[Politics] Brexit

[ManOfSussex]

[TWEET]1106172843014926337[/TWEET]

Dr Fox deserves a knighthood and open top bus ride victory parade round Stoke-On-Trent for this:

UK and Pacific Islands sign trade continuity agreement

An agreement has been signed between the UK and the Pacific Islands to maintain existing trade arrangements.

A trade continuity agreement will see British businesses and consumers benefitting from continued trading arrangements with Fiji and Papua New Guinea after the UK leaves the EU.

International Trade Secretary Dr Liam Fox signed the UK-Pacific agreement in London today (Thursday 14 March) with the Papua New Guinea and Fiji High Commissioners.

The news has been welcomed by businesses including Tate & Lyle and Fiji Sugar Corporation, who say the sugar industry provides a living to nearly a quarter of the Fijian population.

The agreement allows businesses to trade as freely as they do now, without any additional barriers or tariffs. It eliminates all tariffs on all goods imported from Fiji and Papua New Guinea into the UK and will gradually remove around 80% of tariffs on British exports to these countries.

In an announcement yesterday the government confirmed that it would retain tariffs on some products in a no deal scenario, including sugar and fish, to protect livelihoods in developing countries.

These preferential terms are part of the UK government’s commitment to supporting developing countries to reduce poverty through trade. It will help them to grow their economies, create jobs, increase incomes and reduce reliance on overseas aid in the long-term.

International Trade Secretary Dr Liam Fox said:

I am delighted to sign this trade continuity agreement today as it will allow businesses to keep trading as freely as they do today, even in a no deal scenario. 

This is good news for British business and consumers who will continue to benefit from the continued supply of products, including sugar and fish.

The agreement will also benefit thousands of people in some of the furthest reaches of the Commonwealth, with around a quarter of Fijians relying on employment through the sugar industry and more than a quarter of the sugar they produce being exported to the UK.

One company set to benefit from the Pacific Islands continuity agreement is UK business Tate and Lyle Sugars who over the last five years have sourced over 350,000 tonnes of raw cane sugar from Fiji.

The firm, which directly employs 850 people in the UK, produces over 650 sugar, syrup and treacle products. This includes the iconic Lyle’s Golden Syrup – the UK’s oldest, unchanged brand.

Gerald Mason, Senior Vice President, Corporate Affairs, Tate & Lyle Sugars said:

Tate & Lyle Sugars warmly welcomes today’s signing of the Pacific trade continuity agreement.

Fiji is a long-term supplier of ours. Ensuring we can continue to source raw cane sugar from there is critical to the future success of our business, particularly our two refineries in London and the 850 people we directly employ in the UK.

We now look forward to continuing our close relationship with our suppliers in Fiji and the communities they in turn support.

Graham Clark, CEO of Fiji Sugar Corporation said:

The UK is a very important market for Fiji sugar exports, and strong historical trade links have been forged over time, built on Fiji’s market access to the UK.

Fiji Sugar Corporation welcomes the news that a Pacific EPA replicated deal has been concluded.

The sugar industry provides a living to nearly one quarter of the population of Fiji, so the importance of trade continuity cannot be underestimated.

In 2017 total trade between the UK and the region was worth around £369 million. Replicating this deal will allow the UK to continue building the trading relationship with two of the furthest reaches of Commonwealth.

Based on current trade flows, fish exporters could save £2.1 million a year in tariff charges that could apply if the agreement wasn’t in place, while sugar exporters could save more than £8.6 million. Consumers in the UK will continue to benefit from more choice and lower prices for products from these countries.

The agreement also ensures that other countries in the region may request to join the UK-Pacific Agreement in future, which would further build UK-Pacific trade links.

The UK is seeking to provide continuity for existing EU trade agreements covering more than 70 countries that account for 11% of total UK trade and we are making good progress having recently signed agreements with Switzerland and Chile.

Like all these agreements, the new UK-Pacific agreement replicates the existing trading arrangements as far as possible. It is expected to come into effect as soon as the implementation period ends in January 2021, or as soon as the UK leave the EU if we leave without a deal.

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/uk-and-pacific-islands-sign-trade-continuity-agreement

 

[Blue Valkyrie]

Unfortunately, Amendment (C) wasn't selected.



