Monthly Archives: June 2020

Britain is failing to cope with the Covid-19 epidemic as well as other countries in Europe and East Asia have. Out of 62,000 excess deaths in the UK, says former chief scientific officer Sir David King, 40,000 excess deaths could have been avoided if government had acted responsibly.

The failure is devastating: on a single day this week, 359 people died from coronavirus in the UK more than the number of deaths in all 27 EU countries over the same 24 hours. The UK is starting to exit lockdown while the epidemic has not been brought under control, despite all the economic self-destruction.

Two main reasons explain why the crisis in Britain turned into a calamity. Firstly, the political consequences of Brexit turn out to be more lethal and swift than any potential economic damage. It is now clear that the worst outcome of the turmoil over leaving the EU has been to land Britain with a leadership of spectacular incompetence during one of the worst crises in British history.

Sharing the full story, not just the headlines

Boris Johnson emerges, when he does emerge these days, as the sort of shallow self-promoting buffoon that his critics, including many who know him well, have always said that he was. As his governments failures multiply, his default position is evasion and denial: on the very same day that Britain (population 66 million) outpaced the whole of the EU (population 446 million) in fatalities, Johnson told the House of Commons that he was very proud of what we have achieved.

Much of the time it does not matter much who is nominally running a country with an effective civil service, but this is not one of those times. Judgements crucial to the lives and livelihoods of millions must be made, but at this critical moment, Britain is finding that it is run by a Gilbert-and-Sullivan type administration. The analogy is all too appropriate: Johnson, with his fake-patrician bombast and shady dealings, strongly resembles the Duke of Plaza Toro in The Gondoliers who led his regiment from behind/he found it less exciting. The sinister character and dubious doings of Dominic Cummings strongly recall those of the Grand Inquisitor in the same opera.

Almost everybody outside the government believes that at no point during the epidemic has the government been ahead of the game. It has always lagged behind and frequently headed in the wrong direction. The list of errors is long: underestimating the threat posed by the virus; failure to prepare for it through accelerated procurement; late and inadequate testing and tracing; sending untested Covid-19 carriers into care homes; failing to introduce face masks early on; chaotic preparation for a return to normal life and resumed economic activity. In combination, these mistakes may keep Britain in semi-lockdown for the foreseeable future.

Once, Britain had a reputation for having one of the worlds most astute political classes operating through one of its most effective administrative machines. No longer: the pandemic marks the turning point. Johnson and mediocre ministers have throughout conveyed a frightening sense not of malignancy but of amateurs at work, lightweights baffled by what is happening and unable to learn from experience.

Britain is paying a high price for the whole bizarre Brexit project, not so much because of the undoubted economic damage it will do to the country, but because of the inadequacy of the leaders whom it elevated into power. Anybody who seriously believed that Britains troubles stemmed primarily from membership of the EU was either a crackpot, a careerist or simply misinformed. Though claiming to see a golden future for global Britain, the Brexiters were unashamed Little Englanders, their isolationism neatly expressed in the apocryphal weather forecast, Fog in channel, continent isolated.

From the beginning of the crisis this attitude has hobbled cooperation with other countries or even learning from their experience. The Brexiters instinct to stand proudly alone in defiance of reality presumably explains the decision to impose a 14-day quarantine period on travellers arriving in Britain, where coronavirus is still rife, though they may be coming from countries where it has been largely suppressed. This reminds me of travelling to Russia and Iraq in the 1990s, at a time when the health systems in both countries had collapsed and diseases were spreading unchecked, and finding that all arrivals had to have an Aids test.

The second cause of Britains all too world beating fatality rate, to adopt Johnsons famous boast, is the degree to which the operational capacity of the UK government has withered in recent decades. Ministers make self-confident claims about the delivery of testing, tracing, PPE equipment, an app to prevent the spread of the illness and other initiatives, but nothing happens or delivery is halting and unreliable.

