The Brexit Thread

[fishfoodie]

"They can't be scum, because people voted for them" is a blinding observation

OS can acknowledge that Blairs war in Iraq was totally constitutional & legitimate

[Insane_Homer]

My little Brexit story import from Europe story,

So I ordered a new Fanatec Steering Wheel. It shipped from Germany and I was charged in Euros. (I've ordered twice from them before before Brexshit and the items arrived in no time and vat was charge at checkout).

When I placed this order, I was not charge VAT Fanatec.

A Few days later it shipped, via UPS.

On the tracking Android app I got a notification

you must pay.JPG (19.29 KiB) Viewed 1673 times

The UPS app give no option or method to pay (I try the help bot, that says there should be a pay now option. There isn't one), or do I pay on delivery, since the message sort of implies this (Not ideal since I won't be home on scheduled day, my kids will be). There's no indication of how much duty is due to be paid.

So I login the UPS website with my tracking information. These details show no hint or mention of the above message or Duty to be paid, just a warning triangle saying there's a delay and it should be delivered Tuesday Afternoon.

So this morning I call UPS, I get transferred 3 times before I get through to someone who will accept the payment.(Weirdly he takes payment and then verified who I was...)

I owe £72.04 in Duty - I pay, item is now released for delivery. The item was £306.27 on my credit card. Vat @ 20% is 61.20, what's the extra £10.84 duty, EU or UK charge?

UPS are not geared up for this. The information they provided was unclear and devoid of detail, contradictory and inconsistent.

[dpedin]

My little Brexit story import from Europe story,

So I ordered a new Fanatec Steering Wheel. It shipped from Germany and I was charged in Euros. (I've ordered twice from them before before Brexshit and the items arrived in no time and vat was charge at checkout).

When I placed this order, I was not charge VAT Fanatec.

A Few days later it shipped, via UPS.

On the tracking Android app I got a notification
you must pay.JPG


The UPS app give no option or method to pay (I try the help bot, that says there should be a pay now option. There isn't one), or do I pay on delivery, since the message sort of implies this (Not ideal since I won't be home on scheduled day, my kids will be). There's no indication of how much duty is due to be paid.

So I login the UPS website with my tracking information. These details show no hint or mention of the above message or Duty to be paid, just a warning triangle saying there's a delay and it should be delivered Tuesday Afternoon.

So this morning I call UPS, I get transferred 3 times before I get through to someone who will accept the payment.(Weirdly he takes payment and then verified who I was...)

I owe £72.04 in Duty - I pay, item is now released for delivery. The item was £306.27 on my credit card. Vat @ 20% is 61.20, what's the extra £10.84 duty, EU or UK charge?

UPS are not geared up for this. The information they provided was unclear and devoid of detail, contradictory and inconsistent.

£10.84 is the extra charge which goes to pay for the Fish Night Out in Aberdeen ... they're our fish and we have to keep them happy apparently!

[Insane_Homer]

I thought it probably goes to one of Hancock's neighbours, his fee for calculating the VAT on the import.

[Insane_Homer]

and just got a message via Abel and Cole that the Black Garlic I like has not been 'delisted'

[Openside]

"They can't be scum, because people voted for them" is a blinding observation

You miss the point, I was merely demonstrating that the 'constant' whining on NPR is not reflected in the population at large. But you crack on with your myopic observations

[Openside]

"They can't be scum, because people voted for them" is a blinding observation

OS can acknowledge that Blairs war in Iraq was totally constitutional & legitimate

Why would I do that? I think Bliar is a war criminal.

[JM2K6]

"They can't be scum, because people voted for them" is a blinding observation

You miss the point, I was merely demonstrating that the 'constant' whining on NPR is not reflected in the population at large. But you crack on with your myopic observations

You mean the population that overwhelmingly voted for parties who aren't the Conservatives, prior to an incredibly botched handling of a pandemic and a disastrous Brexit deal?

Perhaps your golf buddies are happy, I dunno, but maybe you should broaden your horizons a little bit before accusing me of myopia.

