wellinever

One cannot help wondering what is going on in UK
Lord Frost has resigned with immediate effect.......what implications could this have???

Red Eric

I'd say it's fairly evident that he's sussed out the PM was never all that keen on Brexit and, having seen the outcome, is ready to set about negotiating the UK's return to the fold.

Loafing Along

Will give Boris an opportunity to appoint a real Brexiteer - Frost was going a bit "Soft" actually agreeing with EU on certain issues - not good for the hard wing of the Tories , perfect distraction in 2022 from all UK problems - back to bashing EU full tilt. In centuries past it was always a quick fix - drum up a foreign war ..So sad.

macliam

Plenty of comment from the Brexit thread -

Stingychips

the uk will come back to the EU after their lovers tiff.

macliam

If it did, it would be with the loss of opt-outs re the Euro, federation, etc., etc. - so I wouldn't hold my breath.

On the other hand, it could becaome far more cooperative and reap some rewards like Norway, Switzerland, etc.

Or it could keep it's current path and disappear up it's own trade deals.....

Alan PT

Maybe a negotiator who does some negotiating instead of empty posturing? I can dream...

GrahamF

Frost just been interviewed by Skye, he didn't resign over Brexit negotiations, it was because he disagreed with government's increased Covid restrictions. Seems an ever increasing split between those who want more restrictions and those who think them unnecessary.

We're home in Wales at the moment and getting fed up with the moaners and people wandering around shops with no masks on. Totally different attitude to Portugal.

Shanorme

I'm sure 'Covid Restrictions' was a very convenient peg to hang his resignation on.

captainflack

Frost was already having to back away from his Article 16 brinkmanship, primarily because the EU didn't fall for it last time and they won't fall for it this time. The UK needs an economic deal with the EU more than the EU needs a deal with the UK, and nothing has changed there. The problems with some sectors of the UK economy are clear already, and the UK has little leverage because it has unilaterally decided to keep delaying applying checks to EU goods coming into the UK. So the EU has lost hardly any exports, while UK exporters have faced the cost and hassle of trying to get goods into the EU. The whole UK negotiating tactic is very one-dimension, it's trying to suggest that the UK is mad enough and bitter enough to torpedo its own economy for ideological reasons, but the EU has not folded throughout previous negotiations, and it's hardly likely to now.

Johnson was never really a brexitter, he's a populist and an opportunist. He calculated that he'd curry favour with the Tory membership, who were largely Daily Mail reading europhobes, but that there was no way that brexit would win the referendum. So he'd put himself in the good books of the membership by backing the "right" side, but still inherit a country with the benefits of membership. The problem is now, the UK is already seeing brexit problems manifesting, it's already lost significant growth as a result, the city of London is going to be gradually taken apart by European rivals, Northern Ireland is being economically annexed day by day to Ireland, making it harder to ever trigger Article 16 but Johnson cannot really change tack because the Tory party has purged remainers and loaded up with hard right brexitters.

I also don't think that the EU would want the UK back as a member. The UK was never committed to the principle of European Union, it only ever had its own shallow economic prospects in mind. Nobody wants the UK wielding its veto, blocking policies on financial regulation, etc. as well as defence, which is now increasingly important since the US cannot be relied on after the Trump debacle.

I think the most likely long term arrangement is that the UK signs a single market deal with the EU, similar to Switzerland. It would have to accept freedom of movement and ECJ jurisdiction but it solves most of the economic problems, at least in terms of labour shortages, exporting goods, the Irish border. The UK loses its seat at the top table, so will very much be a rule taker, not a rule maker. But it can sit out the common agricultural policy and some other programmes, thereby cutting the amount it pays in, and the amount it gets out, so it can argue to skeptics it is cheaper, though really it isn't. After Brexit, a lot of potential investers from outside the EU will likely have cold feet, as trust in the UK to be a stable, safe place to invest might not come back for a generation.

The EU will run better, and be able to move towards closer union, EU army and so on without the UK constantly blocking progress. So really, the EU will be much happier to have the UK outside of decision making, but without the economic and political irritant. Everyone wins, at least if you consider the economic and political cost to the UK a price worth paying for the appearance of being independent and not part of the EU.

captainflack

I went back to the UK for two days end of November for a business meeting. I was in Kingston and SW London, could not believe the casual approach to mask wearing, people sat on tube and buses with masks around their chin, etc. I went in a bank to sort couple of account issues out and the woman at the desk took her mask off after sitting down across the desk from me. On the sunday night, I thought might go and get a quiet pint if the pubs looked empty, only they were all packed with maskless people watching football standing room only so I got a takeaway and went to my hotel room. Generally Portugal has been fine, but we did go to the Algarve in october, and that was pretty bad thanks to all the brits there.

Loafing Along

https://www.theguardian.com/commenti...brexit-johnson

Shanorme

It depends on where in the Algarve you go. We are in the East in the hills behind Tavira and even in very rural locations, mask wearing and hand sanitiser requirements are strictly adhered to

June W

It would make my life so much easier. I don't think they are for turning though.

Marymaccy

I get the feeling that everyone on here now looks at the UK as some sort of backward nation, with Portugal being the promised land of milk and honey. Well the grass is always greener where you are, but happy to report all still fine in the UK too, despite Brexit.