Emma, do you think it's reasonable to expect a bit more boldness on Labour's 2029 manifesto? Like, after a term of competent governance and incremental improvements in people's lived experiences, Britain might be in a place where the issue was no longer so polarising and the government could be trusted to renegotiate?
It's a very good question to which the annoying answer is "it depends". A lot of things will make a difference - Where the EU is politically, if Trump is elected, what happens in Ukraine, what happens with where Labour gets to in closer alignment and how that works. So hard to say, but if all goes well, I would hope so.
What NOBODY seems willing to EXPLAIN is that this government NEVER got Brexit done as they still haven't implemented a full border with the EU because as Rees-Mogg said (when the border was cancelled for the FIFTH time ) it is an "act of self harm." Thus even at the 6th attempt at implementing the border in April 2024 it still hasn't been fully implemented. Had the whole of the UK had a FULL customs border since we left the EU then it would have been VERY MUCH at the top of the political agenda (just as it has been in NI ) which is why the Tories never got Brexit done. What is more without at least dynamic alignment NI is NEVER going to work. A border post 22 miles in from the port is NEVER going to work. Inspectors only at the border from 7a.m to 7pm with most lorries coming over at night isn't going to work and guess what we haven't got a WORLD BEATING BORDER! Trade from the EU will dwindle once it is not all being waved into the country with no checks. "The Netherlands was the UK’s third largest trading partner by imports last year, with more than £65bn of goods being transported. One of the biggest categories of products moved from the Netherlands to the UK is plants and cut flowers, with imports for these products reaching €2.1bn for the first three months of 2024." The Dutch hauliers are saying they will stop coming to the UK as will many others because as Gov.Uk have shown a border is NEVER GOING TO WORK.
I think this is such an important point. I have no idea how this gets resolved without really hurting a lot of businesses. But, something has to happen, without binding standards we need to have some enforced border to stop people dumping dangerous goods into our market. I have a feeling Labour will have to do it and it’s going to be painful
I hope the mood music will change and we will eventually join the single market and customs union via EFTA. To generate the economic growth and tax revenues needed for the public realm, we will need to lower trade barriers. I fear though, that Labour has as many ‘little Englanders’ as the Conservative Party.
Emma, do you think it's reasonable to expect a bit more boldness on Labour's 2029 manifesto? Like, after a term of competent governance and incremental improvements in people's lived experiences, Britain might be in a place where the issue was no longer so polarising and the government could be trusted to renegotiate?
It's a very good question to which the annoying answer is "it depends". A lot of things will make a difference - Where the EU is politically, if Trump is elected, what happens in Ukraine, what happens with where Labour gets to in closer alignment and how that works. So hard to say, but if all goes well, I would hope so.
What NOBODY seems willing to EXPLAIN is that this government NEVER got Brexit done as they still haven't implemented a full border with the EU because as Rees-Mogg said (when the border was cancelled for the FIFTH time ) it is an "act of self harm." Thus even at the 6th attempt at implementing the border in April 2024 it still hasn't been fully implemented. Had the whole of the UK had a FULL customs border since we left the EU then it would have been VERY MUCH at the top of the political agenda (just as it has been in NI ) which is why the Tories never got Brexit done. What is more without at least dynamic alignment NI is NEVER going to work. A border post 22 miles in from the port is NEVER going to work. Inspectors only at the border from 7a.m to 7pm with most lorries coming over at night isn't going to work and guess what we haven't got a WORLD BEATING BORDER! Trade from the EU will dwindle once it is not all being waved into the country with no checks. "The Netherlands was the UK’s third largest trading partner by imports last year, with more than £65bn of goods being transported. One of the biggest categories of products moved from the Netherlands to the UK is plants and cut flowers, with imports for these products reaching €2.1bn for the first three months of 2024." The Dutch hauliers are saying they will stop coming to the UK as will many others because as Gov.Uk have shown a border is NEVER GOING TO WORK.
I think this is such an important point. I have no idea how this gets resolved without really hurting a lot of businesses. But, something has to happen, without binding standards we need to have some enforced border to stop people dumping dangerous goods into our market. I have a feeling Labour will have to do it and it’s going to be painful
I hope the mood music will change and we will eventually join the single market and customs union via EFTA. To generate the economic growth and tax revenues needed for the public realm, we will need to lower trade barriers. I fear though, that Labour has as many ‘little Englanders’ as the Conservative Party.