Boris

[Claret-On-A-T-Rex]

I don't know what it is, he just seems to command respect...

[Spijed]

And what exactly did Boris achieve during his time as London Mayor?

A cable car that loses money.
Spending millions on a Garden Bridge that never got built.
Buses that have no air conditioning - and lose money.

Everything he touches loses money!

And those who say he got re-elected. It was ALL the wealthiest areas that can afford to lose money who voted for him.

[AndrewJB]

And what exactly did Boris achieve during his time as London Mayor?

A cable car that loses money.
Spending millions on a Garden Bridge that never got built.
Buses that have no air conditioning - and lose money.

Everything he touches loses money!

And those who say he got re-elected. It was ALL the wealthiest areas that can afford to lose money who voted for him.

The Evening Standard and Metro supported him, and attacked Livingstone relentlessly.

[dsr]

If there are no customs checks whatsoever you're basically saying there are no tariffs on imports from the EU, which means any WTO nation would be able to make a complaint on the grounds that they're being discriminated against.

And if there are even minor customs checks and infrastructure on the border the EU are unlikely to give us a trade deal.

No, that's not true. Just because there is no physical customs check does not mean that there is no check. Look at VAT for a comparison - you may buy a vast amount of goods from your builder's merchant, for example, and there will not be a customs man checking your van as you come out. But that doesn't mean they can't charge VAT.

Just as limited companies are increasingly being checked automatically by profit ratios and computer analysis, just as VAT returns are increasingly checked by computer analysis and the new Making Tax Digital system, so also will Irish imports and exports be checked digitally and by ratios.

Importers and exporters already fill in very detailed forms, down to 8 digit codes as to the goods they export, the weights, the values, on both sides of the border. This will continue after Brexit. The UK and Ireland can work together to make sure the numbers make sense and that they add up. They can also compare how much is claimed as imports by NI companies with how much is claimed as exports by ROI companies; and vice versa. This will stop fraud by one party or the other; only fraud by collusion will be possible at any significant scale.

Fraud will only by practical on a Ireland scale. No-one will be abler to smuggle UK-size quantities of goods because it will be obvious on the ferries that they are bringing vast quantities of non-UK goods. Because again, all goods sold (under Making Tax Digital) will be reported; and if companies are selling large quantities of stuff they haven't bought or made, obvious questions will be asked.

The Tax Office is already close to collecting every detail of every sale, right down to the copy invoice, for every VAT registered company in the UK. (This raises questions about infringement of liberties, perhaps, but that's another issue. This is what they are already doing.) And when they have details of all the declared sales and purchases, both imports and exports, the HMRC computers will be very strongly placed to spot the anomalies. And then the limited number of checks on lorries crossing the border can be very specifically tailored. Quite possibly by waiting for the truck at point of delivery, rather than waiting at the border.

There is no way they will build a Trump Wall round the entire border. Can't happen, won't happen.

[aggi]

So how many of this cabinet have been sacked in disgrace?

Johnson for lying about his affair (and obviously for making up a source but that wasn't in politics);
Patel for private meetings in Israel;
Gavin Williamson for leaking info from a National Security Council meeting;
Grant Shapps, was he sacked for lying about his fake identity and get rich quick scheme, I can't remember?

I'm a bit surprised he didn't keep Liam Fox on.

[dsr]

Wonder where a copy of the phrase "Arbeit macht frei" is located within government?

Please stop comparing Boris's premiership with Hitler's. You might think that all you are doing is exaggerating Boris Johnson's policies for effect, but what you are also doing is thoroughly trivialising the slaughter of the Holocaust.

Is the murder of 6,000,000 Jews, Gypsies, homosexuals, and disabled people, a fair comparison with leaving the EU without a deal?

[Imploding Turtle]

Please stop comparing Boris's premiership with Hitler's. You might think that all you are doing is exaggerating Boris Johnson's policies for effect, but what you are also doing is thoroughly trivialising the slaughter of the Holocaust.

Is the murder of 6,000,000 Jews, Gypsies, homosexuals, and disabled people, a fair comparison with leaving the EU without a deal?

