by Oui
Wed Jan 23rd, 2019 at 09:21:17 AM EST
The British business community has lost its patience with the political paralysis in the City of London.
Today's headlines in the media are filled with gloom and doom. To be fair, not just in the UK but also in the port cities on the continent.
In capital letters when decisions are lacking - F E A R enters.
More below the fold ...
Frontpaged - Frank Schnittger
Tory hardliners reconsider May deal amid fears that Brexit could be blocked
Tory Brexit supporters alarmed by the prospect of a delay have hinted they could be won over in the coming weeks - if Theresa May can produce a serious concession from Brussels on the Irish backstop.
"There are clearly forces at work to block and frustrate Brexit and the most important thing, whether it's good deal, no deal or whatever, is that we leave," said Ben Bradley, the MP for Mansfield. "The public and leave voters will accept nothing less and that means that, yes, I will vote for a revised deal that doesn't include a permanent backstop because, whilst I still have issues with it, those issues are then temporary and our leaving on 29 March is absolutely secured."
It came as George Osborne, the former chancellor, told the BBC in Davos that delaying the UK's exit from the EU was now the "most likely" option. Osborne compared no deal to Russian roulette, saying the prospect of Britain crashing out of the bloc means "the gun is held to the British economy's head".
○ EU backstop intervention leaves Ireland with unpalatable choices | The Irish Times |
The European Commission tends not to do things by accident. It's not that sort of organisation. So when commission spokesman Margaritis Schinas told the daily press briefing in Brussels yesterday that in the event of a no-deal Brexit, "you will have a hard border" in Ireland, alarm bells sounded in Dublin.
Government Buildings issued a statement contradicting the commission's line - itself a highly unusual move - and reiterating Dublin's view that it will not accept a hard border on this island and "therefore we are not planning for one".
Simon Coveney and Paschal Donohoe - the two most important members of the Government after the Taoiseach - were scrambled to address the media, and Coveney again insisted that Ireland would "not accept" a hard border.
○ Sony to move Europe headquarters to avoid Brexit disruption | BBC News |
Sony will move its European headquarters from the UK to the Netherlands to avoid disruptions caused by Brexit. The company said the move would help it avoid customs issues tied to Britain's exit from the EU, according to AFP.
Sony spokesperson Takashi Iida told AFP the move would make Sony a "company based in the EU" so the common customs procedures will apply to Sony's European operations after Britain leaves the bloc.
Sony's rival Panasonic has already moved its headquarters to Amsterdam, mostly because of tax issues potentially created by Brexit.
○ NHS plans alternative transport routes to avoid no-deal medicine shortage
The government has been reviewing transport routes for all medicines "to maximise the ability for supply to continue unimpeded" after 29 March, according to a letter seen by the Guardian that was was sent out on Thursday.
"In the event of a `no-deal' scenario this additional transport capacity and prioritisation includes prescription-only medicines and pharmacy medicines, general sales list medicines and unlicensed medicines, including specials and investigational medicinal products used in clinical trials and vaccines," the letter reads.
○ Britain's Luxury Carmakers Prepare for Worst as Brexit Looms | Bloomberg |
Aston Martin and Bentley Motors saw this crash coming -- but it's still going to sting.
Speaking onstage at a conference in Detroit before and after the British Parliament rejected Prime Minister Theresa May's Brexit deal, the chief executive officers of two companies synonymous with U.K. carmaking had been bracing for disaster. Both have been making arrangements to do what they can to avoid problems with their supply chains.
○ Sir Jim Ratcliffe: UK's richest man and ardent Brexiteer is moving to Monaco
○ Brexit cheerleader Sir James Dyson relocates firm's headquarters from Wiltshire to Singapore
○ British chemical giant is investing 2.7 billion in new plants in Antwerp harbor
Businesses cry out for Brexit clarity, warn of no-deal chaos | CNBC |
Business leaders in Britain and beyond warned on Wednesday of catastrophic job losses and chaos at ports if the country does not agree a European Union withdrawal, turning up the heat on politicians to deliver clarity.
A Brexit agreement that would have secured tariff-free trade and safeguarded just-in-time cross-border supply chains was rejected by lawmakers on Tuesday, leaving Britain at risk of leaving the bloc on March 29 without a framework.
From Channel Tunnel operator Eurotunnel to Scottish whisky distillers, firms called for urgent and decisive government action and warned of the consequences of a no-deal Brexit.
○ 'Degradation of border security' under 'no-deal' Brexit, warns UK Border Force | Sky News |
○ How Europe Is Bracing for Messy Brexit: Dogs, Drones, Do Nothing | Bloomberg - June 2018 |
The early principles of the EEC Founding Fathers - avoid economic deprivation due to war.
