Brexit - on reflection:

[Lucky7]

This great kingdom?

[DonaldRocks]

People thought a No Deal Brexit was going to be a disaster. This Pandemic is a No Deal Brexit on Steroids and every other amphetamine thrown in for good measure.

The world is at war and many countries don't realise it and are only beginning to wake up. It azure going to be too late for many.

[Ghostkidofthenorth]

Brexit will go ahead without a second referendum, they might need a short extension due to the virus but will get it done asap so any economic fallout can be blamed on covid-19.
From a remainer but a realist

[E10EU]

Brexit will go ahead without a second referendum, they might need a short extension due to the virus but will get it done asap so any economic fallout can be blamed on covid-19.

I suspect you are right.
Johnson needs Brexshit and the language he has created around it to keep himself in the top job.
Nothing else matters to him. He is totally out of his depth and he doesn't have a clue but he is still trying to wing it by evoking war time stoicism which is the sort of thing that appeals to many Brexiteers.

His initial strategy of sacrificing the sick and elderly (regarded by some as a drain on public finance for social & health care) in order to strengthen the immunity of younger people was quite an eye opener!

Also interesting that he now delivers his PM speeches flanked by the Union Jack in a way that just shows the St. George's cross.

[BoniO]

Brexit will go ahead without a second referendum, they might need a short extension due to the virus but will get it done asap so any economic fallout can be blamed on covid-19.

I suspect you are right.
Johnson needs Brexshit and the language he has created around it to keep himself in the top job.
Nothing else matters to him. He is totally out of his depth and he doesn't have a clue but he is still trying to wing it by evoking war time stoicism which is the sort of thing that appeals to many Brexiteers.

His initial strategy of sacrificing the sick and elderly (regarded by some as a drain on public finance for social & health care) in order to strengthen the immunity of younger people was quite an eye opener!

Also interesting that he now delivers his PM speeches flanked by the Union Jack in a way that just shows the St. George's cross.

Agreed. With regard to the initial strategy of sacrificing the sick and elderly my real concern here is that we did follow that policy early on and therefore we haven't gone through the lockdown and test all method used by some of the more successful Countries. Now it's probably too late for lockdown to be really effective as the virus has spread. As for widespread testing, well Boris has said we're not doing that. I think we might have to pay a high price for Boris's mismanagement (I could call it worse).

[DonaldRocks]

Brexit will go ahead without a second referendum, they might need a short extension due to the virus but will get it done asap so any economic fallout can be blamed on covid-19.

I suspect you are right.
Johnson needs Brexshit and the language he has created around it to keep himself in the top job.
Nothing else matters to him. He is totally out of his depth and he doesn't have a clue but he is still trying to wing it by evoking war time stoicism which is the sort of thing that appeals to many Brexiteers.

His initial strategy of sacrificing the sick and elderly (regarded by some as a drain on public finance for social & health care) in order to strengthen the immunity of younger people was quite an eye opener!

Also interesting that he now delivers his PM speeches flanked by the Union Jack in a way that just shows the St. George's cross.

Well said. 100%

[DonaldRocks]

Brexit will go ahead without a second referendum, they might need a short extension due to the virus but will get it done asap so any economic fallout can be blamed on covid-19.

I suspect you are right.
Johnson needs Brexshit and the language he has created around it to keep himself in the top job.
Nothing else matters to him. He is totally out of his depth and he doesn't have a clue but he is still trying to wing it by evoking war time stoicism which is the sort of thing that appeals to many Brexiteers.

His initial strategy of sacrificing the sick and elderly (regarded by some as a drain on public finance for social & health care) in order to strengthen the immunity of younger people was quite an eye opener!

Also interesting that he now delivers his PM speeches flanked by the Union Jack in a way that just shows the St. George's cross.

Agreed. With regard to the initial strategy of sacrificing the sick and elderly my real concern here is that we did follow that policy early on and therefore we haven't gone through the lockdown and test all method used by some of the more successful Countries. Now it's probably too late for lockdown to be really effective as the virus has spread. As for widespread testing, well Boris has said we're not doing that. I think we might have to pay a high price for Boris's mismanagement (I could call it worse).

You're also on the ball here.

[NuneatonO's]

Despite the hundreds of Billions announced to keep businesses running, there is still no actual process apparently on how this money can be claimed.

It sounds great.......in theory - but how is it going to work in practice; particularly for small businesses that will have 'gone under' within the next fortnight?

This incompetent tory government love their three word soundbytes - the recovery plan will apparently deliver "what it takes" (does this remind you of 'get it done')? However, beyond the sound byte from this new 'wide boy' Chancellor, there is absolutely no structure or process. My company have already tried. It's actually akin to war time propaganda. Truly astounding.

I just wonder how much of this financial package claimed by larger companies, will end up in tax-free havens such as The Caymen Islands; whilst people currently working for these companies will, or have indeed already, ended up on the dole?

I know.....people can claim Universal Credit if they are struggling to survive right now; because, as we all know, that system is working so well.

[DonaldRocks]

Despite the hundreds of Billions announced to keep businesses running, there is still no actual process apparently on how this money can be claimed.

It sounds great.......in theory - but how is it going to work in practice; particularly for small businesses that will have 'gone under' within the next fortnight?

This incompetent tory government love their three word soundbytes - the recovery plan will apparently deliver "what it takes" (does this remind you of 'get it done')? However, beyond the sound byte from this new 'wide boy' Chancellor, there is absolutely no structure or process. My company have already tried. It's actually akin to war time propaganda. Truly astounding.

I just wonder how much of this financial package claimed by larger companies, will end up in tax-free havens such as The Caymen Islands; whilst people currently working for these companies will, or have indeed already, ended up on the dole?

I know.....people can claim Universal Credit if they are struggling to survive right now; because, as we all know, that system is working so well.

