UK cut off from EU, due to concerns over new Coronavirus strain

[bramling]

I hope the same, but a major news story of supplies being cut off, combined with potential fears it will be more than 48 hours (whether they come to fruition or not), means I think panic buying is inevitable in light of this news.

I’m glad I stocked up last week. Not panic buying, but I hate doing food shopping in the days leading up to Christmas and we figured this year would be even more unbearable than usual.

This really is a perfect storm.

 

[bramling]

Way too much unfounded scare speculation on this thread. It's getting like Twitter.

It does have the potential to be quite serious if we can’t get imports in. It’s not like the performance of this government on pretty much anything gives us reassurance!

Let’s hope this is just 48 hours.

 

[CW2]

From the Stena Line website:

Passengers travelling to the Republic of Ireland
The Irish Government has issued a ban on all ferry passengers arriving from Britain into the Republic of Ireland with effect from midnight Sunday 20 December until midnight Tuesday 22 December 2020. Only essential supply chain workers with proof of such status are permitted to travel. Please do not come to the port during this period as you will not be permitted to travel.

Passengers travelling to Holland
The Dutch Government has issued an immediate ban on all ferry passengers including essential supply chain workers arriving from Britain to Holland until further notice. Please do not come to the port during this period as you will not be permitted to travel."

 

[Chester1]

The thing to watch is whether the EU will allow any vaccine made within its borders the right to leave its borders. Donald Trump I think has already signed an executive Order to that effect, I seem to recall, covering the United States.

That would be a guaranteed way of alienating many pro EU Brits for life. It might be counter productive, depending on how much of the Oxford vaccine is made in the UK. I suspect the UK would retaliate with stuff like immediately withdrawing the British soldiers currently stationed in the Baltic States I.e. All but ending any alliance. The US policy is different because it was clear from the outset and manufacture and orders were organised to reflect it. The biggest losers of an EU export ban could be developing countries. If we lacked sufficient Oxford vaccine production then the UK would use money and influence to obtain non European supplies. The Serum Institute in India is producing the Oxford vaccine at a rapid pace, both for Indians and for export to developing countries.

 

[Yew]

Is this an equivelent to the Danish mink scare? The government(s) doing things for the sake of being seen to be doing things?

 

[DelayRepay]

Is this an equivelent to the Danish mink scare? The government(s) doing things for the sake of being seen to be doing things?

I don't think so. I think the foreign governments are seeing the very dire warnings and draconian measures put in place on Saturday and reacting accordingly. If we will not let people from the South East travel within our own country, then why would the French want them in their country.

We cannot blame them, after all a key reason for Brexit was to take back control of our borders, they are just doing the same.

The fact is is only for 72 hours suggests it's very much an emergency reaction while they get a better understanding of what's happening.

 

[6862]

If they did big up this new strain as either a distraction from something else and/or as an excuse to cancel Christmas and to explain the situation in the South-East, then it's just backfired spectacularly.

I think you're totally right, they wanted to use it to destroy Christmas and its backfired on them.

 

[adc82140]

I think you're totally right, they wanted to use it to destroy Christmas and its backfired on them.

They wanted to distract from no deal Brexit chaos and it's worked just as they planned.

 

[DB]

As I said in another thread: Coincidence? I think not. This variant has been known about in September. Why announce it now? Border chaos, blame "the mutant", not Brexit.

What isn't clear is whether this is intentional, or an unexpected consequence of bigging up the not-that-new virus strain in order to impose more restrictions.

If the latter, it could and should have been predicted as to what other countries might do, but given the clear incompetence of our government It is entirely possible that they failed to foresee it.

 

[Bantamzen]

What isn't clear is whether this is intentional, or an unexpected consequence of bigging up the not-that-new virus strain in order to impose more restrictions.

If the latter, it could and should have been predicted as to what other countries might do, but given the clear incompetence of our government It is entirely possible that they failed to foresee it.

Quite simply the government have backed us into a corner & are literally going to cause panic & chaos as a result. Parliament should be recalled with imitate effect and a vote of no confidence cast against this useless circus of a government.

 

[infobleep]

Quite simply the government have backed us into a corner & are literally going to cause panic & chaos as a result. Parliament should be recalled with imitate effect and a vote of no confidence cast against this useless circus of a government.

That will never happen. Boris has a majority plain and simple.

I wonder what we'd do if this has occurred in France? Or if it had occurred in the Republic of Ireland. This government has never been keen to make people from the Republic of Ireland quarantine even though the Republic of Ireland has said people must quarantine therevuf from England. As someone who is half Irish, that seemed unfair.

I get the impression we might have continued to allow lorries to pass.