These 4 were, though

Let's see what happens at 5pm.

Amendment (i) is very interesting - hope it goes through...




Amendment (h) – Cross-party Remainers

This amendment requests an extension of Article 50 in order to have another referendum.

Amendment (i) – Benn/Cooper

This amendment, which has lots of cross party support, would allow MPs to take control of parliamentary business next Wednesday (20 March).

They would use the time to debate a Brexit motion that could lead to Parliament holding a series of indicative votes on different Brexit options, possibly the following week.

He adds that there has been a 'manuscript' amendment tabled to this, which will be published shortly.

Amendment (e) – Labour frontbench

This amendment rejects the PM’s deal and the idea of leaving without a deal.

It also calls for an extension to Brexit talks to “provide parliamentary time for this House to find a majority for a different approach”.

Amendment (j) – Bryant/Brake

This amendment orders the government not to put its Brexit deal to another vote, citing parliamentary rules.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

Unfortunately, Amendment (C) wasn't selected.



These 4 were, though

Let's see what happens at 5pm.

Amendment (i) is very interesting - hope it goes through...




Amendment (h) – Cross-party Remainers

This amendment requests an extension of Article 50 in order to have another referendum.

Amendment (i) – Benn/Cooper

This amendment, which has lots of cross party support, would allow MPs to take control of parliamentary business next Wednesday (20 March).

They would use the time to debate a Brexit motion that could lead to Parliament holding a series of indicative votes on different Brexit options, possibly the following week.

He adds that there has been a 'manuscript' amendment tabled to this, which will be published shortly.

Amendment (e) – Labour frontbench

This amendment rejects the PM’s deal and the idea of leaving without a deal.

It also calls for an extension to Brexit talks to “provide parliamentary time for this House to find a majority for a different approach”.

Amendment (j) – Bryant/Brake

This amendment orders the government not to put its Brexit deal to another vote, citing parliamentary rules.

(I) is a waste of time. They simply need to ask a Leaver as, apparently, they all know what Brexit they voted for.

 

[ManOfSussex]

Unfortunately, Amendment (C) wasn't selected.



These 4 were, though

Let's see what happens at 5pm.

Amendment (i) is very interesting - hope it goes through...




Amendment (h) – Cross-party Remainers

This amendment requests an extension of Article 50 in order to have another referendum.

Amendment (i) – Benn/Cooper

This amendment, which has lots of cross party support, would allow MPs to take control of parliamentary business next Wednesday (20 March).

They would use the time to debate a Brexit motion that could lead to Parliament holding a series of indicative votes on different Brexit options, possibly the following week.

He adds that there has been a 'manuscript' amendment tabled to this, which will be published shortly.

Amendment (e) – Labour frontbench

This amendment rejects the PM’s deal and the idea of leaving without a deal.

It also calls for an extension to Brexit talks to “provide parliamentary time for this House to find a majority for a different approach”.

Amendment (j) – Bryant/Brake

This amendment orders the government not to put its Brexit deal to another vote, citing parliamentary rules.

On top of Labour whipping against, I see the PV lot have said now it not the time for (h), so that's a non-runner for today.

Government will whip against (i)

 

[Blue Valkyrie]

(I) is a waste of time. They simply need to ask a Leaver as, apparently, they all know what Brexit they voted for.

The killer is the first line :

This amendment, which has lots of cross party support, would allow MPs to take control of parliamentary business next Wednesday (20 March).

 

[A1X]

He's more competent than Grayling, I'll give him that.

I mean there's "damning with faint praise", then there's this...

 

[Blue Valkyrie]

Would vote Remain if there was a vote.


But I hope there isn't as it would be another poisonous disaster and the Kremlin would engineer another leave result anyway, so no point.

 

[mac04]

I don't see whay we can't have a preferential vote/instant run-off type ballot? That would be the fairest way and should eventualy result in an appropriate compromise.

Because that would disrespect the 2011 AV referendum result. A second vote with 3 options has to be on the FPTP system that won by a large margin (68/32), unless we have another referendum on the electoral system issue first.

Having said that, less than a year after the AV referendum, parliament decided to use the losing AV system for the new Police Commissioner elections. I don't remember anyone kicking off about disrespecting a referendum result in 2012.