[dpedin]

"They can't be scum, because people voted for them" is a blinding observation

You miss the point, I was merely demonstrating that the 'constant' whining on NPR is not reflected in the population at large. But you crack on with your myopic observations

You mean the population that overwhelmingly voted for parties who aren't the Conservatives, prior to an incredibly botched handling of a pandemic and a disastrous Brexit deal?

Perhaps your golf buddies are happy, I dunno, but maybe you should broaden your horizons a little bit before accusing me of myopia.

OK - living in Scotland means the supporters of the Blonde Bumblecunt and Brexit Ultras are few and far between. I haven't met anyone who thinks he and his mates have been anything other than incompetent, bumbling twats who have failed miserably in both Brexit and Covid19 ... and that includes my mates in the golf club!

[fishfoodie]

My little Brexit story import from Europe story,

So I ordered a new Fanatec Steering Wheel. It shipped from Germany and I was charged in Euros. (I've ordered twice from them before before Brexshit and the items arrived in no time and vat was charge at checkout).

When I placed this order, I was not charge VAT Fanatec.

A Few days later it shipped, via UPS.

On the tracking Android app I got a notification
you must pay.JPG


The UPS app give no option or method to pay (I try the help bot, that says there should be a pay now option. There isn't one), or do I pay on delivery, since the message sort of implies this (Not ideal since I won't be home on scheduled day, my kids will be). There's no indication of how much duty is due to be paid.

So I login the UPS website with my tracking information. These details show no hint or mention of the above message or Duty to be paid, just a warning triangle saying there's a delay and it should be delivered Tuesday Afternoon.

So this morning I call UPS, I get transferred 3 times before I get through to someone who will accept the payment.(Weirdly he takes payment and then verified who I was...)

I owe £72.04 in Duty - I pay, item is now released for delivery. The item was £306.27 on my credit card. Vat @ 20% is 61.20, what's the extra £10.84 duty, EU or UK charge?

UPS are not geared up for this. The information they provided was unclear and devoid of detail, contradictory and inconsistent.

That's entirely consistent with my UPS experience, importing from the US a few years ago.

I'd say the extra £10.84 is just UPS's, 'Processing Fees'. I'm a natural cynic; & I'd suggest that the reason UPS has never provided you a way of pre-paying the Duty, is that if they did, they couldn't justify that fee !

[tabascoboy]

I'd say the extra £10.84 is just UPS's, 'Processing Fees'. I'm a natural cynic; & I'd suggest that the reason UPS has never provided you a way of pre-paying the Duty, is that if they did, they couldn't justify that fee !

That's pretty general, the only exception I have found is pre-paying tax/duty through Amazon Japan with charge for just delivery service by DHL included and there is no extra "handling/processing/administration" charge on top. So. I agree that those charges are probably just milking the purchaser under the threat of returning the parcel to the sender if you don't pay up!

[Insane_Homer]

You miss the point, I was merely demonstrating that the 'constant' whining on NPR is not reflected in the population at large. But you crack on with your myopic observations

Maybe it's because they watch the BBC and the BBC don't want to expose Johnson/Tory lies as apparently that undermines democracy.

[Sandstorm]

That's entirely consistent with my UPS experience, importing from the US a few years ago.

I work with Fedex, UPS and DHL every week and none of them are much cop.

[Rhubarb & Custard]

You miss the point, I was merely demonstrating that the 'constant' whining on NPR is not reflected in the population at large. But you crack on with your myopic observations

Maybe it's because they watch the BBC and the BBC don't want to expose Johnson/Tory lies as apparently that undermines democracy.

The new DG on joining has just taken a swipe at the organisation he now heads up that in effect they're/have been too much on the side of remain. Wider point there's plenty of critical coverage across the BBC, though it's possible the website, BBC1 give blander coverage across the board than the genuine news and political affairs programming, and more people might encounter the blander end of the coverage, though if you change that coverage a lot of people will just stop watching

Edit - Though I'd again be willing to agree with any point that the population at large certainly don't watch the news, of any sort, and as the saying goes, 50% of them couldn't explain what 50% means

[Hal Jordan]

Isn't the new DG another chum?