Will the lack of lorries going into Europe have an affect on their supply chains in the run up to Christmas?

 

[Bantamzen]

That will never happen. Boris has a majority plain and simple.

Oh I know it won't, but it should.

I wonder what we'd do if this has occurred in France? Or if it had occurred in the Republic of Ireland. This government has never been keen to make people from the Republic of Ireland quarantine even though the Republic of Ireland has said people must quarantine therevuf from England. As someone who is half Irish, that seemed unfair.

I get the impression we might have continued to allow lorries to pass.

I very much doubt we would have banned lorries passing into the country.

Will the lack of lorries going into Europe have an affect on their supply chains in the run up to Christmas?

Possibly, especially for time critical goods.

 

[yorksrob]

Presumably we'd have acted similarly to how we did to the Mink situation in Denmark.

 

[Grumbler]

All the more reason to secure our food supplies by keeping continental fishermen out of our fishing grounds. The EU is already set to reduce quotas by 70% because they have allowed factory trawlers to destroy the marine ecosystem and there are not enough fish left.

 

[Domh245]

I'm just thinking of it as a 10 day free trial of Brexit!

All the more reason to secure our food supplies by keeping continental fishermen out of our fishing grounds. The EU is already set to reduce quotas by 70% because they have allowed factory trawlers to destroy the marine ecosystem and there are not enough fish left.

Oh yes, can't wait to eat all that pollock and mackerel. What an absolutely daft comment

 

[trebor79]

All the more reason to secure our food supplies by keeping continental fishermen out of our fishing grounds. The EU is already set to reduce quotas by 70% because they have allowed factory trawlers to destroy the marine ecosystem and there are not enough fish left.

You are John Redwood and I claim my £5. I've had to mute him from my Twitter feed as he continually posts nonsense like this.

 

[Bantamzen]

All the more reason to secure our food supplies by keeping continental fishermen out of our fishing grounds. The EU is already set to reduce quotas by 70% because they have allowed factory trawlers to destroy the marine ecosystem and there are not enough fish left.

So we need to secure a fish stock that you already acknowledge aren't there? Great plan! Have you thought of becoming Prime Minister or are you already in that role?

 

[DB]

I'm just thinking of it as a 10 day free trial of Brexit!



Oh yes, can't wait to eat all that pollock and mackerel. What an absolutely daft comment

Quite. If this is the sort of ridculous attitude being used in trade negotiations (and the indications are that it probably is), it's no wonder nothing has been agreed.

 

[kristiang85]

From my point of view, it seems Boris and Hancock wheeled out the variant as an excuse to change tack on the Christmas freedoms, hoping the fear from that will mean people will understand.

That's alerted the EU, who have the perfect opportunity, Via the French, to close borders with us to show Boris the kind of chaos that will happen with no deal. Right on the days the negotiations are going to the wire.

It just seems too much of a coincidence, all of it. And in the meantime other countries are getting freaked out.

It is amazing just how screwed up everything has become in such a short space of time. And it was all so avoidable.

 

[alex397]

An update on Twitter from P&O Ferries this morning:

https://twitter.com/poferriesupdate/status/1340946957116825601?s=21

ROUTE UPDATE 09:00
Calais/Dover: Sailing to schedule for all freight
Dover/Calais: Unaccompanied only
Hull/Rotterdam/Zeebrugge: Sailing to schedule
Larne/Cairnryan: Sailing to schedule
Liverpool/Dublin – Sailing to schedule

At least freight can seemingly still travel from Hull to and from Rotterdam/Zeebrugge, as well as Liverpool to and from Dublin, at the moment anyway.

 

[island]

Why is it being closed to freight? Makes no sense in the context of the virus - is it Brexit-related?

The lorries don‘t drive themselves.

An update on Twitter from P&O Ferries this morning:

https://twitter.com/poferriesupdate/status/1340946957116825601?s=21

At least freight can seemingly still travel from Hull to and from Rotterdam/Zeebrugge, as well as Liverpool to and from Dublin, at the moment anyway.

Pembroke to Rosslare and Holyhead to Dublin are also operating but westbound will only accept freight drivers.

 

[DB]

It is amazing just how screwed up everything has become in such a short space of time. And it was all so avoidable.

In any other circumstances a prime minister displaying this level of incompetence would be ousted, but in the present situation nobody else will want to touch the job.

 

[bramling]

In any other circumstances a prime minister displaying this level of incompetence would be ousted, but in the present situation nobody else will want to touch the job.

This is the trouble with someone who seems utterly and completely of foreseeing what consequences might arise from his actions. We’ve seen this all the way through.

It doesn’t help that he’s recruited a complete sham of a cabinet.