 

[On the way]

I presume you mean if the questions was the same as before - as in, you can vote leave, but you still have no idea what sort of leave you'll get?

Yes, I voted leave, but I'd vote remain. I still want to leave, I don't like the EU, but I have underestimated our government's ability to **** it up.

Have the government f***ed it up though? Let’s not forget all parties are split on this, May, for all her faults, has always said that “leave means leave, as the British public have voted” and that she would see that democratic vote result was carried out, she wanted to remain remember! The remainers have f***ed this up in my mind, just look at some of the comments/ bile on this thread alone aimed at anyone who dared vote to leave.
I don’t agree that there should be a second referendum on this, I believe that if both sides had worked together over the last 2 years we would have been in a much stronger position and ready to face a new era. Shame on all that have tried to scupper plans, well done, your mess, have the good grace to accept defeat and move onwards and upwards.
Before I get the smart a*** response of “tell us how it’s going to be better and what’s going to happen if we leave? guess what I don’t know, I’ll leave that up to the “democratically” elected government because that’s their job.
Work together and hold your nerve, we CAN make this work.
Now bestI crawl back into my dark cave and try to carve one of the stone wheel thingys.

 

[nicko31]

These guys are still pumping the FB ads, anyone know who funds them?

 

[nwgull]

Because that would disrespect the 2011 AV referendum result. A second vote with 3 options has to be on the FPTP system that won by a large margin (68/32), unless we have another referendum on the electoral system issue first.

Having said that, less than a year after the AV referendum, parliament decided to use the losing AV system for the new Police Commissioner elections. I don't remember anyone kicking off about disrespecting a referendum result in 2012.

It's be fine. That was a referendum on voting to elect MPs; it wasn't a referendum on referedums.

 

[Hornblower]

Democracy is not undermined by more democracy.

We all know so much more about this clusterf*ck we should be given another chance to decide one way or another. I would vote remain again in a heartbeat.

 

[Dorset Seagull]

I think remain would lose a second referendum. But whatever the outcome of all of this, the U.K. is dead in the water. Very few want to know and those that do are just trying to pick over the trade bones of a dead beast. The voters ignorance and the Tory greed has sunk us.

I think remain would win. Many leavers will feel so let down from the first vote they probably won’t bother

 

[mac04]

It's be fine. That was a referendum on voting to elect MPs; it wasn't a referendum on referedums.

Yeah I know, an AV type system is the only way to go where there are more than 2 options. I just find it odd that we could vote so heavily against the system in 2011, and then the government immediately introduce it for all elections other than General Elections.

 

[nwgull]

Yeah I know, an AV type system is the only way to go where there are more than 2 options. I just find it odd that we could vote so heavily against the system in 2011, and then the government immediately introduce it for all elections other than General Elections.

I think you know the answer to that given that the current voting system is of huge benefit to the 2 main parties!

 

[Triggaaar]

Have the government f***ed it up though?

I think so. May's cabinet split over her plan (or over their own self-interests, it doesn't matter why). And she keeps putting forward the same proposal that has been clearly rejected before. She could have attempted to negotiate with other parties a year ago, to come up with options that would get through the house.

Let’s not forget all parties are split on this

Yes I know, and my opinion is that Labour haven't offered us a decent alternative (it seems others here disagree).

The remainers have f***ed this up in my mind, just look at some of the comments/ bile on this thread alone aimed at anyone who dared vote to leave.

I agree that the arguments of remainers on NSC are mostly based on insulting anyone who disagrees with them, but they're not MPs, so we can't really blame them for what's happening in government.

I don’t agree that there should be a second referendum on this, I believe that if both sides had worked together over the last 2 years we would have been in a much stronger position and ready to face a new era.

Yes, but they haven't.

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

Sincerely hope the EU slap this parliamentery bolleaux down HARD

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

Some young smart Brexit correspondents having a very good Brexit. Adam Fleming on the BBC and Sky's Kate McCann consistently provide very impressive and easy to digest analysis.

 

[nicko31]

I think remain would win. Many leavers will feel so let down from the first vote they probably won’t bother

My old man does, especially by Farage. Thought he was just a bloke down the pub...

 

[lawros left foot]

My brother in law on Facebook, he’s very much a Leaver, is calling for a General strike. He’s self employed, and would anyone notice if the retired Leave voters stop work??