorry drivers due to Covid and Brexit, industry chiefs have warned.
In a letter to Boris Johnson they have called for an urgent intervention to allow eastern European drivers back into the country on special visas, similar to those issued to farm pickers, warning that there is a “crisis” in the supply chain.
They have said shortages of workers in warehouses and food processing centres are also having an impact with packing food for supermarket shelves.
Tesco bosses raised the issue at a meeting with the transport minister Lady Vere, last week warning that the vacancies were creating 48 tonnes of food waste each week, the equivalent of two truck loads.
Sources at the supermarket chain said the lorry driver shortage was affecting fresh food with short shelf life most.
James Mee, a blueberry farmer from Peterborough, said the shortages of food with short shelf life could also hit Wimbledon, synonymous with the British strawberry.
He warned that unless there was government intervention, food could rot in the fields with concerns being raised in the farming community for the late summer grain harvest in addition to soft fruits.
The left side is where the price was a year back. About $1.35/£. The story being told is the value of the pound versus the dollar has decreased drastically over the last year.
Isgrimnur wrote: ↑Sat Sep 24, 2022 11:51 pm
The time scale on top are buttons to change the range of the graph, not a scale of the graph. The timeframe is listed below.
malchior wrote: ↑Sat Sep 24, 2022 7:42 pm
The left side is where the price was a year back. About $1.35/£. The story being told is the value of the pound versus the dollar has decreased drastically over the last year.
Lol - damn, I didn't click on the tweet at all and thought I was seeing the entire image.
Thanks guys!
Yeah, I understood the gist of the story you were telling, I just got fooled by those buttons on the image.
I was pondering a purchase from the UK the other day, and was hesitant because of the exchange rate. When I hit 'check out', I was surprised to see that the total was nearly the same.
The markets are primarily reacting to a bad fiscal statement from Kwasi Kwarteng. But both the chancellor’s decisions and the backlash are the culmination of actions and attitudes that all spring from Brexit absolutism; from lost market access, continued confrontations with the EU, overhyped trade deals that add little to GDP, the sustained assault on British institutions and prime minister Liz Truss’s onslaught on economic orthodoxy. Investors have got the message. Britain is not the bet it once was.
Kwarteng’s statement last week was just one manifestation of the elevation of ideology over economics. The desperate pursuit of unorthodox growth strategies was driven in part by the 4 per cent hit to productivity over 15 years that has been consistently ascribed to the Brexit deal....
...Last week’s departure from the norms of fiscal prudence should not be seen in isolation but as part of a disregard for economics that has driven the Conservatives since the 2016 referendum
And then, there are t-shirts you can buy!
We are reinvesting your t-shirt sales in beer and shots as fast as we can. To continue to support the UK service economy you need to buy our Trussterf*ck 2022 festival t-shirts.
Black Lives definitely Matter Lorini!
Also: There are three ways to not tell the truth: lies, damned lies, and statistics.
Put simply, things were bad in Britain long before Prime Minister Liz Truss blew up the economy. They were bad before Boris Johnson came to power and bad before Theresa May took charge. And they were bad long before the country voted to leave the EU in June 2016. Indeed, one of the reasons people voted to leave the EU was because things weren’t very good. The truth is that Britain’s economy has been struggling to recover from the global financial crisis that began in 2008—and with it, the political settlement that underpinned the country’s apparently golden years of Tony Blair’s premiership. From that point on, wages stagnated, public services deteriorated, and voters—understandably—got ever more angry.
A kicker to remember:
The point is, doing stupid shit, as Barack Obama might say, remains stupid whether you’re inside or outside the EU. You can pursue a balanced budget inside the EU, as Germany does, or not, as Greece didn’t. And Britain was perfectly capable of disastrous acts of self-harm before Brexit came along. The closest parallel to Truss’s absurd self-immolation, after all, is “Black Wednesday,” in 1992, when John Major’s government tried to keep the pound inside the system that preceded the European single currency. This was the last time Britain tried, and failed, to defy economic reality, and it wasted billions of pounds in the process—in pursuit of pro-European policies that didn’t make sense. Today, the opposite is the case, but the result is the same.
Black Lives definitely Matter Lorini!
Also: There are three ways to not tell the truth: lies, damned lies, and statistics.
Pyperkub wrote: ↑Wed Oct 19, 2022 9:11 pm
The Trussterfuck is in full force:
This whole thing has become a macabre spectacle. Another major power is in absolute chaos and the UK's anti-democratic features are really putting on quite a show right now. Still the chaos there is producing astonishing 'content'
British Prime Minister Liz Truss announced on Thursday she was stepping down, just over six weeks after taking the Conservative Party reins as leader.