Britain is discovering the hard way how far its administrative machine has been weakened by cuts and outsourcing. Central government has monopolised authority and resources and starved local authorities of both, though they should be on the cutting edge of test and trace. An editorial in the British Medical Journal of which the lead author is a professor of European public health, Martin McKee, succinctly sums up what has happened: A hollowed out civil service has long turned to outsourcing companies, despite their repeated failures. Companies with little relevant experience have struggled to organise viral testing or contact tracing. The task of coordinating activities with existing organisations, such as NHS laboratories or local public health departments, is too complex for their business model.

Boris Johnson pleads for people not to gather indoors in rainy weather, warning it could spark a second coronavirus wave

Testing and tracing are central to the governments bid to contain the epidemic. This is scarcely surprising since Dr John Snow, one of the founders of modern epidemiology, first mapped cholera victims in Soho in London in 1854 in order to identify the origins of a cholera outbreak (it was a water pump producing polluted water). More sophisticated trace and track campaigns have since been used to suppress or contain epidemics. Such detective work needs well trained and experienced interviewers to get total strangers to disclose their movements and contacts. German health officials today credit a well-organised test and trace system for their success in bringing the epidemic under control in Germany by 17 April, just six weeks after the first death there from the virus.

In Britain, the recruitment of 25,000 contact tracers has been partly outsourced, 10,000 of them being recruited by Serco and its subcontractors. Directors of public health only learned on the morning of the announcement that the test and trace effort was being launched four days early. It will now only be fully operational by September or October according to its chief operating officer.

The main explanation of the government is that it, along with all the governments in the world, was surprised by the speed and ferocity of the virus. This excuse might have had some validity in February or even March, but not now. Coronavirus has now killed almost twice as many people as died in the Blitz 32,000 and most of them should still be alive.

Go here to read the rest:

The Brexit crisis led to totally incompetent leadership at a time of unprecedented calamity. Now we are paying for it - The Independent

Northern Ireland faces a potent threat to its prosperity and stability if reduced business confidence due to uncertainty over post-Brexit trading rules compounds the economic damage from coronavirus, a Lords committee has warned.

A fourth round of talks between the UK and EU over a permanent deal begins this week, with little apparent progress made, and the looming deadline of 1 July for the UK to seek an extension to the transition period beyond this year.

Boris Johnson has repeatedly ruled this out, while the EUs chief negotiator, Michel Barnier, has urged the UK to stick to its commitments, saying Brussels will not be pushed into agreement at any cost.

If no agreement can be reached, the greatest impact could be felt in Northern Ireland, which will follow EU rules on agriculture and manufactured goods, and where there will be some checks on shipments from England, Wales and Scotland.

In a report the House of Lords European Union committee said the continued uncertainty could prompt businesses in the rest of the UK to think again about investing in Northern Ireland.

There is a real danger that businesses based in Great Britain could conclude that it is economically unviable to continue to operate in Northern Ireland, leading in turn to reduced choice and higher costs for Northern Ireland consumers, thus undermining Northern Irelands economic model, its future prosperity and, potentially, its political stability, the peers said.

Northern Irish businesses have also been hampered in their preparations for the new potential trading regime by the impact of coronavirus, the report said.

It concluded: The combination of uncertainty, lack of momentum and lack of time, compounded by the shock of the Covid-19 pandemic, is a potent threat to economic prosperity and political stability in Northern Ireland.

Arlene Foster, Northern Irelands first minister, called on Sunday for any checks on goods entering to be as limited as possible.

What we have to do now is minimise those checks and make sure that they do not damage the economy of Northern Ireland, the DUP leader told BBC Ones Andrew Marr Show.

The best way to protect the Belfast agreement and the people of Northern Ireland is to make sure that there are not unnecessary checks and the economy suffers as a result of the Northern Ireland protocol.

The last round of talks saw seemingly minimal progress, with Barnier and his UK counterpart, David Frost, exchanging bad-tempered letters.

Frosts letter in particular raised hackles in Brussels by accusing the EU side of treating the UK as an unworthy partner in offering a trade agreement that would force the country to bend to EU norms.

Speaking to the Sunday Times ahead of the next round, Barnier appeared similarly pugnacious, saying failing to reach a deal would bring even more consequences than before given the coronavirus pandemic.