[SaintK]

Isn't the new DG another chum?

More than a chum. Has personally donated over £400k to the Conservative party over the years
Oh and was Rishi's boss at Goldman Sachs

[clydecloggie]

Rejoice folks, I have found a positive for Brexit!

British drivers will no longer have to pay their speeding tickets from Europe. As the UK is no longer part of the European policing network, EU police forces will no longer be able to get owner details of cars that were caught on camera while speeding in their countries. At least that's what reports in the Dutch media today say.

Pedal to the metal, fishermen!

Obviously, tracking down English criminals in Amsterdam will be a tad more difficult - but sovrinty raahaaa.

[Sandstorm]

Rejoice folks, I have found a positive for Brexit!

British drivers will no longer have to pay their speeding tickets from Europe. As the UK is no longer part of the European policing network, EU police forces will no longer be able to get owner details of cars that were caught on camera while speeding in their countries. At least that's what reports in the Dutch media today say.

Pedal to the metal, fishermen!

Obviously, tracking down English criminals in Amsterdam will be a tad more difficult - but sovrinty raahaaa.

In France the Gendarme will probably still escort you the nearest cashpoint down the highway.

[clydecloggie]

Rejoice folks, I have found a positive for Brexit!

British drivers will no longer have to pay their speeding tickets from Europe. As the UK is no longer part of the European policing network, EU police forces will no longer be able to get owner details of cars that were caught on camera while speeding in their countries. At least that's what reports in the Dutch media today say.

Pedal to the metal, fishermen!

Obviously, tracking down English criminals in Amsterdam will be a tad more difficult - but sovrinty raahaaa.

In France the Gendarme will probably still escort you the nearest cashpoint down the highway.

Oh yes, if you're pulled over you still have to pay - this is about camera-captured offences that you'd normally get a letter about after the fact.

[fishfoodie]

I'd say the extra £10.84 is just UPS's, 'Processing Fees'. I'm a natural cynic; & I'd suggest that the reason UPS has never provided you a way of pre-paying the Duty, is that if they did, they couldn't justify that fee !

That's pretty general, the only exception I have found is pre-paying tax/duty through Amazon Japan with charge for just delivery service by DHL included and there is no extra "handling/processing/administration" charge on top. So. I agree that those charges are probably just milking the purchaser under the threat of returning the parcel to the sender if you don't pay up!

Of course, that's how cartels operate !

The major operators all agree to a common behaviour, so they can all screw the customer. If any of them broke ranks, then people would flock to that company; this way they all have an added income, & no one rocks the boat.

[Openside]

"They can't be scum, because people voted for them" is a blinding observation

You miss the point, I was merely demonstrating that the 'constant' whining on NPR is not reflected in the population at large. But you crack on with your myopic observations

You mean the population that overwhelmingly voted for parties who aren't the Conservatives, prior to an incredibly botched handling of a pandemic and a disastrous Brexit deal?

Perhaps your golf buddies are happy, I dunno, but maybe you should broaden your horizons a little bit before accusing me of myopia.

Yes them.

[JM2K6]

You miss the point, I was merely demonstrating that the 'constant' whining on NPR is not reflected in the population at large. But you crack on with your myopic observations

You mean the population that overwhelmingly voted for parties who aren't the Conservatives, prior to an incredibly botched handling of a pandemic and a disastrous Brexit deal?

Perhaps your golf buddies are happy, I dunno, but maybe you should broaden your horizons a little bit before accusing me of myopia.

Yes them.

So your argument is that the population as a whole isn't unhappy, and your basis for this is... the fact that the Tories won the election a year ago? And you think we're in a bubble!

[La soule]

You miss the point, I was merely demonstrating that the 'constant' whining on NPR is not reflected in the population at large. But you crack on with your myopic observations

You mean the population that overwhelmingly voted for parties who aren't the Conservatives, prior to an incredibly botched handling of a pandemic and a disastrous Brexit deal?

Perhaps your golf buddies are happy, I dunno, but maybe you should broaden your horizons a little bit before accusing me of myopia.

