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Some recent non-Cummings news you may have missed. First a good @instituteforgov on implementing the Northern Ireland protocol which says "it is very difficult to see how preparations to implement the protocol can be completed before the end of the year" - https://www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/sites/default/files/publications/implementing-brexit-northern-ireland-protocol.pdf
Another Brexit milestone which may not be met by the end of the year - to have 50,000 new customs agents, as reported by the FT. https://www.ft.com/content/be64c437-3ef2-4290-bf30-4cd3a97aa870?segmentId=bf7fa2fd-67ee-cdfa-8261-b2a3edbdf916
In a development that seems likely to have been influenced by the PM's desire to shore up his own Conservative Party support, it looks like Hauwei will after all not be allowed to provide any equipment for the UK's 5G rollout. https://www.ft.com/content/1c226144-a3a9-4533-ab14-88d65142ba05
There are also indications the government will introduce new inward investment screening rules predominantly targeting Chinese inward investment. https://www.ft.com/content/b333c8c0-9c25-11ea-871b-edeb99a20c6e
It brings us back to a huge economic problem - economic rebalancing in the UK if you're going to put in place barriers to inward investment, and trade with the EU (a protectionist US doesn't help much here). Or is it all to be funded by borrowing? https://www.ft.com/content/e7f23f2b-4aa8-449e-8362-a6fcc084fee3?segmentId=bf7fa2fd-67ee-cdfa-8261-b2a3edbdf916
Measures making trade and investment harder are a common response to domestic troubles - this is a global, cross-party phenomenon. But it strikes to the heart of the still unresolved question - what is post-Brexit UK?