So, I think we have a joint responsibility in this very serious crisis, which affects so many families, with so many deaths, so many sick people, so many people unemployed, to do everything we can to reach an agreement and I very much hope that we will do so, he said.

Barnier said Britain had been taking a step back two steps back, three steps back from the commitments made in the departure deal signed by Boris Johnson.

The UK negotiators need to be fully in line with what the prime minister signed up to with us, he said. Because 27 heads of state and government and the European parliament do not have a short memory.

Originally posted here:

Northern Ireland faces 'potent threat' from Brexit and Covid-19 - The Guardian

If you are someone who believes that Brexit is absolutely marvellous, or a complete disaster, then the question of whether the coronavirus pandemic justifies an extension of the transition period is presumably a no-brainer. But what about those who think the issues are more delicately balanced? This piece is pitched at them. In particular, I will argue that the Covid crisis actually reduces the short-term economic costs of leaving the EUs single market and customs union.

To keep it simple, lets assume that the completion of Brexit will involve some economic costs, notably an increase in barriers to trade with the EU, and some benefits, including lower barriers to trade with the rest of the world, increased regulatory independence, and potentially some budget savings too.

Lets also assume that the costs would be larger if the transition period ends without a free trade agreement (FTA) in place. The alternative of leaving with no deal would mean new tariffs on EU trade, as well as higher non-tariff barriers.

Of course, some would prefer a relatively clean break on WTO terms (see Brexit Delayed is Brexit Denied, published by the Centre for Brexit Policy). Nonetheless, Im going to assume here that leaving with an FTA would be better for the UK economy than leaving without one.

The question of how the coronavirus crisis is relevant to the decision on the transition period can then be broken into three parts.

First, does the crisis make it more or less likely that the UK and EU will be able to complete the talks on time? Some have argued that an extension is now inevitable simply because social distancing and travel restrictions make it harder for negotiators to meet face-to-face. This is unconvincing. Other organisations have somehow been able to find ways to continue working remotely, often using new technologies which are already familiar to the average teenager.

It has also been argued that political leaders are too busy dealing with coronavirus. But the idea that neither side has enough bandwidth to do more than one thing at a time does not hold water either. The UK and EU parliaments are now up and running again, and the EU has been able to make other big decisions during the crisis. There is no good reason why agreement cannot be reached in the coming months, if the political will is there.

Second, does the pandemic make it more or less likely that the talks will conclude with a deal? Assuming the practical problems can be overcome, sticking to the existing timetable should help to focus minds and make sure there is some sense of urgency. Indeed, the pandemic could actually mean that the chances of getting a deal done are now higher, because both sides will be even keener to avoid any additional economic shocks.

A further delay would therefore be a missed opportunity to get the talks over the line at last four years, and counting, after the UK voted to leave the EU.

Third, how does the pandemic affect the costs and benefits of Brexit? Many supporters of an extension argue that the double impact of coronavirus and the completion of Brexit would be too much for many businesses and that it would cripple the economic recovery. But this is a weak argument, even if we accept that leaving the economic institutions of the EU would bring more costs than benefits in the short term.

For a start, just think about the relative magnitudes. Any impact from the completion of Brexit will be dwarfed by the impact of coronavirus. Indeed, the swings in GDP due to the Covid crisis could easily be ten times as a large as any costs of leaving the EUs single market and customs union.

Whats more, it would be wrong simply to lump the potential economic impacts of coronavirus and Brexit together without thinking properly about the interactions between the two. Unfortunately, a recent paper from the Social Market Foundation (SMF) was particularly guilty of this.

The SMF report did note two ways in which the Covid crisis could affect the costs of leaving the EU but, in my view, it drew exactly the wrong conclusion in both cases.

On the public finances, the report argued that the surge in spending in response to coronavirus would make it more difficult to provide additional financial support to any industries or communities particularly hard hit by Brexit. In fact, the governments cost of borrowing has fallen as a result of the economic downturn and the prospect of an extended period of very low interest rates. Indeed, gilts are now being sold with negative yields. If the government does need to borrow more because of Brexit, the Covid crisis may actually have made it easier and cheaper to do so.

