Brexit: Now What? Part IV

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As usual, you're all willfully missing my point. I never said that a border like the Swiss one was needed. What I actually posted was that the Swiss Head of Customs told a committee at Westminster that, in his expert opinion, it would be possible for the Irish border to be "invisible" after Brexit.
 
ceptimus said:
As usual, you're all willfully missing my point. I never said that a border like the Swiss one was needed. What I actually posted was that the Swiss Head of Customs told a committee at Westminster that, in his expert opinion, it would be possible for the Irish border to be "invisible" after Brexit.
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Did you read beyond the headline? Here's how he thinks an Irish border could be 'invisible'...

He said a number of conditions would need to be met, including common border patrols involving UK and Irish staff.

He gave an example of German police helicopters flying in Switzerland with Swiss customs staff on board.

He said there would still need to be customs "control points" but those could be at locations away from the border, such as at business premises.

Dr Bock said there would also have to be an intelligence strategy, a pre-qualification system for trusted traders and a system for easing low-risk trade.
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Placing customs control point away from the border, such as at business premises would attract violence to places away from the border, such as at business premises. As for the idea of British and Irish customs officers flying together over Irish air space in a British helicopter, or vice versa, I just can't even begin to think how the members of the NI select committee kept a straight face at that one.

And anyway, if all those things could create an invisible border, as Dr Bock claims, then how come Switzerland doesn't have one?
 
Also, did he give an expert opinion on how much time it would take to implement?

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ceptimus said:
As usual, you're all willfully missing my point. I never said that a border like the Swiss one was needed. What I actually posted was that the Swiss Head of Customs told a committee at Westminster that, in his expert opinion, it would be possible for the Irish border to be "invisible" after Brexit.
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...and we pointed out that in order to have an "invisible border" there would e other criteria that would have to be met - including alignment on standards, movement of people, financial contribution and joint patrols - which would make any such deal abhorrent to some or all of the key Brexiteers.
 
ceptimus said:
As usual, you're all willfully missing my point. I never said that a border like the Swiss one was needed. What I actually posted was that the Swiss Head of Customs told a committee at Westminster that, in his expert opinion, it would be possible for the Irish border to be "invisible" after Brexit.
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Really? You cite an example of a border that you think proves your point, even thought it is demonstrably not the kind of border you - or other hard Brexit supporters - would tolerate. Is that your argument? Because one sort of thing exists, your preferred but completely different sort of thing must also be able to exist?
 
ceptimus said:
As usual, you're all willfully missing my point. I never said that a border like the Swiss one was needed. What I actually posted was that the Swiss Head of Customs told a committee at Westminster that, in his expert opinion, it would be possible for the Irish border to be "invisible" after Brexit.
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While you may not have explicitly said it, in the first part of the post you're referring to, you seem to be claiming that Switzerland has and "invisible" border - not true, and saying that the person in question has specific and relevant experience of such a border.

This, to me, seems to imply that you're advocating a similar approach to that adopted by Switzerland. If not, then you should have made that clear

ceptimus said:
The WTO is based in Switzerland. At times it's hard to know when you're crossing the border between an EU country and Switzerland, despite Switzerland never having been an EU member, and having different currency, laws, tax regime, and so on to the adjacent EU countries.


Interestingly, the head of the Swiss Customs Service gave evidence to Westminster's Northern Ireland Affairs Committee last year and explained how it would be possible to maintain an invisible border after Brexit.


Of course, remain supporters won't like this - why should we take any notice of the head of the Customs Service of a non-EU country that has very soft borders with the EU? Obviously he doesn't know what he's talking about! :)
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So while it is true that Switzerland does have easier border controls than a "regular" non-EU country, it's because Switzerland has taken steps to integrate with the EU which would be unacceptable to the majority of Brexiteers.
 
