Brexit discussion thread XIV (Please read OP before posting)

There's an awful lot of stuff being pulled into this thread as proof of various sides of the argument. Opinion polls of the political parties in the UK is not a referendum on the benefits of Brexit. The current opposition parties are in a very poor state, they don't actually offer anything; labour offer loads of infighting, much of it between people that vast swathes of the electorate would find deplorable, the lib dems after the last election debacle, and their stint as Tory Bum boys in Government make them unelectable.

In a country where coalitions are close to unthinkable, no opposition party offers the potential to win an election. With Scotland gone for Labour, they might never be in a position to win an overall majority again.

Similarly with currency's the rate of Sterling against any other currency at any time is related to how the currency markets see both currencies performing relative to each other in the short term. Again the market is not making a judgement on one issue, it's where they are allocating their funds in the short term. If the GBP is strong it reflects as much on the lack of belief in other currencies. Right now the prospects of central banks easing financial stimulus, or rising interest rates are moving financial markets way more than any single government policy.

On Nando's, did they announce closing some shops temporarily because of a shortage of chicken two months or so ago? Thought they said staff were to be redeployed to a chicken processing unit????

To add a lighter note; anyone old enough to remember a movie; letter to Breschnev (spelling??) one of the lead characters had very harsh opinions on working in a chicken processing unit. Was something like sticking her hand up 800 chicken a**s a day, she deserved to go out and get p*****d at the weekend.

I notice time and again you go back to the HGV driver shortage in other countries and also the stock shortages but they are worse in Britain and I don't even know why you are trying to argue it when you admit Brexit is aggravating it which means Brexit is part of the problem.

You always come back to the HGV but I also notice.

You always side step the pig culling and the veg pickers

And those pouring milk down the drain and the super expensive CO2 etc. etc.

I live in South Yorkshire and have done for over a decade. There have been and still are ongoing shortages of both items and "essential items" going on and have been going on for quite some time. My other half routinely has her medical prescription order delayed and delayed because the medicines just are not in stock but you won't hear much about that in the newspapers until it is something dramatic like cancer drugs for hospitals being affected or a rationing of consumables used for taking blood samples due to covid testing demand. Does that mean that there are no shortages because you personally are not hearing about shortages Padraig?

I have noticed more and more empty shelving space developing over time at my local supermarket where previously that was not the case. Foodstuffs that are routinely out of stock these days; lactose-free milk (due to lack of delivery drivers according to Tesco staff), frozen chicken, more and more potato-based frozen stuff, and oft rather bare looking pasta/pasta sauce shelves. To add to all of that, there have been wholesale price increases across the board with prices rounding up, or special deals no longer being offered to save money, etc. along with some foodstuffs seeing sharp jumps in price like fish; for example a 180g Tesco pack of sliced Scottish Salmon was £2 and is now £3. Cartoons of Tesco Orange Juice have gone from £2.50 to £3, and a lot of other pricing follows similar suit. Things that were £0.90 are now £1, etc. etc.

Fuel? Back to normal for now although it was utterly f*cked for over two weeks where I am. I saw several large forecourts closed during the middle of a Saturday with no operating pumps and I know several work colleagues & neighbours who have had to spend time driving for quite some time to find forecourts with fuel supplies. On top of that the prices jumped upwards of 4p (at the cheapest end of the scale) overnight as garages took advantage. The issue with the fuel shortage was never the actual stocks of fuel in the country, it was distribution due to a lack of drivers. All because some stupid Tory plank stood up in front of a tv camera talking about how there is no need to panic.

Meanwhile the electric and gas supply prices have gone bonkers.

All hail Brexit; such a roaring success ...

Edit: forgot to mention the ongoing difficulty all year getting PC components; some of which I am still waiting for 8 months later. A miserable £9 part and all ... hardly "essential items" but when yuo cannot complete a PC build because of said parts they start to look pretty essential. Also the jump in bicycle & component part prices due to good old brexit. Again none of this will make the papers because it's niche stuff. But the shortages & price hikes are all there in black & white.

Tbh, if there is even one I'll be amazed.

If there was one the the Brexiteers would be put singing about, like they disingenuously did about the vaccines.

Of course if one accepts that Brexit was the reason behind the early vaccines success, then it follows that Brexit must be the cause of the current slow performance.

All the Brexiteers have left is trying to argue that Brexit isn't the cause of all the bad things happening.

And every country in Europe had to call army trucks in to get petrol to stations?

Or kill their livestock ?

"One more time" - and electrical prices? Your link addresses gas only.