The SMF reports other point here is that the Covid crisis could increase the economic costs of any reduction in immigration under the new points-based system, because there may be a shortage of workers willing to migrate internationally. But again, this point could and probably should be argued the other way. The jump in UK unemployment means that labour shortages are now far less likely to be a problem.

Supporters of an extension to the transition period argue that the Covid crisis will both increase the costs and reduce the benefits of leaving the EUs single market and customs union in other ways too. This is debatable

On the cost side, if economic activity is indeed still depressed as a result of Covid, this might in fact be a better time to implement any new trading arrangements, because reduced trade flows mean there will be less pressure on borders. It certainly seems odd to worry that a no-deal Brexit will disrupt the flow of medical supplies needed to tackle Covid when overall trade volumes are likely to be much lower than normal.

Whats more, there will be some value in ending the uncertainty about what the new arrangements might be. Many businesses will be rebuilding supply chains that have been disrupted by Covid and already incurring costs in doing so. Knowing what is coming should avoid the need to rebuild these supply chains twice.

Greater clarity here may also help businesses to make other investment decisions that have been put on hold because of Brexit uncertainty. As the CBIs Carolyn Fairbairn noted on BBCs Newsnight on 4th June, businesses will not want an extension of the Brexit transition period because that is uncertainty magnified.

There will be swings and roundabouts in other respects too. For example, it has been suggested that the Covid crisis will make it harder to recruit and train additional customs specialists. But the surge in unemployment could actually make that task at least somewhat easier.

There are also arguments either way on the benefit side. Reduced trade flows and a more protectionist global mindset may undermine or delay the gains from new trade deals with the rest of the world. But leaving the EUs customs union will finally allow the UK government to implement the planned unilateral reductions in tariffs, which will be a clear win.

In addition, the benefits of increased regulatory independence may be much more important when the economy needs all the support it can get. Finally, extending the transition period is only likely to increase the UKs exposure to the mounting fiscal and financial problems in the EU, even if additional budget contributions can be capped.

In summary, any short-term economic costs from a change in our relationship with the EU are likely to be trivial compared to the swings in GDP due to coronavirus. Indeed, these costs may actually be smaller as a result of the Covid crisis, and some of the benefits will be larger. The chances of getting a good deal may also have improved. Given that we will be leaving the EUs single market and customs union eventually, it therefore makes sense to stick to the existing timetable rather than extend the uncertainty even further.

Julian Jessop is an independent economist. He was formerly Chief Economist at the Institute of Economic Affairs, where he remains an Economics Fellow.

Related

Continued here:

The Economic Case Against Extending the Brexit Transition - briefingsforbrexit.com

Video

PUBLISHED: 17:10 04 June 2020 | UPDATED: 17:29 04 June 2020

Adrian Zorzut

Jacob Rees-Mogg during a debate in the House of Commons. Photograph: Parliament TV.

Archant

Email this article to a friend

To send a link to this page you must be logged in.

Become a Supporter

Almost four years after its creation The New European goes from strength to strength across print and online, offering a pro-European perspective on Brexit and reporting on the political response to the coronavirus outbreak, climate change and international politics. But we can only continue to grow with your support.

The former European Research Group chair evoked the former Tory prime minister when he flatly denied any hopes of an extension, telling MPs: No, no, no.

Quoting sections of the Thatchers 1990 speech amid calls for greater central control in Europe, he said: Ensuring we leave the transition period successfully in full by the end of this year is one of the governments and, even more importantly, the British peoples highest priorities.

An extension to the transition period would be neither in the UKs nor the European Unions interests.

He went on to say: To quote Margaret Thatcher - will we have an extension? No, no, no.

Rees-Moggs speech came as SNP home affairs spokeswoman Joanna Cherry urged cabinet minister Michael Gove to swallow his pride and seek an extension before the end of the June deadline.

The deadline at the end of this month is a very real deadline because after the end of this month it wont be possible to extend under the terms of the Withdrawal Agreement, and no other plausible route to an extension has been put forward, she said.

Liberal Democrat Brexit spokesman Alistair Carmichael said new trade deals could mean food produced to a lower standard - like chlorinated chicken - may end up on British supermarket shelves.