Translation:

You cannot compare anything anyone ever does with anything Hitler ever did until they kill 6,000,000 Jews, gypsies, gays and invalids.

But don't you dare think about raising the minimum wage or strengthening the welfare state because that's Communism and Stalin killed 60 million people

[Bin Ont Turf]

Translation:

You cannot compare anything anyone ever does with anything Hitler ever did until they kill 6,000,000 Jews, gypsies, gays and invalids.

But don't you dare think about raising the minimum wage or strengthening the welfare state because that's Communism and Stalin killed 60 million people

Have a day off will yer Barry C

[IanMcL]

A black day

[Imploding Turtle]

A black day

Racist.

[IanMcL]

Racist.

No....Borist

[Claret-On-A-T-Rex]

No, that's not true. Just because there is no physical customs check does not mean that there is no check. Look at VAT for a comparison - you may buy a vast amount of goods from your builder's merchant, for example, and there will not be a customs man checking your van as you come out. But that doesn't mean they can't charge VAT.

Just as limited companies are increasingly being checked automatically by profit ratios and computer analysis, just as VAT returns are increasingly checked by computer analysis and the new Making Tax Digital system, so also will Irish imports and exports be checked digitally and by ratios.

Importers and exporters already fill in very detailed forms, down to 8 digit codes as to the goods they export, the weights, the values, on both sides of the border. This will continue after Brexit. The UK and Ireland can work together to make sure the numbers make sense and that they add up. They can also compare how much is claimed as imports by NI companies with how much is claimed as exports by ROI companies; and vice versa. This will stop fraud by one party or the other; only fraud by collusion will be possible at any significant scale.

Fraud will only by practical on a Ireland scale. No-one will be abler to smuggle UK-size quantities of goods because it will be obvious on the ferries that they are bringing vast quantities of non-UK goods. Because again, all goods sold (under Making Tax Digital) will be reported; and if companies are selling large quantities of stuff they haven't bought or made, obvious questions will be asked.

The Tax Office is already close to collecting every detail of every sale, right down to the copy invoice, for every VAT registered company in the UK. (This raises questions about infringement of liberties, perhaps, but that's another issue. This is what they are already doing.) And when they have details of all the declared sales and purchases, both imports and exports, the HMRC computers will be very strongly placed to spot the anomalies. And then the limited number of checks on lorries crossing the border can be very specifically tailored. Quite possibly by waiting for the truck at point of delivery, rather than waiting at the border.

There is no way they will build a Trump Wall round the entire border. Can't happen, won't happen.

Good post, I've always thought that it shouldn't really be too hard either, instead of saying "the border will be in the sea", you don't actually say it but you do the majority of the checks there. I'd be interested in knowing precisely what the big difference in goods will be and what would be the advantage to smuggling it in the first place? For example, the people here told stories of how brilliant it was to go to Andorra to get tax-free stuff but when we went there the reality was that fags and booze was a bit cheaper but if you tried to bring too much back you'd be taxed on it anyway and the rest was just cheap crap even cheaper, I was expecting D&G and Armani stuff but it was cheap Zara. Getting a ten quid top for eight is hardly something to write home about. I'm just wondering if this effectively lawless border zone with the EU will actually be beneficial or even viable for as much smuggling as people say it would be.

[Damo]

If he sticks to his promises, and puts more money into the pocket of the working ma... person, then I'm sure they will forgive him the odd silly remark about people who hide their faces in public for no good reason

[martin_p]

If he sticks to his promises, and puts more money into the pocket of the working ma... person, then I'm sure they will forgive him the odd silly remark about people who hide their faces in public for no good reason

He can only do that by increasing borrowing and therefore the defecit and we know how that’s a no no with many on here.

[aggi]

If he sticks to his promises, and puts more money into the pocket of the working ma... person, then I'm sure they will forgive him the odd silly remark about people who hide their faces in public for no good reason

He's broken a lot of promises in his time though so I would be a bit cynical about that.

[tiger76]

Prime Minister - Boris Johnson
Home Secretary - Priti Patel
Foreign Secretary - Dominic Raab

Jesus H Christ. Just when you think we can't sink any lower. The highest offices in the land occupied by some of the thickest and most deranged people in politics.