Yes, Boris hasn't got a clue what he is doing. What is that other idiot Tim Martin of Weatherspoons saying about keeping the pubs open. Greed.

It appears that many GOP/Republican politicians in USA that were made aware of the virus in advance, we're dumping stock while down playing the virus in public. Also some apparently also invested into Teleworking Technology Companies, like Senator Kelly Loeffer. On top of that, add Senator Richard Burr, Chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, who offloaded millions off stock, whilst he downplayed like the outbreak. I wonder what the Tory insiders have been at. Did any of them benefit just like they did with Brexit? Criminal.

[Disoriented]

Tim Martin is a joke and a very unfunny one at that.

[Rich Tea Wellin]

Unfortunately we will now never be able to tell the direct impact of brexit, for good or bad, because we will be recovering from this mess for generations.

[o-no]

True. People will be studying this period for years to come.

I hope this isn't taken the wrong way, but for probably the majority who have never lived through these kinds of measures, it's fascinating and frightening at the same time.

[DonaldRocks]

True. People will be studying this period for years to come.

I hope this isn't taken the wrong way, but for probably the majority who have never lived through these kinds of measures, it's fascinating and frightening at the same time.

Yes, they will. Brexit was always a disaster but unfortunately what's happening now is off the scales altogether.

What happened Boris J herd mentality? No wonder they are offering 80% wages, they know alot of those jobs are gone. What a disaster that clown is as PM. He was a useless Tit as Foreign Minister too. Stay safe. If your younger, ring your Parents and Grandparents, just don't visit them for the foreseeable future. I know it's early days but for many this will be sad times.

[Mikero]

Surprisingly there has been one benefit of brexit, the huge stocks warehoused across the country is case of a no deal brexit will now keep us going for a few months, providing of course the supermarket sweepers can be stopped.

Mikero

[Scuba Diver]

If by 9 months time all the oldies like me have a croaked ( not a Brexit Supporter BTW ), may it not be the time for Remoaners to push for another Referendum.

Don't think the voter demographic fits the bill as easily as has been stereo-typed.
That being :
old = brexit
young = remain

9 Analysts in the team where I work, all under 30 - 7 voted Brexit.

Main reasons cited were:

Disliked Britain not having enough of it's own control, not just on immigration, but laws; due to a Central European Capitalist quango (EU)
The country is full up; tighter border controls needed
The "ram it down your throat/we know what's best" attitude of Remainers. Some cited they had turned towards Brexit because of this.

As I said, these are professionals around 25-28, not just indigenous English either. It's always more complex than the newspapers wish us to believe as they pursue their ongoing divisive schtick.

For what it's worth, I voted Remain. Would I push for another referendum? No - we need to move on imo

[Dunners]

Agree scuba. The stereotype of a brexit voter being a northern gammon isn't quite right. Plenty of Surrey professionals and younger workers voted to leave too.

As for brexit itself, I'm also happy to leave and move on. However the EU is likely to be changed for ever by this virus.

[Ronnie Hotdogs]

Totally, scuba. ‘Professionals’ can be just as racist and misinformed as anyone else.

[Scuba Diver]

Totally, scuba. ‘Professionals’ can be just as racist and misinformed as anyone else.

Racist? They've never struck me as that. One is a black guy, and one a Muslim lady, so I guess you're tarring them with the R -card too because they voted for something you didn't agree with.

Seems small-minded to me, but there you go. I'm sure you know best.

[Dunners]

You could include self-employed accountants in that list too.

[Ronnie Hotdogs]

Totally, scuba. ‘Professionals’ can be just as racist and misinformed as anyone else.

Racist? They've never struck me as that. One is a black guy, and one a Muslim lady, so I guess you're tarring them with the R -card too because they voted for something you didn't agree with.

Seems small-minded to me, but there you go. I'm sure you know best.

Seems small minded to me, to assume I’m a Remainer.

[Ronnie Hotdogs]

You could include self-employed accountants in that list too.

Of Professionals?

Barely.

[o-no]

Surprisingly there has been one benefit of brexit, the huge stocks warehoused across the country is case of a no deal brexit will now keep us going for a few months, providing of course the supermarket sweepers can be stopped.

Mikero

Are there actually huge stocks warehoused across the country? I'd be interested in the evidence of that.

A no-deal Brexit is still very much on the cards. Last I heard the clock was still ticking down to December 31.

I do believe that until this year the Labour Party "plan" has been to wait for a no-deal Brexit to be such a catastrophe that they will be a shoo-in at the next election. The coronavirus has turned that on it's head.

[A Pedant]

I’d vote Leave again without hesitation – less bureaucracy, more democracy and accountability.

On this particular point, not true. There will be more bureaucracy than when we were in the EU, because we will need to recreate at a national level control systems that previously were pan-EU (and which we paid into as part of our membership).

For example, the European Union Aviation Safety Agency. According to a recent report I read, the UK currently pays between £1m and £4m a year to be a member of this. Currently the UK government's plan is to give these responsibilities to the Civil Aviation Authority, which an industry body estimates that to rival the EU agency would take at least 10 years and £40m annually.

Of course you may think it better to have an army of UK bureaucrats running things rather than EU ones, which is a valid viewpoint, but it will be larger and costlier than before.

[Mikero]

"Are there actually huge stocks warehoused across the country? I'd be interested in the evidence of that."

The source was the CEO of the Retail Consortium in a TV interview and she should know.

Mikero

[o-no]

OK, so Helen Dickinson is head of the British Retail Consortium, and as you would expect she has been saying that British retailers can cope, "there's plenty of food in the supply chain", etc etc.

What I'm not seeing is any evidence that there is/was huge stocks warehoused specifically in anticipation of a no-deal Brexit.