Truss's short tenure was marked by shock over the government's mini-budget, which roiled British markets, and internal party dissension leading to cabinet departures and backbenchers expressing a lack of confidence in their new leader.
Truss said that, "given the situation, I cannot deliver the mandate on which I was elected by the Conservative Party."
Another Conservative leadership contest will take place within a week, Truss said in a short statement outside the prime minister's residence at 10 Downing Street. She will stay on until then.
It will be the fourth such contest for the party since David Cameron stepped down in the wake of a referendum that saw British voters support an exit from the European Union.
At some point, you'd think they'd be compelled to call a general election.
"What? What?What?" -- The 14th Doctor
It's not enough to be a good player... you also have to play well. -- Siegbert Tarrasch
malchior wrote: ↑Thu Oct 20, 2022 12:14 am
Another major power is in absolute chaos and the UK's anti-democratic features are really putting on quite a show right now.
What are the UK's anti-democratic features? I'm well aware of the U.S. ones, but not so much with the UK.
Max Peck wrote: ↑Thu Oct 20, 2022 9:41 am
The lettuce wins!At some point, you'd think they'd be compelled to call a general election.
You don't call a general election nowadays when you know you'll get walloped. You just continue on from terrible PM to terrible PM in succession and hope sentiment isn't negative when you have to have the election!
malchior wrote: ↑Thu Oct 20, 2022 12:14 am
Another major power is in absolute chaos and the UK's anti-democratic features are really putting on quite a show right now.
What are the UK's anti-democratic features? I'm well aware of the U.S. ones, but not so much with the UK.
This is a fun topic. They famously don't have a constitution so they often get to choose when they have general elections and can change the rules pretty much based on the current government's whim subject mostly to ... norms. What could go wrong! Anyway, generally in the past the resignation of a PM was the signal that you were going to hold a general election. They are resigning for some reason and it stands to reason it might be because the public should have a chance to weigh in on who will lead them.
However, in reality a term of any Parliament is a maximum of 5 years but can be ended earlier than that interval. Edit: There also was some tinkering with this framework in 2011. They passed a law called the Fixed Term Parliament Act that restricted how elections would be called. That was repealed this year in move towards more democracy but again...it illustrates the government with enough support of its majority can often wildly shift the balance of power. Since the PM is again generally chosen out of the majority of the Parliament, the PM can be changed solely by that majority. The way this shakes out is that when Johnson resigned the party selected a new PM internally because they knew that they'd lose a general election if called.
Worse, their selection process involves something like 0.4% of the population. Considering the importance of the position this is fairly anti-democratic and also causes all sorts of legitimacy concerns. In this case, no one but the Tory faithful elected Truss as PM. The general public sure as shit did not elect her with a mandate to cut taxes on the very wealthiest people in the country in the middle of an energy crisis and blow up the financial markets. It is bonkers. More it stands to reason they can see the obvious and know they'd get shellacked in a general so it is a good possibility they are going to do this all over again now and hope someone else brings stability. Third times the charm I suppose. They appear to be holding on hoping that the world is better for them in 2024 while the public is starting to call strikes and is about to weather (pun intended) one of the worst winters in years.
Last edited by malchior on Thu Oct 20, 2022 10:58 am, edited 3 times in total.
Is the UK's PM selection process materially different / worse than the process in other parliamentary systems? Obviously that's a broad question, but as compared to like Germany, Italy, etc.
Under the laws and customs of the Klingon Empire, the head of lettuce is now Prime Minister.
Wed Oct 20, 2004 1:17 am
Zarathud: The sad thing is that Barak Obama is a very intelligent and articulate person, even when you disagree with his views it's clear that he's very thoughtful. I would have loved to see Obama in a real debate.
Me: Wait 12 years, when he runs for president. :-)
El Guapo wrote: ↑Thu Oct 20, 2022 11:01 am
Is the UK's PM selection process materially different / worse than the process in other parliamentary systems? Obviously that's a broad question, but as compared to like Germany, Italy, etc.
Personally, I think that when a prime minister resigns in any parliamentary system that there should be an automatic snap election within 90 days.
Wed Oct 20, 2004 1:17 am
Zarathud: The sad thing is that Barak Obama is a very intelligent and articulate person, even when you disagree with his views it's clear that he's very thoughtful. I would have loved to see Obama in a real debate.
Me: Wait 12 years, when he runs for president. :-)
El Guapo wrote: ↑Thu Oct 20, 2022 11:01 am
Is the UK's PM selection process materially different / worse than the process in other parliamentary systems? Obviously that's a broad question, but as compared to like Germany, Italy, etc.