And the Labour alternatives are any better

PM-Jeremy Corbyn
Home Sec-Diane Abbott
Foreign Sec-Emily Thornberry

Is it any wonder politicians are regarded with disgust in this country,OH! well looks like a spoilt ballot for me whenever the next GE comes round.

I wouldn't trust any of the above to deliver a letter let alone with the great offices of state.

[Steve1956]

Have a day off will yer Barry C

IT and Barry Chuckle are one?

[CrosspoolClarets]

Fantastic day today, one or two I am uncertain about (Patel, Raab) but some brilliant appointments (Cummings, Javid). He clearly thinks that many Remainers have made a serious error of judgement and thus cannot trust them with big roles.

I am amazed that this hard right racist has appointed three children of migrants (and two ethnic minorities, and one woman) to the three big offices of state. Unless of course.......he isn’t one.

Cummings will now get to live out his dream to ride a coach and horses right through the civil service.

This is a radical cabinet that will want to work very fast, we may see some big changes very soon, and an election in the autumn. To win it, he will want to move quick.

[Imploding Turtle]

Fantastic day today, one or two I am uncertain about (Patel, Raab) but some brilliant appointments (Cummings, Javid). He clearly thinks that many Remainers have made a serious error of judgement and thus cannot trust them with big roles.

What remainers? What mistakes?

You're ******* deluded. He's backing it with brexiteers because he's a brexiteer. The brexit secretaries have all been brexiteers. So how the **** have you reached the conclusion that Remainers hare to blame for this mess?

Utterly ******* desperate and delusional. It's always got to be someone elses fault. You people can't accept any responsibility for your own ****-ups

[Bertiebeehead]

IT and Barry Chuckle are one?

It explains so much.

[Imploding Turtle]

IT and Barry Chuckle are one?

I'm not dead yet, much to Top Claret's chagrin.

[Murger]

What remainers? What mistakes?

You're ******* deluded. He's backing it with brexiteers because he's a brexiteer. The brexit secretaries have all been brexiteers. So how the **** have you reached the conclusion that Remainers hare to blame for this mess?

Utterly ******* desperate and delusional. It's always got to be someone elses fault. You people can't accept any responsibility for your own ****-ups

I'd get that Tourette's treated if I were you.

[Imploding Turtle]

I'd get that Tourette's treated if I were you.

and if i were you i'd want to take all the medication at once.

[RingoMcCartney]

and if i were you i'd want to take all the medication at once.

If he was married to you










he would.....

[Imploding Turtle]

If he was married to you










he would.....

you don't know how to structure a joke











so don't try.....

[RingoMcCartney]

you don't know how to structure a joke











so don't try.....

Who said I was joking?

I'll leave you to being traumatised by Boris Johnson becoming PM.

Enjoy.

[Imploding Turtle]

Who said I was joking?

I'll leave you to being traumatised by Boris Johnson becoming PM.

Enjoy.

last word

[Wile E Coyote]

there's a lengthy quote from johnson from 2007 doing the rounds, whereby he denounced gordon brown for being PM without the people deciding.
His stance on the matter is crystal clear, yet now this two faced lying slob has all his party faithful grinning like cheshire cats as he follows may into the top job.
What a disgusting party they are.

[Blackrod]

Please stop comparing Boris's premiership with Hitler's. You might think that all you are doing is exaggerating Boris Johnson's policies for effect, but what you are also doing is thoroughly trivialising the slaughter of the Holocaust.

Is the murder of 6,000,000 Jews, Gypsies, homosexuals, and disabled people, a fair comparison with leaving the EU without a deal?

Couldn’t agree more. I thought it was a revolting post.

[morpheus2]

Home Secretary - Priti Patel??
Foreign Secretary - Dominic Raab??

Does anybody else think they should go back to where they came from, sort out their crime ridden shitholes and then (not™) come back and show us how it's done??

[tim_noone]

Home Secretary - Priti Patel??
Foreign Secretary - Dominic Raab??

