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The reason that a trade deal won't be negotiated is that there is neither will nor competence within the Tory party to do so.

After all, if you can't even get agreement on the most nebulous of details without risking a vote of no confidence, then the tedious but complicated detail of a trade deal exists in a galaxy far beyond the compehension of the Tory "mind".

keep to the Fen Causeway

by Helen (lareinagal at yahoo dot co dot uk) on Sat Jun 9th, 2018 at 08:28:57 PM EST
[ Parent ]
But they have successfully demonstrated that they have no credibility. I say again: Who in hell would want to do business with that lot?

Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.
by Cat on Sat Jun 9th, 2018 at 08:39:00 PM EST
[ Parent ]
I'm sure Trump would like to organise a deal that would gouge a significant slice of UK GDP for years to come, especially if it involved significant kickbacks for him and his family.

Also, ME potentates would love to buy weapons from us at even more advantageious prices than currently.

keep to the Fen Causeway

by Helen (lareinagal at yahoo dot co dot uk) on Sun Jun 10th, 2018 at 07:55:56 AM EST
[ Parent ]
by Cat on Sun Jun 10th, 2018 at 06:21:27 PM EST
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FTA's are normally negotiated by technical specialists and professional negotiators "far from the maddening crowd". They normally only become "political" when controversial proposals like independent courts to arbitrate disputes are included or when they are too overtly "neo-liberal" in the sense that they contain proposals that will that will damage key sectoral interests in a particular economy - e.g. farmers.

Trump is actually unusual in that he actually takes an interest, although he usually gets his facts wrong. As US firms are the biggest beneficiaries from trade liberalisation, he should be careful which can of worms he opens. The EU response has, to date, been muted, but there are an awful lot of large US multinationals operating in Europe who could be badly hit by an on-line sales tax, a Tobin tax, and various import duties.

Index of Frank's Diaries

by Frank Schnittger (mail Frankschnittger at hot male dotty communists) on Sat Jun 9th, 2018 at 09:58:27 PM EST
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that's all true, but the begotiators can only work within guidelines of what is acceptable determined by political leaders, who are the ones ultimately responsible for what is decided.

Right now, the politicians are incapable of giving even the most vague of outlines, so no negotiation is possible.

keep to the Fen Causeway

by Helen (lareinagal at yahoo dot co dot uk) on Sun Jun 10th, 2018 at 07:58:03 AM EST
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Which is why the EU negotiators, instead of twiddling their thumbs, are effectively in the process of producing a "default" Brexit agreement covering all the bases that need to be covered - from their perspective. The longer the UK negotiators cannot really engage with them, for want of relevant and consistent political guidance, the longer the EU drafts become "facts on the ground" which cannot be changed later for want of sufficient time to renegotiate and ratify.

Sooner or later the UK will then be presented with a "take it or leave it" draft of over 1,000 pages of such complexity poor Boris and David won't even be able to read it. They will be relying to the tabloids to explain it to them in words of one syllable, and then reject it all in a huff because because without having any alternative.

Index of Frank's Diaries

by Frank Schnittger (mail Frankschnittger at hot male dotty communists) on Sun Jun 10th, 2018 at 09:24:55 AM EST
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they can reject it personally, but, after the judgement forced in the courts by Gina Miller, they won't be able to push it through the Commons. Which gives space for the Remain majority of MPs to accept it.

keep to the Fen Causeway
by Helen (lareinagal at yahoo dot co dot uk) on Sun Jun 10th, 2018 at 10:42:02 AM EST
[ Parent ]

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