New EU Treaty - a good deal or not?

Ah! Farage the rabble rousing wanna be MP.

Time to start a 30-year campaign to join the world's 3rd largest trading block - do you think it will work?

There seems to be a number of references to France in this my economy will be better than yours in 5 years time competition.

I thought the trading arrangement was with the EU - 27? I guess that France are now selling more cars, home appliances and goods than German companies - Bosch, Siemens, BMW, Mercedes, Rolls-Royce, etc.

Who'd have thought.

Well at least the Border Force will NOT have access in real time to EU databases about wanted criminals who enter the UK.

So that makes us all safer then doesn't it.

MawBe

Well, well, well, whoulda thought?
Yesterday the Prime Minister was apparently given a boost when a leading group of economists predicted that Britain’s economy would surge ahead of its nearest rival, France, over the next 15 years.

The Centre for Economics and Business Research said that by 2035 the current 9 per cent gap between the British and French economies will have widened to 23 per cent, defying the predictions of many who voted Remain.

The CEBR is a right wing group - not exactly surprising. Sunlit uplands, freedom (that we already had) blah blah.

Priti Patel has also said we’ll be safer without access to shared security databases which is blatant nonsense so I guess we’ll have to get used to a load of nonsense being spouted (no change from pre-Brexit then).

Difficult to either praise or criticise until we see the detail, and experience the actuality.

Let’s see the small print before we decide good or bad, at least we have avoided a “no deal” and tariffs. From the limited reports it seems much like the Withdrawl Agreement, where the content of any exports to the EU will be to their standards, with some kind of review after 4 yrs.

It’s nice to see reciprocal health care and other rights for expats, most of us are going to see few changes until we diverge from EU standards, a bridge we cross when we get to it.

Well, well, well, whoulda thought?
Yesterday the Prime Minister was apparently given a boost when a leading group of economists predicted that Britain’s economy would surge ahead of its nearest rival, France, over the next 15 years.

The Centre for Economics and Business Research said that by 2035 the current 9 per cent gap between the British and French economies will have widened to 23 per cent, defying the predictions of many who voted Remain.

Are you talking to me?

Yes, winter wonderland, wood burning stove blasting, and brilliant dinner, NOT turkey this time. Ribs of beef with all the trimmings, horse raddish and wine and Bisto gravy.

It is what it is- all this marvelling at this amazing Deal is just silly. Much better than No Deal, but not good at all. Simple as that. Truth hurts.

Loads of snow and arctic temperatures forecast for South East and Kent for 01.01.2021 - so see how this goes.

Watching the two Ronnies, thanks.

You can't help yourself can you?
Have as happy a Christmas as you can manage.

Services, not fish- is what pays for our essential services with their taxes.

Before I log out to enjoy the day - a winterwonderland here, snow arrived again last night, just in time- and now the sun is shining

''Katya Adler, Laura Kuenssberg's BFF at Brexit Broadcasting Corporation, trying to put a positive spin on the trade deal struck. Yet, there's one very important sentence buried halfway through her article: 'Remember, the UK is a service-based economy, yet this agreement hardly deals with services at all.'''

Wishing you all a peaceful and merry Christmas ????

?A Merry Christmas truce.
Football anyone?

Have a lovely day EVERYONE ?

Joyeux Noël - il neige ici.

Our local Champagne later, rib of beef with all trimmings, best of Valais wine fron Salquenen, and just in 'honour' of our PM and friends, Eton mess à la Black Forest Santé.

Happy Christmas to friends and not so friends on the Politics threads ??

Italian Prosecco* and French cassis for us today. Cheers!

(I know it should be champagne but DD prefers Prosecco)

I'm sure Trade is absolutely dreadful. Well it would be wouldn't it?!

Well there you go, Happy Christmas to one and all whether pessimist or optimist, and we shall now just have to wait and see what the New Year brings, meantime, Enjoy.?????

BTW, apart that the honesty and reliability of the UK was massively put to the test, in a way that will be very hard to redeem in future... can anyone tell me what the real differences are with Mrs May's Deal (and I agree Jane, it should have been accepted then).

MayBee70

I would have been happy with a negotiated deal that made the country better off than it was before. But I very much doubt that that is what we’ve got.

Exactly. Sour grapes hey- let's wait and see what happens when some realise the realities of this Deal. Of course, this terrible thin deal is much better than a catastrophic No Deal - I'll grant you that.

I have not been able to very the facts below, but Jason Hunter is a very experienced International Negotiator, and this is his assessment

''Airlines: UK can no longer participate in the liberalised aviation market. UK can no longer operate passenger and/or cargo flights between EU destinations based on a UK issued license. UK can no longer operate passenger flights onwards to or from the EU (eg. London-Amsterdam-Bangkok). UK no longer participates in or contributes to European Aviation Safety Agency EASA.

Road Transport: UK no longer participates in EU single market for transport services. UK operators lose right to conduct unlimited cross trade in the EU and up to three cabotage operations within the territory of a single member state.

Fish. UK fisheries products face new customs and SPS checks on entry to the EU.

Security: uK no longer participates in shaping the rules for security, police and judiciary cooperation (Europe, Eurojust etc). UK no longer benefits from.privileged access to police and judicial authorities. UK no longer has access to EU sensitive databases and networks such as the Schengen Information System.

Other programmes: UK no longer benefits from EU funding programmes like NextGenerationEU, regional development and cohesion funding, agriculture and rural development funding.

Mobility: UK nationals no longer have freedom of movement within the EU losing the right to freedom to work, live, start a business or study in the EU. Additionally border checks now required. UK nationals will have to pay extra charges for travel to the EU.

Pet passports no longer valid.

Energy: the UK no longer participates in the Single Energy Market. UK loses access to EU emissions trading scheme. UK is no longer a member of the European atomic energy community and loses its rihht to trade nuclear material and technology with Euratom.

Services: UK no longer benefits from country-of-origin approach or passorting concepts. No more automatic recognition of qualifications for doctors, nurses, architects, vets, engineers, pharmacista etc. UK.no longer free to provide audio/visual services into the EU markets with a UK licence.

Trade: will do a longer post on that but its pretty awful too.''

Merry Christmas to all fellow politics threaders.

I just hope the government treat the EU workers that have helped so much during the pandemic will be rewarded in some way. Haven’t the French offered theirs French citizenship and a lump sum?

It’s certainly not over. This is just the start. No deal at all for the services industry (80% of GDP) for starters.

I have no idea why leavers just expect us all to shut up now. The Tory right kept on about Europe for decades. With indyref2 and consequences for Northern Ireland there’s no chance of skipping off into the sunlit uplands just yet.

We can enjoy the hit on jobs, pension funds, workers rights in the near future. Some of the other losses will take longer to appreciate.

I suspect we’ll eventually end up in the EEA.

I would have been happy with a negotiated deal that made the country better off than it was before. But I very much doubt that that is what we’ve got.

I totally agree 25Avalon we voted to leave in the referendum and in three subsequent elections. Than goodness it's finally over and we can now build a new relationship with the EU with the freedom to to forge new relationships elsewhere as we see fit.

As I haven't read the reported 2,000 pages setting out the deal I don't feel able to comment about it, but isn't it true that those who wished to remain would not be happy with any negotiated deal and those who voted leave will just be happy a deal has been done?