Does anybody else think they should go back to where they came from, sort out their crime ridden shitholes and then (not™) come back and show us how it's done??

There's got to be more than two......?

[morpheus2]

There's got to be more than two......?

Boris too, he's an imgrunt, Shirley?

[Bfcboyo]

What remainers? What mistakes?

You're ******* deluded. He's backing it with brexiteers because he's a brexiteer. The brexit secretaries have all been brexiteers. So how the **** have you reached the conclusion that Remainers hare to blame for this mess?

Utterly ******* desperate and delusional. It's always got to be someone elses fault. You people can't accept any responsibility for your own ****-ups

Great hissy fit. When will you calm down do you have any medication to subdue your mind through this roller coaster ride until old Hallows eve.

[Steve-Harpers-perm]

Even Gavin Williamson has bagged a cabinet post!

[taio]

there's a lengthy quote from johnson from 2007 doing the rounds, whereby he denounced gordon brown for being PM without the people deciding.
His stance on the matter is crystal clear, yet now this two faced lying slob has all his party faithful grinning like cheshire cats as he follows may into the top job.
What a disgusting party they are.

Big difference between 2007 and now I think because of Fixed Term Parliaments Act.

[bfcjg]

He is a bit of a short arse as well.

[bpgburn]

there's a lengthy quote from johnson from 2007 doing the rounds, whereby he denounced gordon brown for being PM without the people deciding.
His stance on the matter is crystal clear, yet now this two faced lying slob has all his party faithful grinning like cheshire cats as he follows may into the top job.
What a disgusting party they are.

Pretty much what the Labour MP's keep bringing up on a daily basis, didn't hear or see them complaining when it happened in their party with Gordon Brown?? These are politicians remember, not normal people, being two faced and free liars are what they do, all of them regardless of party allegiance, don't know why people are so surprised...

[rob63]

Wonder where a copy of the phrase "Arbeit macht frei" is located within government?

Probably on the first motorway bridge north of Watford!

[nil_desperandum]

Big difference between 2007 and now I think because of Fixed Term Parliaments Act.

The other big difference - seldom mentioned - is that when Brown replaced Blair he was leading a government that had a good working majority, and so effectively it was business as usual.
Johnson doesn't have a majority, and even with DUP support the majority will be down to 1 (assuming the conservatives don't win Brecon and Radnor). Now that we have seen the new cabinet, we can recognise that this is effectively a coup by backbench Tory MPs that has been endorsed by less than 100,000 local "Tory" party members. There simply isn't a popular mandate for this.

[dsr]

The other big difference - seldom mentioned - is that when Brown replaced Blair he was leading a government that had a good working majority, and so effectively it was business as usual.
Johnson doesn't have a majority, and even with DUP support the majority will be down to 1 (assuming the conservatives don't win Brecon and Radnor). Now that we have seen the new cabinet, we can recognise that this is effectively a coup by backbench Tory MPs that has been endorsed by less than 100,000 local "Tory" party members. There simply isn't a popular mandate for this.

At the general election, the Tories stood on a manifesto of getting out of Europe. That hasn't changed.

[nil_desperandum]

At the general election, the Tories stood on a manifesto of getting out of Europe. That hasn't changed.

They did indeed, but they didn't stand on a pledge of "no deal" on Halloween come what may, irrespective of consequences, and of course they stood for many other things too, which don't appear to be reflected in the make-up of the new cabinet.
I think I'm right in saying that Johnson has made 17 major changes to cabinet, whereas on checking I find that Brown retained exactly 17, so as I said - basically no change.

[Billy Balfour]

Yesterday's Sun in England/Scotland.

Screen Shot 2019-07-24 at 09_13_48.png (308.17 KiB) Viewed 1872 times

[rob63]

I see Boris has got the wrong end of the stick already re: the Queen
What she actually said was "I don't understand why anyone would want YOU to have the job!"

[martin_p]

At the general election, the Tories stood on a manifesto of getting out of Europe. That hasn't changed.

They didn’t stand on a manifesto of increased public spending and tax cuts though did they? Johnson has no mandate for any of that.

[tiger76]

Big difference between 2007 and now I think because of Fixed Term Parliaments Act.

