The Brexit referendum thread: potential consequences for GB, EU and the Brits in CH

[schoggiweggli]

Here’s a report of the UK Road Haulage Association complaint about the driver shortage in 2016.
Seems also since IR35 was implemented, a lot of the ‘self employed’ (but not really as they only had one customer), who amounted to about 30% of drivers, have moved onto easier work that pays basically comparable to HGV driving, without the stress and hours.
So this crisis has been brewing for years.

[marton]

	Quote:	schoggiweggli
	Here’s a report of the UK Road Haulage Association complaint about the driver shortage in 2016. Seems also since IR35 was implemented, a lot of the ‘self employed’ (but not really as they only had one customer), who amounted to about 30% of drivers, have moved onto easier work that pays basically comparable to HGV driving, without the stress and hours. So this crisis has been brewing for years.

Talking about "crisis has been brewing for years" the Brexit referendum was also in 2016.

[JackieH]

	Quote:	schoggiweggli
	Here’s a report of the UK Road Haulage Association complaint about the driver shortage in 2016. Seems also since IR35 was implemented, a lot of the ‘self employed’ (but not really as they only had one customer), who amounted to about 30% of drivers, have moved onto easier work that pays basically comparable to HGV driving, without the stress and hours. So this crisis has been brewing for years.

Agreed- and the Government knew it - or should have known about it! And what did they do? Same for care homes and NHS.

[marton]

	Quote:	RufusB
	Being a HGV driver must be a bit shite at times, especially with the proposed - or did it go through? - change to driving times from 9 to 10 hours on tachographs. Getting stuck hours from home has to be awful. However, it has shut my neighbour up. Every cloud. He's a qualified HGV driver who only does short/mid haul because he does't like long haul because it takes him from family. Totally get it. However he voted for Brexit primarily to "stop all those foreigners taking my jobs". Oddly enough he's still doing short haul...

Will he ask for his vote back now the UK Govt. has announced special work permits for foreign lorry drivers?
The whole thing is a comic/tragedy.

[JackieH]

Wow, this has aged well ... NOT. Dear Farage...

https://scontent-zrh1-1.xx.fbcdn.net...39&oe=61754383

[RufusB]

	Quote:	marton
	Will he ask for his vote back now the UK Govt. has announced special work permits for foreign lorry drivers? The whole thing is a comic/tragedy.

My neighbour is a lovely man, if you can ignore the solipsistic and hypocritical politics. He buys whatever Johnson et al sell so he probably hasn't thought about it.

[John William]

The Gas crisis in a nutshell.

[JackieH]

Watching Andrew Marr show?

For the first time ever, Marr is giving Johnson a good grilling, and he is just getting more and more annoyed and red in the face. Things are a-turning as the Conservative Press and large sections of the Tory party are increasingly becoming more and more uncomfortable with his kind of Conservatism.

[John William]

	Quote:	JackieH
	Watching Andrew Marr show? For the first time ever, Marr is giving Johnson a good grilling, and he is just getting more and more annoyed and red in the face. Things are a-turning as the Conservative Press and large sections of the Tory party are increasingly becoming more and more uncomfortable with his kind of Conservatism.

Yes all this talk from BJ about up skilling jobs in the UK and giving the 'green light' for uncontrolled wage inflation across all jobs and sectors - we all know where that leads uncontrolled price inflation across all markets - although I bet the public sector jobs ( from Local & Central Govt workers, down to the precious Nurses & Social Care workers being stuck on ( subject to Govt sanction ) pay reviews of a miserly 1 or ( if your lucky ) 2 per cent wage increase. Yes the NHS, the very people we were 'hand clapping' for their sacrifices on the Front-line of the pandemic get shafted again.

[JackieH]

I think that even if someone is a strong and firm believer in 'free markets' - no PM can just wait several years for this to happen, without any planning.

The HGV drivers massive shortage was known for quite some time, and the PM and Government fully aware and repeatedly warned- but they did absolutely nothing- and sent packing 1000s of EU drivers, again without any planning whatsoever.

[keyboardandmouse]

	Quote:	JackieH
	Watching Andrew Marr show? For the first time ever, Marr is giving Johnson a good grilling, and he is just getting more and more annoyed and red in the face. Things are a-turning as the Conservative Press and large sections of the Tory party are increasingly becoming more and more uncomfortable with his kind of Conservatism.

