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Just spoke to @mrjamesob on @LBC about Brexit readiness and Gove's letter.
Asked a simple question: why aren't we ready for something that we knew was coming 4 years ago?
Let me briefly explain
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Asked a simple question: why aren't we ready for something that we knew was coming 4 years ago?
Let me briefly explain
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In 2016, the day after the referendum, we knew we're getting a new border.
We didn't know what that border is going to look like - what kind of relationship the UK and EU will have. That was subject to negotiations (and still is). But we knew we're getting a border.
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We didn't know what that border is going to look like - what kind of relationship the UK and EU will have. That was subject to negotiations (and still is). But we knew we're getting a border.
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And with borders comes friction, additional paperwork and processes.
And that coupled with the volume of trade with the EU was always going to lead to a need for some sort of a traffic management system. Especialy in locations like Kent (volume+speed+lack of space)
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And that coupled with the volume of trade with the EU was always going to lead to a need for some sort of a traffic management system. Especialy in locations like Kent (volume+speed+lack of space)
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This was the one element that was not dependent on the outcome of negotiations.
This was the one element we could have prepared for.
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This was the one element we could have prepared for.
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For clarity, all of the "models" discussed over the last for years: the EEA, Switzerland, Canada, Turkey, Ukraine, Australia - literally all of them have a border with the EU.
A border that needs managing.
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A border that needs managing.
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This was really not sometihng we needed to wait with.
And now we're at a point where the biggest risk is the lack of sufficient guidance and information.
Most of it we're likely to get in Oct, but not all of it.
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And now we're at a point where the biggest risk is the lack of sufficient guidance and information.
Most of it we're likely to get in Oct, but not all of it.
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With the IT systems, authorisations etc we're likely to have everything we need by late Nov or early Dec which is really not giving ourselves much time.
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If we get through the first few weeks it will be because of a massive effort on the private sector's side - businesses, hauliers, logistics providers and ports.
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A situation, in my opinion, the private sector should not have been put in in the first place.
They should have had all the required info months ago. And shouldn't be asked to "sort themselves out"
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They should have had all the required info months ago. And shouldn't be asked to "sort themselves out"
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We are where we are and in reality, it's time to focus and just try to get this sorted as best as we can.
But I just can't understand how did it come to this.
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But I just can't understand how did it come to this.
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And no, getting a deal won't solve any of that - the best we can hope for with a deal is some sort of an implementation period. That's it.
Everything else needs to be dealt with regardless.
/ends
Everything else needs to be dealt with regardless.
/ends
