National News Who ya gonna trade with?

[QR]

We’re going to leave the EU because we can strike superior trade deals with the rest of the world.

Then we threaten China and monumental fall out with the USA. Nice start.

 

[SteMerritt]

New Zealand. Only going to deal with Lamb and Marlborough Sauvignon going forwards.

 

[SteMerritt]

Mauritania apparently do quite a bit of trade under WTO rules. Some Leavers think we should do as well, so perhaps we can form a union with this impoverished, third world nation and stick two fingers up to the rest of the world?

Sounds good. What do they export?

 

[Gary Baldi]

We're gonna trade with no one, the UK will become a dystopian nightmare and Jeremy Corbyn still won't have an opinion on Brexit.

 

[gofish2]

Another reason to not leave the EU and enter into the twisted pocket of Trump

 

[QR]

Chainsaws to Brazil maybe.

 

[Gary Baldi]

Another reason to not leave the EU and enter into the twisted pocket of Trump

But with the EU and US trade deal, we'd already be in won't we? In or out, we'd have to trade with Trump and it would only be for at max 6 years

 

[ZeroTheHero]

The EU is in a better position to deal with Trump - or anyone else - collectively than we are individually. We will be so vulnerable to his bullying tactics once we are on our own (and it won't help that Doris is already crawling up the presidential rectum).

 

[Essexyellows]

Why is an alternative way of dealing with things seen as "bullying" ?
Seems he`s been successful for his own people and dealing with what matters to them and is dealing with world issues fairly well without blowing all & sundry to pieces.
Yes his personality is Marmite, his tweets are random........ however, sometimes, saying it like it is is the only route.

 

[ZeroTheHero]

An 'alternative way of dealing with things'? Blimey

 

[Essexyellows]

An 'alternative way of dealing with things'? Blimey

We only see a small proportion of what goes on.
He`s a character that`s for sure, hence the Marmite reference.
He was elected, despite his foibles ...... he`s probably going to be there for a while as well.

 

[Gary Baldi]

And Trump is more likely to be favourable to the UK than the likes of Elizabeth Warren or Cory Booker.

 

[ZeroTheHero]

And Trump is more likely to be favourable to the UK than the likes of Elizabeth Warren or Cory Booker.

Trump is likely to be favourable to two things: his view of how America should be and anything that will increase his re-election chances.
IF a trade deal with the UK puts a tick in either of those boxes then he'll be for it. And in itself, there is nothing wrong with that.
But the problem is that if we are in a weaker position (and let's face it, we are a MUCH smaller negotiating entity than the EU!) and if he knows that we are to some extent relying on US trade to replace some that will be lost with the EU, that puts him in a hugely advantageous position.
And we know from the negotiating stance on everything else, that it will be his way or no way at all.

 

[Gary Baldi]

If you reflect on "back of the line" Obama as a Democrat, with an Anglohpile in Trump, while there are concerns, the US president wants to do a deal, and all that entails. It's what the negotiators are for, after all.

 

[chuckbert]

Why is an alternative way of dealing with things seen as "bullying" ?

Err. Because he's a bully. Really? That's not apparent? Do I avoid Godwin's law by wondering whether it is OK that Pol Pot had an alternative way of dealing with things?

 

[tonyw]

It's pretty clear what Trump would want from a UK-US trade deal. He's been pretty open about his views on these deals.

Genuine free trade - no tariffs in either direction; but also minimal regulations. And agricultural products definitely have to be included - that's what's currently stymying the US-EU talks.

So that's the decision that'll face Britain. In the shadow of Brexit, the economic benefits of free trade with the US vs. reduction in health and safety standards to accommodate more American food and other products.

Pretty confident I know which way BoJo will fall on that...….

 

[Oslernorth]

Why is an alternative way of dealing with things seen as "bullying" ?
Seems he`s been successful for his own people and dealing with what matters to them and is dealing with world issues fairly well without blowing all & sundry to pieces.
Yes his personality is Marmite, his tweets are random........ however, sometimes, saying it like it is is the only route.

The problem is he chases headlines, so only appears successful on the surface.
If you take his steel tariffs for example, great for the U.S steal industries, great PR, but it has a knock on affect with the US car industry for example. They need to buy foreign higher grade steel for certain components which have now got a big tariff on them, making American cars more expensive. American cars aren't as well built as European and Japanese cars, but they were cheaper. If the prices start to align themselves with Euro/Jap cars then sales are going to fall

 

[Marked Ox]

It's pretty clear what Trump would want from a UK-US trade deal. He's been pretty open about his views on these deals.

Genuine free trade - no tariffs in either direction; but also minimal regulations. And agricultural products definitely have to be included - that's what's currently stymying the US-EU talks.

So that's the decision that'll face Britain. In the shadow of Brexit, the economic benefits of free trade with the US vs. reduction in health and safety standards to accommodate more American food and other products.

Pretty confident I know which way BoJo will fall on that...….

Also, our NHS medication bill will likely have to double as the US Pharmaceutical Lobby have been very clear on that the NHS will have to pay more.

 

[tonyw]

Also, our NHS medication bill will likely have to double as the US Pharmaceutical Lobby have been very clear on that the NHS will have to pay more.

How would they write that into a trade deal, though?

The fact that the UK pays less for pharmaceuticals is a direct result of the supply & demand dynamics of a single buyer healthcare system.
The pharma companies don't have to sell to the NHS; but it's their only real route into the UK market so all the power for price setting is at the hands of the NHS

Removing tariffs and trade barriers isn't going to change that.

I guess they could insist on removal of regulations such as the prohibitions on promoting prescription-only medication to the public? In which case you guys can look forward to a whole string of terrible adverts before and after any show that has an aging audience...…..

 

[Marked Ox]

How would they write that into a trade deal, though?

The fact that the UK pays less for pharmaceuticals is a direct result of the supply & demand dynamics of a single buyer healthcare system.
The pharma companies don't have to sell to the NHS; but it's their only real route into the UK market so all the power for price setting is at the hands of the NHS

Removing tariffs and trade barriers isn't going to change that.

I guess they could insist on removal of regulations such as the prohibitions on promoting prescription-only medication to the public? In which case you guys can look forward to a whole string of terrible adverts before and after any show that has an aging audience...…..

Don't know the specifics but there was a piece on it on Newsnight (iirc). They pointed out Jeremy Hunt saying the NHS wouldn't be open to access under a trade deal, meds could be under discussion though.