No idea on others beside Germany. They are Federal so closer to us, designed by us post-WW2 with a lot of our presently failing flaws not present. It is a far more stable, more robust, and more democratic system.
However, just to contextualize this a little more. When Johnson resigned they set a timetable to replace him that was a few months. This coincided with the summer holiday season which makes the "delay" not as impactful. She announced at her resignation that they'd conduct the internal party election in a week. A week. The public could very well melt down over this. We are at shocking levels of instability in the UK right now. To say what is happening is unpredictable is understating the mess they have. The opposition is calling for general elections and the Tories look a lot more like our GOP (in the sense they crave power more than democracy but not as radical socially). It puts more pressure on all the internal fractures in the UK which are many right now.
And seriously this is just more bonkers if true. I mean I'm not too thrilled to see another stable nation go clownshoes but misery loves company. One of my UK friends happened to be in country and we happened to be at the same place all weekend so we had a good conversation about this. He used to live here (in upstate NY), retired from IBM, and moved back home because shit wasn't looking good here. We had a good sardonic laugh about that turn of events.
El Guapo wrote: ↑Thu Oct 20, 2022 11:01 am
Is the UK's PM selection process materially different / worse than the process in other parliamentary systems? Obviously that's a broad question, but as compared to like Germany, Italy, etc.
No idea on others beside Germany. They are Federal so closer to us, designed by us post-WW2 with a lot of our presently failing flaws not present. It is a far more stable, more robust, and more democratic system.
However, just to contextualize this a little more. When Johnson resigned they set a timetable to replace him that was a few months. This coincided with the summer holiday season which makes the "delay" not as impactful. She announced at her resignation that they'd conduct the internal party election in a week. A week. The public could very well melt down over this. We are at shocking levels of instability in the UK right now. To say what is happening is unpredictable is understating the mess they have. The opposition is calling for general elections and the Tories look a lot more like our GOP (in the sense they crave power more than democracy but not as radical socially). It puts more pressure on all the internal fractures in the UK which are many right now.
This is King Charles's chance to step in and save democracy by having a "gaffe" where he "accidentally" says "Oh bother, they should just hold a bloody election" into a hot mic or something.
Wed Oct 20, 2004 1:17 am
Zarathud: The sad thing is that Barak Obama is a very intelligent and articulate person, even when you disagree with his views it's clear that he's very thoughtful. I would have loved to see Obama in a real debate.
Me: Wait 12 years, when he runs for president. :-)
Fireball wrote: ↑Thu Oct 20, 2022 11:21 amThis is King Charles's chance to step in and save democracy by having a "gaffe" where he "accidentally" says "Oh bother, they should just hold a bloody election" into a hot mic or something.
Oh that scamp! He also could just dissolve Parliament. A small semi-tyrannical kick in the ass to the democratic engine might actually be well-received at this point.
Unfun hot take - I would die to know how common the sentiments at the end of this clip are. They are not too far from, "we need a strongman to sort us out" which is unfortunately often what people look for when shit gets squirrely like this.
Pure insanity in the UK. After being chased out of office, still under investigation by Parliament, but some big voices are coalescing around Boris Johnson again. We'll have to see how the British public takes this if it comes to pass. The UK is looking pretty illiberal right now. The idea they aren't having an election after all this could have long-term repercussions.
If you're just joining us, here's a quick recap of all the day's key events:
*Defence Secretary Ben Wallace has ruled himself out of the Tory leadership race and says he would "lean towards" supporting former PM Boris Johnson at the moment
*Wallace adds he's still looking at other "excellent candidates" and that Johnson still has "questions to answer" about a parliamentary investigation into whether he misled MPs over Covid rule-breaking
*No-one has announced their intention to run yet - but among the rumoured frontrunners to replace Truss are, former candidates Rishi Sunak and Penny Mordaunt, and Johnson
*A BBC tally shows 45 MPs are backing Sunak, 24 are backing Johnson, and Mordaunt has 17. Contenders need 100 backers by 14:00 on Monday
*Labour leader Keir Starmer and other opposition parties have called for an immediate general election
*There will be a hustings on Monday to help Tory MPs decide who to back in the leadership race
Last edited by malchior on Fri Oct 21, 2022 10:20 am, edited 1 time in total.
A Piers Morgan endorsement is all the evidence you need that this is going to go well.
Snark aside he is the perfect guy to settle down the revolt by international finance that Truss set off. It remains to be seen how he governs for the wide spectrum in the UK and navigate all the problems they are facing. Including the idea that a billionaire (close enough) that they've barely heard of is now their PM.