He said: Now in fact we hear that as a consequence of the so-called dual tariff process it is quite possible we will see such products being imported to this country.

Almost four years after its creation The New European goes from strength to strength across print and online, offering a pro-European perspective on Brexit and reporting on the political response to the coronavirus outbreak, climate change and international politics. But we can only rebalance the right wing extremes of much of the UK national press with your support. If you value what we are doing, you can help us by making a contribution to the cost of our journalism.

Read the original here:

Jacob Rees-Mogg conjures Thatcher while dismissing calls for a Brexit extension - The New European

Key English election battlegrounds in the north-west and Midlands will be severely exposed to a double economic hit from Brexit and coronavirus should the UK fail to secure an EU trade deal by the end of the year, new analysis has warned.

Boris Johnson has continued to rule out any extension to Britains EU transition deal, which expires from January. It comes despite a deadlock in talks about a future trade deal, before the final round of talks this week.

However, an impact assessment of ending the transition period found that manufacturing, banking, finance and insurance sectors would be severely exposed to a double economic hit from Brexit and coronavirus.

The Social Market Foundation analysis divided the country into areas and then placed each in a category between 1 and 5, with 5 representing those most exposed to a double hit. Half of those in the north-west are in category 5 and a further 40% in category 4. It said that the West Midlands, where the Tories made major gains in last years election, was also exposed.

There have already been warnings that new border arrangements in the Irish Sea will not be ready by Johnsons end-of-year deadline, but Downing Street is adamant that the transition period, which gives Britain access to the EUs single market, will not be extended.

James Kirkup, the SMF director, said: In some cases and some places, that double impact will be severe. At base, this report demonstrates the simple fact that leaving a developed free-trade agreement with our nearest and largest trading partners at the same time as facing a pandemic will expose many local areas of the UK to a painful double economic impact.

The study was funded by Best for Britain, which is campaigning for a comprehensive EU trade deal. Naomi Smith, its chief executive, said: This report, which maps the impact of both shocks, definitively rebuts any speculation that the impact of leaving the transition period could be masked by the coronavirus recession. The data is clear: when you scratch beneath the surface, so many key sectors will be exposed to a dangerous double whammy of economic hits.

View post:

Key election battlegrounds face double hit from Brexit and coronavirus - The Guardian

Former taoiseach Bertie Ahern has said the "stakes on a no-deal" Brexit will be based a lot on what happens this week.

Speaking on RT Radio 1 to Brendan O'Connor he said this week is a "crucial week" as it is the last negotiating session of Brexit.

"If there is no progress on Brexit this week, the withdrawal agreement says at the end of June, that you have to have it. If you don't, you go into the Autumn with a no deal."

He thinks a thing that is missed a lot is if you go into Autumn with no deal you have to back to each country to see if you have an extension.

"The issue is as simple as this. Is there going to be an extension past beyond the 31st of December or is there not?"

Mr Ahern said he thinks British Prime Minister Boris Johnson is not the most difficult person to do business with as he will "switch his position to make a deal."

He said he is a "guy who will look for solutions rather than problems."

Read:Latest Brexit stories

Meanwhile, Northern Ireland's First Minister Arlene Fostersaid she is concerned that there will be checks on some goods going between Northern Ireland and Great Britain, but work is with the British government on these issues.

"What we have to do is minimise those checks and that they do not damage the economy of Northern Ireland".

She said the best way to protect the Belfast agreement is make sure there are not unnecessary checks.

Here is the original post:

Crucial week ahead in Brexit negotiations, says Ahern - RTE.ie

On Wednesday night, Mr Johnson asked those European workers who had left the UK following the outbreak of the coronavirus to come back to Britain as the lockdown begins to be eased. Schools started to reopen at the beginning of this month while non-essential shops will prepare to reopen on June 15. With that in mind, Mr Johnson asked those who had returned to their European countries to come back to the UK to begin the economic recovery.

In response to the Prime Minister, MEP for Belgium and former EU Parliament Brexit Coordinator Guy Verhofstadt aimed yet another dig at Mr Johnson.