OK - living in Scotland means the supporters of the Blonde Bumblecunt and Brexit Ultras are few and far between. I haven't met anyone who thinks he and his mates have been anything other than incompetent, bumbling twats who have failed miserably in both Brexit and Covid19 ... and that includes my mates in the golf club!

No the right sort of club for OS.

Not special enough

[Rhubarb & Custard]

Rejoice folks, I have found a positive for Brexit!

British drivers will no longer have to pay their speeding tickets from Europe. As the UK is no longer part of the European policing network, EU police forces will no longer be able to get owner details of cars that were caught on camera while speeding in their countries. At least that's what reports in the Dutch media today say.

Pedal to the metal, fishermen!

Obviously, tracking down English criminals in Amsterdam will be a tad more difficult - but sovrinty raahaaa.

In France the Gendarme will probably still escort you the nearest cashpoint down the highway.

Indeed given it's the automated fines. Though the flip side would hold for any EU drivers on our roads, another chance for Brexit to kill children if one looked at it calmly

[Random1]

There’s little chance this government will be looked back on fondly.

They aren’t great, and they’re making their fair share of mistakes, but I can’t see them coming under much pressure yet.

That’s by and large because the alternatives are pretty shit too.

Anyone moaning about the current lot; do you really think labour would be better at the mo?

[dpedin]

There’s little chance this government will be looked back on fondly.

They aren’t great, and they’re making their fair share of mistakes, but I can’t see them coming under much pressure yet.

That’s by and large because the alternatives are pretty shit too.

Anyone moaning about the current lot; do you really think labour would be better at the mo?

Who knows, all we can do is judge what is in front of us and by my reckoning the current incumbents are feckin shit. The defence of 'we know they are shit but those other ones could be shit too' isn't all that convincing!

[Random1]

There’s little chance this government will be looked back on fondly.

They aren’t great, and they’re making their fair share of mistakes, but I can’t see them coming under much pressure yet.

That’s by and large because the alternatives are pretty shit too.

Anyone moaning about the current lot; do you really think labour would be better at the mo?

Who knows, all we can do is judge what is in front of us and by my reckoning the current incumbents are feckin shit. The defence of 'we know they are shit but those other ones could be shit too' isn't all that convincing!

Thats the election challenge though - if the alternative isn’t demonstrably better than the incumbent, the incumbent tends to win.

If you think labour would be better at the mo, I think you need your head checking.

[Hal Jordan]

Couldn't do any fucking worse, could they?

[Random1]

Couldn't do any fucking worse, could they?

Yes, I think they could.

You’d have Corbyn and his cunts sniping from the side. The unions pulling them left, lefter and centre and there’s no way they would have thought of the left wing Stuff on their own either.

Rashford would be running rings around them even more than the torries and they’d have delayed brexit, causing proper strife.

Starmer has a bit of Blair about him, but suspect he’ll fall by the wayside whilst being the architect of the new Labour Party.

Dave milliband will be the next labour prininister.

[Hellraiser]

My little Brexit story import from Europe story,

So I ordered a new Fanatec Steering Wheel. It shipped from Germany and I was charged in Euros. (I've ordered twice from them before before Brexshit and the items arrived in no time and vat was charge at checkout).

When I placed this order, I was not charge VAT Fanatec.

A Few days later it shipped, via UPS.

On the tracking Android app I got a notification
you must pay.JPG


The UPS app give no option or method to pay (I try the help bot, that says there should be a pay now option. There isn't one), or do I pay on delivery, since the message sort of implies this (Not ideal since I won't be home on scheduled day, my kids will be). There's no indication of how much duty is due to be paid.

So I login the UPS website with my tracking information. These details show no hint or mention of the above message or Duty to be paid, just a warning triangle saying there's a delay and it should be delivered Tuesday Afternoon.

So this morning I call UPS, I get transferred 3 times before I get through to someone who will accept the payment.(Weirdly he takes payment and then verified who I was...)

I owe £72.04 in Duty - I pay, item is now released for delivery. The item was £306.27 on my credit card. Vat @ 20% is 61.20, what's the extra £10.84 duty, EU or UK charge?