Another big difference is Boris has a working majority of 2,and that'll almost certainly be reduced to 1 after the LibDems gain Brecon and Radnorshire next week.

And several former ministers have already stated they'll support a VONC if it's tabled,whether these are hollow threats time will tell.but i'd take them seriously.

In the event of a VONC passing the FTPA is null and void,and if Corbyn and assorted others can't form a working government a GE is automatically triggered after 14 days.

Will we get that far,i'd say after yesterday's appointments the odds on an early GE have increased.

It is peculiar how suddenly when a PM changes of any political party,there is a clamour for an immediate GE,we don't have a presidential system,we have a cabinet government,and i don't recall such a clamour when previous incumbents have stood down until Gordon Brown.

Legally there is no compulsion for a sitting government to go to the people,morally some people might argue is a different matter.

I'll be surprised if Boris survives longer than 6 months or so in the top job without an election,either he'll be brought down by parliament,or alternatively he somehow manages to get a brexit deal through,and then calls a snap election,of course as you rightly point out the latter will require parliament to approve,but in the circumstances i've outlined i think he'd convince enough MP'S of all hues to take the plunge.

Conservatives- as they'll feel having made progress on brexit,Nigel Farage is no longer an electoral threat.

Labour-they've been clamouring for a GE for so long now,i can't really see how they couldn't vote for it.

SNP-they'll see an election as their chance to be in a coalition/supply and confidence agreement with the Labour Party.and a 2nd Indy Ref will be on the table then.

LibDems-their polling numbers are the strongest in years,why would they not want an election,i can only see gains for them.

An added advantage is that the Conservatives would no longer be hamstrung by the DUP headbangers and their mad beliefs.

Indeed the DUP and maybe some of the Lab/Con defectors are the only ones who might fear facing the people.

[IanMcL]

Already broken Royal protocol!

Unable to listen, take instruction, remember, act accordingly.

A liability to himself and us all.

[tiger76]

The other big difference - seldom mentioned - is that when Brown replaced Blair he was leading a government that had a good working majority, and so effectively it was business as usual.
Johnson doesn't have a majority, and even with DUP support the majority will be down to 1 (assuming the conservatives don't win Brecon and Radnor). Now that we have seen the new cabinet, we can recognise that this is effectively a coup by backbench Tory MPs that has been endorsed by less than 100,000 local "Tory" party members. There simply isn't a popular mandate for this.

The Conservatives won't win B& R,that'll be a LibDem gain by a hefty majority 6-8,000.

It is fair comment that this is effectively a new government,over half the cabinet have been ditched,that's some overhaul.

What it also means is they'll be a lot of troublesome backbench MP'S for Boris to contend with,good luck dude.

[dsr]

Another big difference is Boris has a working majority of 2,and that'll almost certainly be reduced to 1 after the LibDems gain Brecon and Radnorshire next week.

And several former ministers have already stated they'll support a VONC if it's tabled,whether these are hollow threats time will tell.but i'd take them seriously.

In the event of a VONC passing the FTPA is null and void,and if Corbyn and assorted others can't form a working government a GE is automatically triggered after 14 days.

Will we get that far,i'd say after yesterday's appointments the odds on an early GE have increased.

And that's where Parliament has got itself up a tree. They're on holiday till September, so by the time they manage a vote of no confidence, it'll be too late to have an election by 31st October. And Parliament has already voted to leave the EU on 31st October.

[aggi]

And that's where Parliament has got itself up a tree. They're on holiday till September, so by the time they manage a vote of no confidence, it'll be too late to have an election by 31st October. And Parliament has already voted to leave the EU on 31st October.

I imagine that we'd see an extension if that happened.

[Colburn_Claret]

there's a lengthy quote from johnson from 2007 doing the rounds, whereby he denounced gordon brown for being PM without the people deciding.
His stance on the matter is crystal clear, yet now this two faced lying slob has all his party faithful grinning like cheshire cats as he follows may into the top job.
What a disgusting party they are.

I haven't seen, though I'm sure you're right.
How is that more two faced than the arch Brexiteer Corbyn and his about turn.