Plot to keep UK in customs union and water down immigration and border controls

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  • The Sunday Times is reporting today that the government's chief Brexit negotiator is plotting to keep the UK in the customs union. Theresa's May right hand man on Brexit (not David Davis!) but a adviser called Oliver Robbins plans for the UK to be in a "association agreement" agreement with Brussels. But the confused article goes on to say that is a separate plan to the most recent one put forward by Robbins which is that the UK would collect EU tariffs on behalf of Brussels. Supposedly David Davis is up in arms about this and May's advisers have already "wargamed" what would happen if Davis resigned from the government.

    Seems the article is part fact and part tittle tattle to me, so it's difficult to tell what is what, but there is another article that rings truer...

    In a related article also in the Sunday Times, the newspaper is reporting that leaked cabinet papers have said that Amber Rudd submitted a plan to the cabinet last month to "water down" immigration and border controls post Brexit. The plan is to create "a labour mobility partnership" with the EU which in effect would give EU migrants preferential access to benefits, healthcare and the UK jobs market — undermining claims that free movement would end when Britain leaves the EU.

    What the fcuk are they playing at?

    Did the government miss the bit in the referendum which came out that a majority voted to leave the EU?

  • Why is a UK civil (!) servant trying so hard to hurt the UK for the benefit of the EU? We are the 5th biggest economy in the world. Why would he want us downgraded into a tax collector for the EU! Do they need the money to pay him a bung, or something? ... or is he on commission?

    The proposals being put forward by Robbins and the remainers would actually be harmful to the UK. We want to trade with the world on terms that suit OUR economy, not Wallonia, or Germany, or France ......

    Mark Twain — 'Never argue with an idiot. They will drag you down to their level and beat you with experience.'

  • Because it all goes back to the same thing Fidget, we are stupid peasants who don't know what we are doing and our lord and masters know better than us. Or it could be as you suggest, and they simply get backhanders for trying to keep the status quo.

    It's perhaps for another thread, but the referendum does illustrate what happens when democracy does work and the peasants actually get a real say in things. They hate that and will try and reverse it if they can, perhaps the future is more direct votes via referendums and cut out the "middle men" altogether.

  • The electorate have never been happy with the EU. They managed to avoid giving us a choice for long enough, as all the major political parties were pro-EU. UKIP quickly gained popularity, and I hope the same happens in other EU countries. Positive sign of this happening are there already, and it will be interesting to see how the EU deals with it. I am pretty sure they will use the stick, rather than the carrot.

    Mark Twain — 'Never argue with an idiot. They will drag you down to their level and beat you with experience.'

  • Philip Hammond favours EU 'customs partnership'

    Wednesday sees the next stage in the difficult process of the government agreeing its approach to trade with the European Union.

    Theresa May will host a meeting of her Brexit cabinet - the inner sanctum that attempts to thrash out the knottiest issues left on the table.

    One is the future customs relationship between the UK and EU.

    Senior Brexiteers have delivered an "ultimatum" demanding Theresa May drops one of the government's preferred post-Brexit customs options.

    A 30-page document passed to the BBC says a "customs partnership" would make meaningful trade deals "impossible" and render the International Trade Department "obsolete".

    It comes ahead of a key meeting of senior ministers on Wednesday.

    I was planning to do more stuff in my garden on Wednesday, but after reading these articles, I might keep a close eye on the news.

    Newsnight was reporting tonight that May is formulating a plan to keep both sides happy, but how much longer can she realistically keep two opposed sides united?

    One side of the cabinet wants the UK to mirror EU law as a way to keep frictionless trade continuing, but Brexiteers believe this is simply a backdoor way to keep us in the EU. The other side wants completely out of the customs union, but the remainers believe this is a way to bring about a hard Brexit.

    Will May make a decision Wednesday, or will the bucket be kicked further down the lane again?

  • Theresa May has asked officials to draw up "revised proposals" for post-Brexit customs arrangements after a key meeting with her most senior ministers.

    The Brexit sub committee met to try to agree on a new model to replace the UK's membership of the customs union.

    One of the government's preferred options - a "customs partnership" - has faced heavy criticism from Brexiteers.

    A succession of senior ministers challenged her over this plan in Wednesday's meeting.

    No real leaks on this, so we're still mainly in the dark, but it looks like the can has been kicked down the road again. We have until October to get our deal with the EU sorted out. And of course this is directly linked to the Irish border issue as we can't sort that out until we know what the customs arrangements will be.

  • Please excuse my naivety, but most of our trade is done with countries with which we do not have a customs union. How on earth do we manage it?

    I still think that the Swiss style border is manageable, and sounds similar to what May has proposed. Why is it ok for Switzerland, whose entire border is with EU countries, but not ok for the relatively short Ireland/NI border?

    Mark Twain — 'Never argue with an idiot. They will drag you down to their level and beat you with experience.'