UPS are not geared up for this. The information they provided was unclear and devoid of detail, contradictory and inconsistent.

I'm a member of several whiskey groups on Facebook and a lad on one of them bought a €400 bottle from a UK auction site a few days ago. It cost him €109 to have it shipped to Ireland.

[Openside]

Couldn't do any fucking worse, could they?

Do you really believe that?

[Openside]

You mean the population that overwhelmingly voted for parties who aren't the Conservatives, prior to an incredibly botched handling of a pandemic and a disastrous Brexit deal?

Perhaps your golf buddies are happy, I dunno, but maybe you should broaden your horizons a little bit before accusing me of myopia.

OK - living in Scotland means the supporters of the Blonde Bumblecunt and Brexit Ultras are few and far between. I haven't met anyone who thinks he and his mates have been anything other than incompetent, bumbling twats who have failed miserably in both Brexit and Covid19 ... and that includes my mates in the golf club!

No the right sort of club for OS.

Not special enough

I actually think the Scots have a legitimate grievance however the alternative would be really governed by the SNP, who make Labour look prudent with tax payers money.

[SaintK]

There’s little chance this government will be looked back on fondly.

They aren’t great, and they’re making their fair share of mistakes, but I can’t see them coming under much pressure yet.

That’s by and large because the alternatives are pretty shit too.

Anyone moaning about the current lot; do you really think labour would be better at the mo?

Who knows, all we can do is judge what is in front of us and by my reckoning the current incumbents are feckin shit. The defence of 'we know they are shit but those other ones could be shit too' isn't all that convincing!

Thats the election challenge though - if the alternative isn’t demonstrably better than the incumbent, the incumbent tends to win.

If you think labour would be better at the mo, I think you need your head checking.

........and if the complete tosser of a PM hadn't surrounded himself with semi competent, arse licking Leave accolytes and had a stronger more representative cabinet of "all the talents" fdrom his party perhaps we wouldn't be in the situation we find ourselves now.
As for Labour being in power, that was never, ever going to happen with Corbyn as leader. At least there is a semblance of proper opposition now beginning to hold this government to account, but it is a long way off to the next election

[ScarfaceClaw]

Who knows, all we can do is judge what is in front of us and by my reckoning the current incumbents are feckin shit. The defence of 'we know they are shit but those other ones could be shit too' isn't all that convincing!

Thats the election challenge though - if the alternative isn’t demonstrably better than the incumbent, the incumbent tends to win.

If you think labour would be better at the mo, I think you need your head checking.

........and if the complete tosser of a PM hadn't surrounded himself with semi competent, arse licking Leave accolytes and had a stronger more representative cabinet of "all the talents" fdrom his party perhaps we wouldn't be in the situation we find ourselves now.
As for Labour being in power, that was never, ever going to happen with Corbyn as leader. At least there is a semblance of proper opposition now beginning to hold this government to account, but it is a long way off to the next election

The prime minister would have to at least be semi competent himself to do that.

[fishfoodie]

Get Brexit Done

There are a number of future deadlines for side negotiations between the EU & UK, to clarify what the future state will look like.

Tony Connolly has another article on some of these; & just how unlikely it is that the EU will just ignore their rules, because the UK doesn't like them.

The Brexit Effect: The squall before the storm

Two weeks into Brexit, problems are mounting and recriminations are flying in all directions. The reality of Brexit is proving every bit as toxic as the four-and-a-half-year slog that got us to this point.
...
The head of the food and drink lobby told a House of Commons committee that when a large global company tried to send a consignment to the EU, the paperwork, which normally took three hours, took five days.
...
EU food exporters using UK distribution hubs to sell back into the EU suddenly discovered their products lose their EU origin status the moment they are reboxed or consolidated and so face tariffs on arrival in Ireland or elsewhere.

