Adam Marshall, the outgoing director-general of the British Chambers of Commerce, was blunt: “I push back pretty hard against anyone who says that all of the issues are simply around adjustment.”
For some companies, the extra layers of red tape “may in fact influence whether that business keeps going or not,” he said.
Britain’s relationship with a critical trading partner has been rocky, marked by a 40% decline in exports to the bloc in January and tensions over vaccine supplies. Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s government largely blamed the coronavirus pandemic and stockpiling effects for the drop.
But Marshall doesn’t accept that.
He said Brexit was responsible for a “large chunk” of that decline. A BCC survey of 465 firms, published in February, showed that about half of U.K. exporters were experiencing difficulties trading with the EU, mainly in the form of extra documentation, higher costs and delays to shipments.
Re: Tuesday 23rd March 2021
Posted: Tue 23 Mar, 2021 12:38 pm
by citizenJA
Good afternoon, everyone.
Re: Tuesday 23rd March 2021
Posted: Tue 23 Mar, 2021 12:59 pm
by AnatolyKasparov
Well hello there, you have been missed in your absence as always.
Re: Tuesday 23rd March 2021
Posted: Tue 23 Mar, 2021 1:20 pm
by citizenJA
Thank you, AK.
It's a difficult time.
Re: Tuesday 23rd March 2021
Posted: Tue 23 Mar, 2021 1:26 pm
by citizenJA
Mr citizen had his first vaccination a few weeks ago and will have his second within a couple weeks.
I've booked the earliest possible dates for mine today. I'm grateful.
I've not heard from my US family recently and can't report how the US healthcare system is coping.
Re: Tuesday 23rd March 2021
Posted: Tue 23 Mar, 2021 3:15 pm
by AnatolyKasparov
One year of lockdown today, its just flown by.
(or possibly not)
Re: Tuesday 23rd March 2021
Posted: Tue 23 Mar, 2021 4:18 pm
by Sky'sGoneOut
If anyone wants to see what a collective 'face like a slapped arse' looks like I would point them towards the Scottish Tories after the result of their no confidence vote in Nicola Sturgeon was announced.
If we were able to see them I'm positive that would also apply to Andrew Neil and Fraser Nelson.
"Mr citizen had his first vaccination a few weeks ago and will have his second within a couple weeks."
Re: Tuesday 23rd March 2021
Posted: Tue 23 Mar, 2021 11:49 pm
by Sky'sGoneOut
Wouldn't the exercise the skeleton and lady appear to be attempting to indulge in be entirely futile? Because either the skeleton is missing something or I am.
Re: Tuesday 23rd March 2021
Posted: Wed 24 Mar, 2021 12:23 am
by PorFavor
Sky'sGoneOut wrote:Wouldn't the exercise the skeleton and lady appear to be attempting to indulge in be entirely futile? Because either the skeleton is missing something or I am.
That thought had occurred to me too, even before I'd completely removed the film wrap from the album on the day I bought it God knows how long ago. Funny the things that the mind latches on to.
Re: Tuesday 23rd March 2021
Posted: Wed 24 Mar, 2021 12:59 am
by Sky'sGoneOut
PorFavor wrote:Funny the things that the mind latches on to.
In this case it led me to search the internet for bone dildos. Which was actually quite interesting, plenty ivory, antler and stone examples from the neolithic to the modern day (the Victorians loved their ivory dildos it would seem), but no genuine examples of bone being used. I guess it splinters too easily.