    • Staff Notice

    Switzerland is in the EU in almost everything but name. I don't think that they have the euro, but otherwise most EU law applies and the Swiss pay into the EU budget.

    Three or four years ago the Swiss wanted to limit their immigration but the EU threatened them with court action if they did not allow open borders with the EU, even though there is no formal treaty on freedom of movement in Switzerland. But as Switzerland accepts most EU law, it therefore in affect also means that they accept the EU pillars on things such as free movement of labour as well as goods.

    We can do better than the Swiss.

    Edit: Just checked, and one of the treaties that the Swiss signed with the EU was on free movement. We do not want that.

    • Staff Notice

    Sajid Javid tonight sunk Theresa May’s controversial Brexit customs plans by siding with Cabinet leavers at a crunch meeting of the PM’s war committee.

    The new Home Secretary stunned the Prime Minister by declaring he was “the new kid on the block” as he shredded her Customs Partnership plans at the three hour showdown.

    The ex-Remain supporter tipped the balance of the 11 strong committee just three days after being appointed, leaving Mrs May looking “visibly shocked to have lost the room” according to one insider.

    The PM was lobbying for a customs partnership solution where the UK collects duty on behalf of the EU, but Mr Javid said the flawed plan would hinder Brexit Britain trading around the world - to the delight of Brexiteers.

    Tonight, No10 sources admitted Mrs May’s preferred plan could not go forward in its current form after the furious Cabinet and public backbench opposition.

    He may have been a remainer but I'm warming to the guy after his immigration anouncements and now this.

  • If Switzerland have to accept EU laws, that makes the price of free trade too high. My preference would be for a free trade agreement that does not put us in the single market or the Customs Union. As had been suggested by others, a 'Canada plus' trade deal.

    Mark Twain — 'Never argue with an idiot. They will drag you down to their level and beat you with experience.'

  • The problem is Fidget our relationship with the EU goes far deeper than on just matters of trade, the EU is almost at the point of a being federated country now. Many things are done at EU level now, like on environmental matters (the blue flags at our beaches) on chemical and medicine control, justice and terrorism etc, that to unbuckle ourselves from the EU is a monumental task.

    What I'm trying to say is that there is no existing agreement which is suitable for us, it would need to be Canada+++++++++++etc

    He may have been a remainer but I'm warming to the guy after his immigration anouncements and now this.

    Ain't that a turn up for the books? I bet May is regretting her decision to sack accept Rudd's resignation now.

  • The problem is Fidget our relationship with the EU goes far deeper than on just matters of trade, the EU is almost at the point of a being federated country now. Many things are done at EU level now, like on environmental matters (the blue flags at our beaches) on chemical and medicine control, justice and terrorism etc, that to unbuckle ourselves from the EU is a monumental task.

    What I'm trying to say is that there is no existing agreement which is suitable for us, it would need to be Canada+++++++++++etc

    Ain't that a turn up for the books? I bet May is regretting her decision to sack accept Rudd's resignation now.

    Agreed, however, it was undemocratic politicians that put our country into this situation without the consent of the electorate. They should be kicked out, and never allowed to have influence within a democracy ever again.

    It is very difficult to extract ourselves from the EU, but delaying it will only make it more difficult, if not impossible. As Monnet said ....“Europe’s nations should be guided towards the superstate without their people understanding what is happening. This can be accomplished by successive steps, each disguised as having an economic purpose, but which will eventually and irreversibly lead to federation.

    Mark Twain — 'Never argue with an idiot. They will drag you down to their level and beat you with experience.'

  • Talking of splits of a different kind....:

    Theresa May has divided her top team of ministers into two working groups to hammer out their differences on Brexit.

    The cabinet is split over how to manage customs arrangements with the EU.

    Brexiteers such as Boris Johnson are against Mrs May's preferred option of a "customs partnership", which is backed by Remain-voting ministers.

    What is May doing?

    Each side of the cabinet is not going to change its opinion. Splitting them into two camps both containing remainers and leavers to take a analytical review of the customs union proposals, will go nowhere. They will not change their views. Leavers will still want out of the customs union and remainers will still want in.

    She is playing for time. She has to make a decision soon or hand over to someone who can.

  • May is an appeaser trying to keep both sides happy, which will result in nobody being happy with the results. All it achieves is false hope. I hope she sticks to her promises.

    Mark Twain — 'Never argue with an idiot. They will drag you down to their level and beat you with experience.'

  • So do I. Someone has to "lose" here and she's trying to ensure it's not her. Now, I understand why Boris backed out of the leadership contest. A shrewd move by him.

    I am getting fed up with the BBC and their constant headline depiction of the remainer's customs arrangements option. If you just read the headlines, this option is only about collecting tariffs on behalf of the EU. Nonsense. It's about mirroring EU law on customs too, something this country did not vote for.

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