A slide circulated by the UK customs agency HMRC describes how tomatoes grown in Spain, imported to GB by a supermarket's distribution hub, and then moved to a Northern Ireland retail outlet falls foul of tariff rules.
...
These complex problems apply equally to Northern Ireland. It is, to all intents and purposes, in the same boat as the South, although it has the benefit of two separate grace periods and other facilitations agreed under the Northern Ireland Protocol.
...
Those bewailing the terrible bureaucracy wrought by Brexit are clamouring for "easements", faciliations, pragmatism, and UK operators like to think it would be in the EU’s interests.

"We need the EU to move to a more digitalised service that allows for trusted traders," Andrew Opie, head of the British Retail Consortium, told the Future Relationship with the EU Committee, "that recognises that companies are auditing their own supply chains rigorously and robustly, and therefore to ease the friction [for] every time you move a product".

However, the myriad problems facing traders in and out of the UK to Ireland, to the rest of the EU, and to Northern Ireland will have to live with an arrangement that is enshrined in two international and legally-binding treaties: the Withdrawal Agreement and the Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA).

Quick fixes and the turning of blind eyes are not part of that reality. This week, the Dutch government very graphically illustrated how they viewed the new reality when they permitted footage showing customs officials on the Hook of Holland confiscating ham sandwiches from UK drivers who had arrived by ferry.

On Wednesday, the Dutch Ambassador to the EU is understood to have reinforced the point to colleagues that the rules would be strictly enforced, and that all member states would have to do the same.

"This is the result of the UK's decision to drop out of the single market and the customs union," says one source present, "and we now have to protect our internal market. There was no sense from the Netherlands that this was all ludicrous and we're going to have to relax a bit. That wasn't the approach at all."
..
Under an agreement reached in December, the EU and UK agreed a three-month grace period during which supermarkets would be exempted from having to secure Export Health Certificates (EHCs) for products of animal origin, and a six-month grace period for chilled, prepared meats, including mince and sausages.

There is a clamour for those grace periods to be extended. However, as part of the December agreement in the Joint Committee between Michael Gove on the UK side and Maros Sefcovic, his EU counterpart, the EU specifically required the UK to issue a unilateral declaration on EHCs as a safeguard that food safety standards would be protected.

That unilateral declaration specifically prohibits the UK from seeking an extension of the EHC grace period: "During the above-mentioned period of time, the UK authorities will take all necessary measures to ensure compliance with the Protocol and relevant [European] Union law as of 1 April 2021. The UK accepts this solution is not renewable."

[Sandstorm]

It’s going to be a bumpy road. Bumpy with land mines every 100 yards bumpy.

[Insane_Homer]

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/20 ... businesses

Shock Brexit charges are hurting us, say small British businesses

How can they be a shocked?

52% knew what they were voting for and 48% knew there would be charges?

[Sandstorm]

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/20 ... businesses

Shock Brexit charges are hurting us, say small British businesses

How can they be a shocked?

52% knew what they were voting for and 48% knew there would be charges?

“EU needs the UK. No way they’ll penalise our trade, we’re too important “

[I like neeps]

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/20 ... businesses

Shock Brexit charges are hurting us, say small British businesses

How can they be a shocked?

52% knew what they were voting for and 48% knew there would be charges?

“EU needs the UK. No way they’ll penalise our trade, we’re too important “

He's shocked because they aren't charges the government has him prepare for such as logistics firms charging extra for admin fees. Not the Tories to want people to do extra work for free.

To get around it he's making people in the UK redundant and hiring people in the EU.

[Insane_Homer]

The Treasury has said it has 'no plans' to lower VAT on energy bills, despite promises to scrap the tax after Brexit.

Boris Johnson and Michael Gove pledged to scrap the duty during the EU referendum campaign. They said the Government was barred from lowering the tax because of EU rules.

Writing in The Sun in 2016, Johnson said: 'Fuel bills will be lower for everyone. As long as we are in the EU, we are not allowed to cut this tax.

Boris Johnson and Michael Gove pledged to scrap the duty during the EU referendum campaign
'When we vote Leave, we will be able to scrap this unfair and damaging tax. It isn't right that unelected bureaucrats in Brussels impose taxes on the poorest and elected British politicians can do nothing.'