Mr Verhofstadt said: But I thought that foreigners stealing British jobs was one of the reasons you wanted Brexit?

However, many online commentators were left furious at his remark and took to Twitter to fire back at the MEP for misunderstanding Brexit amid the coronavirus pandemic.

One person said: No, thats your only line of defence, propaganda.

We just want the control of our country back so we can decide who comes and goes, not you.

Another said: You misunderstood, it is now our choice, not your choice.

That's what sovereignty is.

A third said: We love Europe but not the EU!

JUST IN:EU plea: Bloc urged to resolve horror housing row in Greece crisis

A fourth said: No, that was the false narrative you and Remainers pushed to scare people into voting Remain lest they be labelled xenophobes.

Luckily, a vast majority did not buy it.

Under Mr Johnsons plan, the UK is currently within the second phase of the lockdown strategy.

However, with the mortality rate falling the Government has indicated the UK will soon move to the third phase.

DON'T MISSMichel Barnier's savage swipe at Boris Johnson revealed[Latest]Brexit POLL: Should UK walk away from negotiations in September?[Poll]Brexit trade talks ignoring 80 PERCENT of UK economy[Update]

Under the third phase, parts of the hospitality industry will begin to reopen.

This, however, will not happen any earlier than July 4.

Pubs and restaurants will be under this bracket although as indicated by the Government, the plans may be changed if the infection rate begins to rise.

The infection or R-rate has been maintained below one for some time.

The R-rate is crucial in the UKs plan against the virus and represents the rate of secondary infections.

Some scientists, however, have claimed the infection rate is still too high to begin easing lockdown restrictions.

Professor Catherine Noakes, part of the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE) has hit out at claims that removing the two-metre social distancing measures can now take place.

She told The Times: There are too many cases in the community for us to consider going below two metres.

There is transmission happening already, when we've been applying the two-metre distancing.

If we reduce it, essentially, you double the risk.

Where you have a poorly-ventilated room and someone is four metres away - if there's a high viral shedder in that room, that could cause an infection.

Visit link:

Brexit backlash: Guy Verhofstadt savaged after yet another attack on Boris Johnson - Express

Phil Hogans surprise emergence last weekend as a contender for the job of running the World Trade Organisation (WTO) has sparked admiration but also fears in Dublin.

There is concern that his departure from the European Commission where he holds the key trade portfolio would deprive Ireland of an important ally as the Brexit negotiations enter a new and potentially fraught phase.

Hogan is a heavyweight in the commission, on occasion using his public profile to play bad cop in the Brexit talks. He is a key player in the ongoing talks with Britain, and meets the European Unions lead Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier almost weekly.

He would be a loss to Ireland if he went, Dublin sources concede, and there is no guarantee that his replacement from Dublin would take the same portfolio. In fact, some sources in Brussels and Dublin believe that would be highly unlikely.

News of Hogans candidacy, reported in The Irish Times last weekend, was taken by most observers in Dublin and Brussels as evidence that he is in with a serious shout for the job Hogan would not have allowed his name to circulate otherwise. His commission team were informed he was considering the move last week, and the issue was discussed when foreign affairs ministers met via video conference on Friday.

Hogans interest in WTO issues has been evident for some time he has been key to trying to work around the obstructionism by the Trump administration that has all but disabled the trade body from functioning. It was a key theme of a speech he gave to the European Parliament last year as it assessed whether to approve his appointment as trade commissioner.

The shock early resignation of WTO director general Roberto Azevdo, amid global economic turmoil and after a difficult stand-off with Washington, has obviously forced a number of people to declare an interest sooner than might otherwise be the case, one commission source said.

The EU member states are keen to rally behind one unity candidate for the post, though this aspiration could easily be derailed. Member states agree that rather than a diplomat or a technocrat, the new candidate should be a political figure, capable of wielding enough power to take on the US and push through reform.

Hogans experience in dealing with the US and a friendly relationship with his Washington counterpart Robert Lighthizer are seen as an advantage. But other names, including Spains foreign minister Arancha

Gonzlez and Dutch trade minister Sigrid Kaag are also in circulation.