 

[trebor79]

In any other circumstances a prime minister displaying this level of incompetence would be ousted, but in the present situation nobody else will want to touch the job.

This is the trouble with someone who seems utterly and completely of foreseeing what consequences might arise from his actions. We’ve seen this all the way through.

It doesn’t help that he’s recruited a complete sham of a cabinet.

Yep, Gove will be waiting for his moment. Agree unlikely he or anyone else will act now as it's clear this ****show is going to get a lot worse before it gets better, so might as well leave Boris to take the flak safe in the knowledge he's too arrogant and bumptious to ever fall on his sword resign.
What we really need is a statesman, but I'm struggling to think of a current MP who fits that description. I see a lot of career politicians completely out of touch with the real world and ordinary peoples lives, hopes and dreams.

Not afraid to say I had a little cry last night, I really do think that the country we knew prior to March is gone, economically, culturally and politically we will emerge into a very different landscape. It might even be better overall, but right now I feel very worried for the future.

 

[bramling]

Yep, Gove will be waiting for his moment. Agree unlikely he or anyone else will act now as it's clear this ****show is going to get a lot worse before it gets better, so might as well leave Boris to take the flak safe in the knowledge he's too arrogant and bumptious to ever fall on his sword resign.
What we really need is a statesman, but I'm struggling to think of a current MP who fits that description. I see a lot of career politicians completely out of touch with the real world and ordinary peoples lives, hopes and dreams.

Not afraid to say I had a little cry last night, I really do think that the country we knew prior to March is gone, economically, culturally and politically we will emerge into a very different landscape. It might even be better overall, but right now I feel very worried for the future.

I’m sorry to say I feel the same.

Part of the reason Boris got chosen in the first place was because he seemed to be the least-worst of an appalling line-up (though with hindsight I now think Hunt looks like a statesman by comparison, not that that’s saying much).

It’s precisely because of Boris and this clown-show that I worry for what we’ll have left at the end of this. It’s quite evident he lacks understanding of normal life, and that pains me as it means the recovery phase is likely to see the same poor judgement as we’ve seen through this.

The only consolation is that I continue to think BJ will be gone by the summer. I think there is some truth to the rumours that he would like to find a way of walking away.

Gove or Sunak, what a choice?! I think Gove has more of a brain on him, but it’s still a pretty dire choice. I’ve noticed Sunak has now devised his own brand and logo (the Conservative tree symbol with “RISHI SUNAK” written under it). If that’s not political positioning then I don’t know what is! I’m surprised Boris allows that, but perhaps he hasn’t noticed...

As a population we *must* stop this habit of electing maverick freaks as politicians. It started with the London mayoralty, now it seems to have spread and the result has been we’ve ended up with a useless arrogant stupid clown as prime minister at the worst possible time.

 

[Trackman]

I’m glad I stocked up last week. Not panic buying, but I hate doing food shopping in the days leading up to Christmas and we figured this year would be even more unbearable than usual.

This really is a perfect storm.

The media are not helping today saying we are going to run out of certain things soon. Can’t see it, warehouses must be full this time of year.

 

[bramling]

The media are not helping today saying we are going to run out of certain things soon. Can’t see it, warehouses must be full this time of year.

They love that sort of thing, just like the St Pancras scenes from the other night.

 

[Ianno87]

Yep, Gove will be waiting for his moment. Agree unlikely he or anyone else will act now as it's clear this ****show is going to get a lot worse before it gets better, so might as well leave Boris to take the flak safe in the knowledge he's too arrogant and bumptious to ever fall on his sword resign.
What we really need is a statesman, but I'm struggling to think of a current MP who fits that description. I see a lot of career politicians completely out of touch with the real world and ordinary peoples lives, hopes and dreams.

Not afraid to say I had a little cry last night, I really do think that the country we knew prior to March is gone, economically, culturally and politically we will emerge into a very different landscape. It might even be better overall, but right now I feel very worried for the future.

Gove is as much responsible for promising the earth on Brexit and not delivering as Boris is.

 

[Mojo]

They love that sort of thing, just like the St Pancras scenes from the other night.

They love the whole thing. I was behind a lady wearing a lanyard and ID badge round her neck in the queue at a cafe earlier. Her muzzle emblazoned with the Channel 4 logo and the strap line “Stay Home. Watch lots of telly.”

 

[PHILIPE]

In any other circumstances a prime minister displaying this level of incompetence would be ousted, but in the present situation nobody else will want to touch the job.

The Prime Minister is more interested in his personal profile and Mutt Hancock only compounded the situation by the way he made his announcement making it sound like the end of the world was coming.