The UK currently has customs checks away from the border. However setting up a customs warehouse is not an option for most businesses, the costs of compliance means they are better off queueing at ports. Of course customs warehouses in any case are only appropriate for businesses. You will still need a border control for goods imported by individuals as well as immigration control. Unless, immigration was not an issue for brexit voters.
 
Add this to the list of things to be paid for out of the £350m a week:

Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson has said he "probably needs" a plane to help him travel the world and promote the UK's interests.

Cabinet members can use the RAF Voyager for official business but Mr Johnson said it "never seems to be available".

Asked by reporters if he would like a "Brexit plane", Mr Johnson said he would - if costs were not "exorbitant".
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Of course when Tony Blair in pre-austerity Britain suggested a prime-ministerial plane, it was a national disgrace....:rolleyes:

Apparently as well as being generally unavailable, the plane that BoJo could use is the wrong colour....

Mr Johnson also questioned the drab colour of the Voyager, saying: "Also, why does it have to be grey?"
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Because it doubles-up as an RAF in-flight re-fueller you great big numpty...
 
Yet more Brexit "good news"

The post-Brexit customs system favoured by Boris Johnson and other leading Brexiteers could cost businesses up to £20bn a year, officials have suggested.

The chief executive of HM Revenue and Customs told MPs firms would have to pay £32.50 for each customs declaration under the so-called "max fac" solution.

Jon Thompson said any new system could take up to five years to fully work.
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http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-44229606

If it goes the way of any other large-scale IT and technology project in the public or private sectors then I'd expect those timescales and costs to double or triple at least.

Lucky we have that £350m a week :rolleyes:
 
The Don said:
Yet more Brexit "good news"



http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-44229606

If it goes the way of any other large-scale IT and technology project in the public or private sectors then I'd expect those timescales and costs to double or triple at least.

Lucky we have that £350m a week :rolleyes:
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Which would only leave about £34m a week to make up somewhere else, somehow.

Assuming the £20bn doesn't increase the way you (and anyone else) would expect, of course.
 
Britain’s decision to leave the European Union has sparked a dramatic fall in the number of French, Dutch and Belgian businesses registering in the UK, in a further illustration of Brexit’s impact on the UK economy.

Figures from Companies House show that French companies registered 48% fewer businesses in the UK in 2016-17 than the previous financial year while companies in Belgium registered 38% fewer. Companies in the Netherlands, which is probably the worst affected by Brexit of Britain’s trading partners, registered 52% fewer companies last year than in 2015-16.

The collapse in company registrations mirrors the reluctance of foreign companies to invest in the UK either by building new factories or buying UK businesses. OECD figures show that foreign direct investment into the UK tumbled in 2017 by 90%

https://www.theguardian.com/busines...in-uk-business-registrations?CMP=share_btn_tw
 
So Johnson wants a plane.
Apparently he believes that Britain will be able to restore its ruined international reputation and negotiate better trade deals if he has a plane.

he doesn't like the colour of the RAF one that the cabinet can have the use of.


It's not that long ago that he was trying to persuade British business to pay for a 'Trade Yacht' to replace Britannia so he could swan off around the world.
No sign of businesses stumping up for it though.
 
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Captain_Swoop said:
Britain’s decision to leave the European Union has sparked a dramatic fall in the number of French, Dutch and Belgian businesses registering in the UK, in a further illustration of Brexit’s impact on the UK economy.

Figures from Companies House show that French companies registered 48% fewer businesses in the UK in 2016-17 than the previous financial year while companies in Belgium registered 38% fewer. Companies in the Netherlands, which is probably the worst affected by Brexit of Britain’s trading partners, registered 52% fewer companies last year than in 2015-16.

The collapse in company registrations mirrors the reluctance of foreign companies to invest in the UK either by building new factories or buying UK businesses. OECD figures show that foreign direct investment into the UK tumbled in 2017 by 90%
https://www.theguardian.com/busines...in-uk-business-registrations?CMP=share_btn_tw
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That shouldn't be a problem. God-fearin' Brits don't need no steenkin' furriners' money nohow.
 
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