But the most important thing for the EU is that their preferred candidate should get the job. The candidate need not necessarily come from one of the EU member states: the bloc could decide to back a nomination made by an ally.

Nominations for the post open on June 8th and close on July 8th. The question of who the EU countries should get behind and how the decision should be made will be discussed when trade ministers meet next week. The ultimate appointment is made by a consensus decision by all WTO members through rounds of elimination of candidates. Its a highly political process, and Hogan thrives in such situations.

One predictable effect of the news has been to ignite a flurry of speculation in Dublin about a possible replacement for Hogan if he does depart for Geneva in the autumn. Politicians think about jobs for politicians all the time, and the commissionership is one of the most sought-after posts in the gift of any government. The list of applicants would be lengthy.

If the Fine Gael-Fianna Fil-Green government is finally put together over the coming weeks, there will be a lot of former Fine Gael ministers who might fancy the role, and consider themselves eminently qualified.

Though it is not, of course, certain that it would be a Fine Gael appointment. It would have to be agreed with the Greens and Fianna Fil, who may have very different ideas. But a high-profile politician always stands a better chance of getting an influential role in Brussels.

Patronage is a perk of power; but it also brings its own complications. The list of the disappointed and disaffected always outnumbers those who are happy with an appointment, and such government nominations often end up as political problems. If you think that this would apply only to Fine Gael and Fianna Fail, remember the Greens had exactly the same internal difficulties over appointments and jobs the last time the party was in government. Only a few weeks ago, the Greens were forced to issue a statement denying they were seeking the job of attorney general for one of their members, whose anti-abortion views were unacceptable to some of the partys TDs and supporters.

If Hogan is successful, his departure would be seen as a loss for the commission. If he tried and failed, would his authority in his current position be undermined? Officials were tight-lipped, stressing he is not even formally a candidate yet. But if successful, the move has the potential to be a blow to Irelands power in Brussels a worry that some officials acknowledge.

Having Hogan in the role during the Brexit trade talks was considered a coup for Dublin. As one of the commissions top roles, trade often goes to a second-time commissioner. Hogan came to it after being agriculture commissioner, which gave him experience of trade negotiations. It would be difficult for Ireland to find a replacement with the right qualifications, and who would also fit into the commissions delicate political balance.

Roles are allocated to reflect Europes geographic and political make-up. What party the new nomination would come from currently uncertain, given the ongoing government formation negotiations is crucial.

The role for a new commissioner would be at the discretion of commission president Ursula von der Leyen. She might opt to reshuffle her cabinet, and put a current commissioner into the trade role, while giving Ireland one of the positions that would be freed up.

Its absolutely not a given that it would be the trade portfolio. These things are not inherited by the country, one official said.

Read the original post:

Irish fears for Brexit talks if Hogan gets top WTO job - The Irish Times

NewsPoliticsCouncilTHE outgoing Archbishop of York today uses his farewell interview to demand salary justice for all social care workers.

Saturday, 6th June 2020, 5:58 am

Dr John Sentamu, who retires tomorrow, also hopes the nations new-found compassion over the Covid-19 pandemic will help to heal deep divisions caused by Brexit and the 2016 vote to leave the European Union.

The 70-year-old has spent the past 10 weeks in total lockdown at Bishopthorpe Palace as a precaution against longstanding health issues.

He, and his family, will lead the Churchs national online service tomorrow before undertaking a private journey to York Minster to lay his crozier the symbol of his office against the high altar.

He believes historic low wages and financial pressures on families to make ends meet increased the possibility of some carers inadvertently becoming carriers of coronavirus.

It is high time all frontline workers need to be paid the proper National Living Wage which is 10 per hour. That has got to be sorted out, he told The Yorkshire Post in an exclusive interview.

It is now evidenced, quite obvious, some of the great infection in the care homes was because some people were doing two to three jobs not knowing they were carrying it.

At the moment, the worst paid people, believe it or not, are those who work in care homes.

The Archbishop said that the whole question of social care should go out of the vocabulary. It should be the National Health Service because it cares for you from birth to death, he stressed.

