[Politics] Tory meltdown finally arrived [was: incoming]...

[A1X]

The weather has affected production. The problems Britain is experiencing are because Brexit has made it so tricky to import to the U.K. , suppliers just aren’t bothering, instead prioritising EU countries where they don’t have the extra red tape and expense that Brexit has caused.

Great.

Exactly. There's a reason why the UK has been the country hit first and hardest.

 

[jcdenton08]

The point is we are not getting our produce. Suppliers have black-balled us because of cost and hassle.

Which is not legal or feasible and would result in hefty fines for suppliers. Trade is a two way street, contractual obligations from both sides to meet quotas remain. If they can’t fulfil quotas. Unlike gas and similar day traded commodities, produce agreements are nailed on subject to availability.

The only thing Brexit would affect is logistics of getting the produce into stores, not the actual receipt of goods from producers.

 

[sparkie]

"Oh, but that's France, they can grow their own" I hear the people determined to avoid blaming Brexit for this cry. What would a country like Ukraine be doing? Well...

Gaslighting indeed.

Particularly tragic as the cost of this particular gas is so high.

 

[The Clamp]

Which is not legal or feasible and would result in hefty fines for suppliers. Trade is a two way street, contractual obligations from both sides to meet quotas remain. If they can’t fulfil quotas. Unlike gas and similar day traded commodities, produce agreements are nailed on subject to availability.

The only thing Brexit would affect is logistics of getting the produce into stores, not the actual receipt of goods from producers.

Sorry, but that’s incorrect. When there are shortages, suppliers will prioritise their closest trading partners.

 

[Hugo Rune]

Sorry, but that’s incorrect. When there are shortages, suppliers will prioritise their closest trading partners.

Indeed. The cost and hassle is so much more for them to supply the UK now that we our outside the EU. Before, they just had to put a lorry through a tunnel for 30mins. All that has changed.

 

[The Clamp]

You simply have to Google “how has Brexit affected U.K. food supplies” and you’ll get the same explanation from reliable sources. It will also tell you how Brexit has raised the price of produce, if you want to really depress yourself.

There’s a good reason we didn’t have these issues before we left the EU. It’s not coincidence. It’s not project fear. It’s not covid or Putin or Jeremy Corbyn. It’s not naysayers talking Britain down. It is Brexit.

 

[Hotchilidog]

Indeed. The cost and hassle is so much more for them to supply the UK now that we our outside the EU. Before, they just had to put a lorry through a tunnel for 30mins. All that has changed.

Exactly. Previously there was no barrier we chose to put one in the way. Whatever way you slice it our trading relationship with the EU was always going to be less smooth than before. All these years later it utterly baffles me at the lack of a grown up debate about the consequences of Brexit. Sadly Starmer is not making much a contribution despite the polling suggesting a huge amount of buyers remorse on behalf of the public.

Don't even get me started on the NI Protocol negotiations which are just a joke. The Tories stamping their feet about a deal they actually negotiated. The referendum was in 2016 and it is now 2023, the oven ready deal appears to burnt and inedible now.

 

[Wokeworrier]

^^^ and there are plenty of examples of supply chain issues not shown. I’m not defending Brexit, I was and remain staunchly anti-Brexit. But it’s like in Red Dwarf where Rimmer blames everything on aliens, even who used all the bog roll.

The supply chain is completely unchanged, we are getting our produce from exactly the same sources we always were.

Interestingly ... Ireland are also experiencing shortages, last time I checked they were in the EU and further border procedures for fruit and veg relating to Brexit won't be introduced until next year. The BBC even have a section about this story titled NOT BREXIT ...

Asda and Morrisons limit sales of fruit and vegetables - BBC News

Supermarkets face shortages of some fresh produce, but Tesco and others are not limiting sales.

www.bbc.co.uk

 

[The Clamp]

Interestingly ... Ireland are also experiencing shortages, last time I checked they were in the EU and further border procedures for fruit and veg relating to Brexit won't be introduced until next year. The BBC even have a section about this story titled NOT BREXIT ...

Asda and Morrisons limit sales of fruit and vegetables - BBC News

Supermarkets face shortages of some fresh produce, but Tesco and others are not limiting sales.

www.bbc.co.uk

I wouldn’t rely too much on what the BBC says these days. They have been compromised and infiltrated by the Tory party.

 

[sparkie]

Exactly. Previously there was no barrier we chose to put one in the way. Whatever way you slice it our trading relationship with the EU was always going to be less smooth than before. All these years later it utterly baffles me at the lack of a grown up debate about the consequences of Brexit. Sadly Starmer is not making much a contribution despite the polling suggesting a huge amount of buyers remorse on behalf of the public.

Don't even get me started on the NI Protocol negotiations which are just a joke. The Tories stamping their feet about a deal they actually negotiated. The referendum was in 2016 and it is now 2023, the oven ready deal appears to burnt and inedible now.

The first step is for politicians to admit there are problems caused by Brexit.

To come clean. Until this happens there will be no plan to fix the issues.

We have a long, long way to go.

Nothing has any chance of changing until we have a new Government.

 

[jcdenton08]

I wouldn’t rely too much on what the BBC says these days. They have been compromised and infiltrated by the Tory party.