Tories increase their lead over labour says poll today https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...lead-poll.html

[Pachyderm]

	Quote:	JackieH
	Watching Andrew Marr show? For the first time ever, Marr is giving Johnson a good grilling, and he is just getting more and more annoyed and red in the face. Things are a-turning as the Conservative Press and large sections of the Tory party are increasingly becoming more and more uncomfortable with his kind of Conservatism.

Seriously old chap, do you have any interests beyond moaning about the UK government and Brexit? In a democracy, you're fully entitled to take any lawful view you want -- I've no problem with that at all. But it's your one-track pessimism that I find rather dispiriting. What actually gives you pleasure that you may want to share, apart from a carefully selected opinion poll that shows a reduced lead for the Tories, or something or other being blamed on Brexit? It would make a very pleasant change.

[bowlie]

Mods, Brexit is over. Done and dusted. Can this thread be locked, please?

[JackieH]

Please, do read the title. Brexit is done- but we still don't know what kind of Brexit. But the title clearly says 'potential consequences' - and so it is still very much happening.

Are you saying the shortages of HGV drivers, fork lifters, agriculture and abattoir workers, carers, nurses, and on, and on, are NOT a consequence of Brexit? It is abundantly clear that Johnson knew about those shortages for a very long time- but did absolutely nothing to prepare- well... apart from sending those EU workers that did those jobs in large numbers, packing with a flea in their ear.

This thread is as relevant as ever.

[rainer_d]

The title could be changed to "potential and actual consequences".

I mean, there are actual consequences. They are no longer potential....

[marton]

	Quote:	Pachyderm
	Seriously old chap, do you have any interests beyond moaning about the UK government and Brexit? In a democracy, you're fully entitled to take any lawful view you want -- I've no problem with that at all. But it's your one-track pessimism that I find rather dispiriting. What actually gives you pleasure that you may want to share, apart from a carefully selected opinion poll that shows a reduced lead for the Tories, or something or other being blamed on Brexit? It would make a very pleasant change.

It is an open thread, please do post positive news and outcomes from Brexit - all are welcome to post.
It is looking like there will be higher UK inflation, followed by higher bank rates followed by the £ exchange rate improving against the CHF which will, in turn, be good news for some of us.

[nickatbasel]

	Quote:	bowlie
	Mods, Brexit is over. Done and dusted. Can this thread be locked, please?

Has anyone told the British government?

[John William]

	Quote:	marton
	It is an open thread, please do post positive news and outcomes from Brexit - all are welcome to post. It is looking like there will be higher UK inflation, followed by higher bank rates followed by the £ exchange rate improving against the CHF which will, in turn, be good news for some of us.

I would like to see more posts by Expats highlighting the contrast between the UK and where they live in Continental Europe.
In answer to the 'headlines' that dominate the news in the UK like last weekends 'Panic at the Petrol Stations' where Expats can respond by saying there's no 'Panic at the Petrol Stations' where I live in Geneva, Zurich, France, Germany, etc and no politicians over here berating the shortage of HGV drivers, 'What shortage' and my supermarkets not suffering from any delays in Fruit & Veg and I see no 'empty shelves in my neck of the woods, so what's up in the UK ????

[JackieH]

The extreme Cons are increasingly calling for article 16 to be triggered.

Does anyone have any idea of the consequences that would have?

[JackieH]

David Davis is now saying the shortages are entirely the fault of businesses for poor preparation! Just appalling and disgusting. No downsides at all from Brexit at all, he said again and again- only considerable upsides!

But the most bizarre thing now, is the absolute contradictions coming from the Tories. On the one hand, saying that shortages have NOTHING to do with Brexit, at all

and on the other

that shortages due to Brexit are 'good' and an upside for UK, because it will 'rebalance the economy' - as supply chains will collapse and we will all be back buying direct from the farm gates (Chris Loader Tory MP at Conference). And that higher wages are good (well I'd agree actually) - but without mentionning this will lead to higher costs and inflation, which would cancel higher wages. I thought that inflation was the 'bête noire' of the Tory Party, no?

Just unbelievable nonsense.