Clicking his fingers, he then challenged Prime Minister Boris Johnson to follow the example of Clement Attlees post-war government which borrowed money to create the NHS and welfare state.

I think it will have the backing of the nation. People are willing to pay more taxes for health and education, said the lifelong social justice advocate.

It is incredible to get Captain Tom (Moore), now Sir Tom, raising 33m in such a short time. It actually tells me people arent short of a bob or two. And it doesnt need much to sort out our health, education and people in our care homes.

Dr Sentamu drew heart from the rekindling of neighbourliness. I just hope that that sort of appreciation of the care and compassion of the other will be written deep down in our soul, he counselled.

Fully supportive of Chancellor Rishi Sunaks furlough scheme, and financial help for businesses, he is, nevertheless, concerned by a breakdown of trust following the controversial trip that the PMs senior aide Dominic Cummings made to Durham during the lockdown.

What Yorkshire has taught me is people are generally on your side. But if youre in leadership, respect always has to be earned. You cant demand it of anybody, he said. If I was him (Cummings), I would have said sorry. And no regrets? Thats arrogance.

The Archbishop believes growing unease is also a legacy of deep divisions caused by Brexit. That healing process has got to happen, he added. What does it mean to be British? What does it mean to be English?

I want to suggest it is to be compassionate, to be caring, to be more loving, and dont look to your own interests.

Editors note: first and foremost - and rarely have I written down these words with more sincerity - I hope this finds you well.

Almost certainly you are here because you value the quality and the integrity of the journalism produced by The Yorkshire Posts journalists - almost all of which live alongside you in Yorkshire, spending the wages they earn with Yorkshire businesses - who last year took this title to the industry watchdogs Most Trusted Newspaper in Britain accolade.

And that is why I must make an urgent request of you: as advertising revenue declines, your support becomes evermore crucial to the maintenance of the journalistic standards expected of The Yorkshire Post. If you can, safely, please buy a paper or take up a subscription. We want to continue to make you proud of Yorkshires National Newspaper but we are going to need your help.

Postal subscription copies can be ordered by calling 0330 4030066 or by emailing subscriptions@jpimedia.co.uk. Vouchers, to be exchanged at retail sales outlets - our newsagents need you, too - can be subscribed to by contacting subscriptions on 0330 1235950 or by visiting http://www.localsubsplus.co.uk where you should select The Yorkshire Post from the list of titles available.

If you want to help right now, download our tablet app from the App / Play Stores. Every contribution you make helps to provide this county with the best regional journalism in the country.

See the rest here:

Our response to pandemic can help to heal Brexit wounds Archbishop of York - Yorkshire Post

The MSP for Strathkelvin and Bearsden added: Businesses in East Dunbartonshire are focused on securing their future they simply dont have the capacity to prepare for Brexit on top of a pandemic.

The transition arrangements currently keep the UK close to the EU and can be extended for two years beyond 31 December - if the UK Government asks for an extension by the end of this month.

But a new study from the Scottish Government says if an extension is not agreed, Scottish GDP could be up to 1.1% lower after two years. The cumulative loss of economic activity from leaving the EU would be up to 3 billion over those two years on top of the devastating effects of the Coronavirus outbreak.

The paper indicates there will be further major costs from Brexit for years to come, and also highlights that without an extension or having a free trade deal in place, Scotlands agriculture, fisheries and manufacturing sectors will be especially badly hit.

Ms Mackay said: Coronavirus is causing enormous economic disruption and people expect the government to be focused on protecting public health and the economy.

It would be extraordinarily reckless for the UK government to allow us to crash out of the transition period at the end of this year.

The SNP position is unchanged and holds that the best future for Scotland is as an independent member of the EU.

But regardless of your opinion on Brexit or independence, it makes no sense to crash out of the European single market at precisely the moment we need stability.

Businesses in East Dunbartonshire are focused on securing their future they simply dont have the capacity to prepare for Brexit on top of a pandemic.

The UK government must do the sensible thing - protect jobs in East Dunbartonshire and extend the transition period.

See more here:

MSP: Firms in East Dunbartonshire cant prepare for Brexit on top of a pandemic - Kirkintilloch Herald