This is where it falls apart a bit. If the article was a damning indictment on Brexit and explains why Brexit is at fault for the stock shortages, it’d be cited as a neutral reliable source. As stated above, the additional border controls aren’t actually in force yet, and in Almeria they are locally reporting a record low harvest yield.

Brexit was/is shit and self destructive for the country, but not every issue can be attributed to it as a sort of catch-all heat sink.

 

[The Clamp]

This is where it falls apart a bit. If the article was a damning indictment on Brexit and explains why Brexit is at fault for the stock shortages, it’d be cited as a neutral reliable source. As stated above, the additional border controls aren’t actually in force yet, and in Almeria they are locally reporting a record low harvest yield.

Brexit was/is shit and self destructive for the country, but not every issue can be attributed to it as a sort of catch-all heat sink.

Yes, yes. That’s what people say at everything that goes wrong “Brexit has done damage but not in this case”

If I had a Euro for every time I’d heard that old chestnut.

As an aside, I no longer think the BBC is neutral. It’s got a Johnson lackey at the helm. It can no longer be considered reliable. IMO.

Similar to when the Murdochs bought Nat Geo.
you still get reports on things like climate and environmental crisis but there are subtle nods to benefits of the fossil fuel industry etc

It’s insidious and subtle but very damaging. Same with the BBC.

They quickly realised the people won’t tolerate the destruction of the BBC and changed tac.
Why remove something when you can infiltrate it and corrupt it to your will. Use it as a tool for your own ends.

That’s something a labour government should get sorted. Clean up the BBC.

 

[jcdenton08]

Yes, yes. That’s what people say at everything that goes wrong “Brexit has done damage but not in this case”

If I had a Euro for every time I’d heard that old chestnut.

As an aside, I no longer think the BBC is neutral. It’s got a Johnson lackey at the helm. It can no longer be considered reliable. IMO.

Do you think there’s a possibility what they’re saying is true, and it’s not a conspiracy to hide Brexit’s culpability in causing a record low harvest?

Perhaps they’re reporting the truth, and you disagree with it because of your feelings on Brexit?

 

[The Clamp]

Do you think there’s a possibility what they’re saying is true, and it’s not a conspiracy to hide Brexit’s culpability in causing a record low harvest?

Perhaps they’re reporting the truth, and you disagree with it because of your feelings on Brexit?

Nearly every other source explains the role Brexit has to play in this latest mess. You should by now know how I feel about CT’s. I just know how the Tory’s operate.

I no longer think the BBC is neutral. It’s got a Johnson lackey at the helm. It can no longer be considered reliable. IMO.

Similar to when the Murdochs bought Nat Geo.
you still get reports on things like climate and environmental crisis but there are subtle nods to benefits of the fossil fuel industry etc

It’s insidious and subtle but very damaging. Same with the BBC.

They quickly realised the people won’t tolerate the destruction of the BBC and changed tac.
Why remove something when you can infiltrate it and corrupt it to your will. Use it as a tool for your own ends.

That’s something a labour government should get sorted. Clean up the BBC.

 

[knocky1]

I wouldn’t rely too much on what the BBC says these days. They have been compromised and infiltrated by the Tory party.

Still has it's uses, especially if you are having trouble finding a loan guarantor for £800,000.

 

[jcdenton08]

Incidentally, I just got back from a very well stocked Coop - the prices are another issue entirely and certainly worse because of Brexit.

 

[The Clamp]

The saving grace with fresh produce shortages is that stupid fat people, the sort of nitwits that stock piled pasta and toilet rolls, tend not to bother with fresh veg and fruit so there should be plenty left for decent people like us.

 

[A1X]

As an aside, I no longer think the BBC is neutral. It’s got a Johnson lackey at the helm. It can no longer be considered reliable. IMO.

I believe the head of BBC News (installed in the last couple of years) is also a former GB News employee.

 

[beorhthelm]

i know people want this to be a brexit issue, that doesn't make sense. see produce from Peru, Chile, Egypt, Kenya, Malaysia... why would Spain be difficult? supermarkets buy up direct from suppliers, soak up the cost of paperwork and other burdens. supply of tomatoes from Morocco wont be changed by brexit.
not convinced how wide a problem it is anyway, there's too much crying wolf, seen pictures on twitter claiming empty shelves for weeks or months, often same pics, reposted, retweeted, one last week was showing an xmas offer in the background. not seen in person. so maybe local or time of day (stocks might be low late on a Saturday) a factor

 

[Machiavelli]

You may be right but for me the parallel to the current state is a couple of years before Blair was elected. Labour way ahead in the polls and the Tories in a total mess. Blair didn’t take anything for granted and bit by bit presented a new image and set of policies that crescendoed by the time the GE came. Labour won a landslide.
Many, of course, will vote for anyone but the Tories at the next GE but many others will be looking at Labour for a genuine inspiring alternative and if they don’t provide it, who knows? Complacency (which with respect your post is full of) is labour’s big danger

You and I have different memories of Blair's campaign. That said, I agree with you on the 'new image'. Not entirely convinced that the new policies featured that prominently. The key things I remember were:
1, the five pledges in 100 days (all minor)
2, the shift in tone from the hounding of single mothers, section 28, etc
3, the independence of the BoE (which wasn't in their manifesto)
4, commitment to stick to the Tories spending plans for two years (which meant very little could be done on the spending front), and
5, not too much else

Starmer's energy plan blows that out the water.