Brexit and the waning days of the United Kingdom

[Valmy]

Okay.  That's all for today.

[garbon]

I don't understand those.

[derspiess]

I don't understand those.

Biting political commentary and expert artwork from a 70-some year old progressive activist.

[Zanza]

I read a bit of the "Repeal Bill" and at least to me it sounds a bit like a limited enabling act giving the executive widereaching legislative powers on all matters that were previously regulated by the EU. Despite all (intentional) democratic deficits of the EU that doesn't sound like taking back control but rather shortcircuiting the separation of powers.

Both sides have started posting their position papers:

https://ec.europa.eu/commission/brexit-negotiations/negotiating-documents-article-50-negotiations-united-kingdom_en?field_core_tags_tid_i18n=351
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/position-papers-published-ahead-of-july-negotiation

A lot of legalese, but some of the stuff is interesting to read and shows the breadth of topics they need to resolve within the short time period.

[Tamas]

Yeah those are the concerns with the repeal bill. Whichever shining beacon of this glorious generation of political giants will be charge of a given government department will be able to decide on a dizzying array of things basically on their own.

[Jacob]

I don't understand those.

Biting political commentary and expert artwork from a 70-some year old progressive activist.

And you love it so much you're spamming it in three different threads?

[derspiess]

I stumbled across the website this morning while reading an article about a local Indian Mound.  It's gold.

[Ed Anger]

Meh. It's no over labeled Ben Garrison political comic.

[Josquius]

That's actually why a trade deal between the UK and EU is so complicated. At the moment, the UK and the EU have 100% convergence on regulations that are in the EU's responsibility. All trade deals in the history of the EU have always been about increasing convergence whether internally (Single European Act) or externally (every single FTA concluded). The UK however wants to increase divergence from existing regulation - presumably to gain competitive advantage in international trade ("Global Britain"). So what's in there for the EU if the UK only plans to diverge ever more after a "comprehensive deal" has been agreed in the next years?

All I know is that both the Tories and the Labour party want a deal where we enjoy similar benefits to the single market and the customs union, without being tied down by membership in either.

So, the British position is clear, now it is up to the EU to make this happen!!!

Swiss option?

[Tamas]

That's actually why a trade deal between the UK and EU is so complicated. At the moment, the UK and the EU have 100% convergence on regulations that are in the EU's responsibility. All trade deals in the history of the EU have always been about increasing convergence whether internally (Single European Act) or externally (every single FTA concluded). The UK however wants to increase divergence from existing regulation - presumably to gain competitive advantage in international trade ("Global Britain"). So what's in there for the EU if the UK only plans to diverge ever more after a "comprehensive deal" has been agreed in the next years?

All I know is that both the Tories and the Labour party want a deal where we enjoy similar benefits to the single market and the customs union, without being tied down by membership in either.

So, the British position is clear, now it is up to the EU to make this happen!!!

Swiss option?

Sorry, not good enough because it involves free movement. The EU needs to do better and they better get their act together fast because the British People Have Spoken, and they are getting impatient!!!

[Tamas]

So, Americans, how horrible is chlorine-washed chicken? FYI chlorinated chicken rules British politics this week, as a symbol of the low quality American filth we risk letting into the pristine British food markets.

[garbon]

So, Americans, how horrible is chlorine-washed chicken? FYI chlorinated chicken rules British politics this week, as a symbol of the low quality American filth we risk letting into the pristine British food markets.

https://qz.com/1037737/will-post-brexit-uk-swallow-americas-chlorinated-chicken-for-a-trade-deal/

Why is chlorinated chicken banned in the UK?

The short answer: It's mostly not about the chlorine itself. The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) have approved chlorine baths as safe, and the European Food Safety Authority also concluded that "chemical substances in poultry are unlikely to pose an immediate or acute health risk for consumers."

Rather, European health authorities (and, it seems, even Vladimir Putin) fear that allowing producers to dip their chickens in chlorine gives them a free pass to engage in unhygienic chicken farming before the slaughter.

According to a report by the US Congressional Research Service, the EU "generally opposes such chemical interventions and believes that stronger sanitary practices during production and processing are more appropriate for pathogen control than what it views as US overreliance" on chlorine and related antimicrobial baths.

In Europe, farmers take a "farm-to-fork" approach to preventing contamination by pathogens like salmonella. There, poultry may only be washed in cold water or cold air, and most of the burden of keeping the animals free of contamination is borne by pricey pre-slaughter farming practices designed to limit bacterial infection. That makes poultry production more expensive than it is in the US—one possible reason British chicken farmers have been vocal about the UK staying out of the cheaper American chicken market. The British Poultry Council, the industry body, told the Guardian it "rejects the notion of importing chlorine-washed chickens as part of...trade negotiations with the US."

In the US, where large farms often confine birds in tightly-packed spaces, some advocates worry fecal contamination is hard to prevent. Fecal matter containing salmonella bacteria can get on the meat itself during the slaughter process, and live chickens can become infected by contact with fecal matter, including by eating rat droppings. Chicken eggs can be infected too, if they are laid by a hen who already has the bacteria.

So I think the real matter is that farmers in UK are concerned they'd be undercut by American prices and would need to adopt American practices which would then prevent them from being able to sell their chicken in the EU.

Anyway...

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/blog/live/2017/jul/26/gove-says-chlorinated-chicken-would-be-banned-under-any-uk-us-trade-deal-politics-live

Gove says chlorinated chicken would be banned under any UK-US trade deal

[Tamas]

Makes sense.

On Gove pre-banning chlorinated chicken though: Liam Fox disagrees.

[Josquius]

[

So,
Sorry, not good enough because it involves free movement. The EU needs to do better and they better get their act together fast because the British People Have Spoken, and they are getting impatient!!!

Ish.
After the Swiss referendum on ending free movement and the big political mess about that (which the UK really should have observed through to the end before this brexit stupidity) they've got a sort of opt out.
Free movement still applies however when it comes to work Swiss are given priority (was always the case anyway. But now it's official) and there are only a certain number of work permits given a year.
My team is currently having a pain trying to get a permit for a Portuguese guy we want to hire.

[Tamas]

[

So,
Sorry, not good enough because it involves free movement. The EU needs to do better and they better get their act together fast because the British People Have Spoken, and they are getting impatient!!!

Ish.
After the Swiss referendum on ending free movement and the big political mess about that (which the UK really should have observed through to the end before this brexit stupidity) they've got a sort of opt out.
Free movement still applies however when it comes to work Swiss are given priority (was always the case anyway. But now it's official) and there are only a certain number of work permits given a year.
My team is currently having a pain trying to get a permit for a Portuguese guy we want to hire.

That really doesn't sound good enough for the British People, whom, may I remind you, Have Spoken. The EU will need to try harder to avoid disappointing the already Having Spoken British People.