Fair response, thanks.
For me the trouble with the post about French customs is it mispresented what has happened. Just because the French customs are making checks, as they are required to do, does not mean they are picking on UK exports. They checking goods and vehicles coming from a third country. Just because the UK is not doing this so diligently does not mean the UK is being helpful, it means the UK customs have not managed to set themselves up properly. And the claim that all of this is the fault of the EU, or the EU are gleeful about it, is false. The fault is the whole notion of Brexit. If someone supports that, and its what they want, then surely own up to the consequences of it - and don’t attempt to blame others.
So often these posts with false claims are not challenged, and this creates an echo chamber of people all buying into a falsehood. So I challenged it…
We just need to get back to the good old days, sovereignty was everything, wars were fought for it and lives lost, perish the thought of just giving it away.
Just gotta deal with the “Global” now.
Good evening swimfeeders,
thank you for that post. IMO it sets some aspects right.
I think that it is important to understand that the EU has an obligation to protect the single market, also from (potentially dangerous/poisenous/illegal) products entering from outside the SM. As a matter of fact the UK can be such a source, hence the checks.
Did you read about the tests which the UK did when checking lorries recently? 13 of 14 checked lorries contained goods that would not have made it into the UK if there were checks. Hoping to remember the figures correctly.
Personally I am somewhat happy that it is being made difficult to bring the wrong goods (see above) into my country and therefore protect me (and all the others). Wouldn’t you want that too?
I was excited to hear on the radio this morning that King Charlie of Australia hosted European Union president Ursula von der Leyen so they are all friends again.
The UK had agreed amendments to the Northern Ireland Protocol seeking to resolve tensions caused by the 2020 post-Brexit arrangements governing Northern Ireland, which is part of the UK but operates with an open border with the Republic of Ireland, an EU member.
There was a suggestion that English loonie Boris Johnson, in an effort to become relevant again, would lead a revolt of MPs against this agreement but whether this happens is a moot point.
They were certainly all smiles today. It was like a love-in, almost voyeuristic watching.
I missed that, was watching the amateur boxing 
You should go to the border and find out how this works. Your not doing yourself any favours making things up
Another stitch up this Windsor Agreement …
I’m not the one claiming that French customs officials are waging a war on lorries coming from the country they supposedly hate. That is made up. Are the Dutch customs officials also waging a war? Or if we pop down to Santander do we find Spanish officials on a concerted effort to thwart UK goods traffic? Maybe savvy Brit lorry drivers should scoot up to Malmo as I’m sure the Swedes are being much more relaxed & Scandinavian about this and not applying full customs checks. “Hej, cool man, just slip on by, we’re busy assembling an Ikea desk so no checks today”.
Or in fact are we seeing the simple consequences of the UK becoming a third country, in EU definition, and so obliging full customs checks? And I thought this Brexit was not hard enough for you. You want more checks? More red tape? Or did you just not understand the consequences of leaving the EU?
Customs borders don’t go through all the lorries checking goods for regulatory compliance.
You really should learn how border and customs borders work instead of making things up and trying to speak on behalf of other countries.
Being a third country is what we voted for. I’m surprised you haven’t realised that either.
Lastly most goods are coming from the EU to the UK and all Irelands goods go through the UK. As far as freight is concerned the EU is like the third world. We do it way better and have learned to plan around EU border incompetence.
Not all, and increasingly less, of Ireland’s trade with the EU goes through the UK. Now that its such a painful process the Rosslare to Cherbourg / Santander route has become increasingly used. Up x3 from pre-Brexit days. Another Brexit benefit (for these ports).
I’m astounded that your dislike for all things European makes you think its ok to write the above about third world and incompetence. Its quite a claim, given that the UK is far from competent in this area. Tell me about the new IT system for UK borders. How late? How much over budget? Such empty accusations make me think your arguments are the same - empty of content.
Anyhow, you’ve not answered my question about other ports of entry into the EU and whether your claims of unfair behaviour to UK freight traffic applies in these places as well. It is just Calais? Is it all French ports? Has Macron issued instructions that his border force cause as much delay as possible? Or is it more that, perhaps as you understand it, the French people as a whole dislike the UK and have taken their “unreasonable actions” upon themselves? More a reflex than following instructions. I’m curious as to how you see their way of executing of the role of customs coming about. (Cause it is so patently a pish claim.)
Lastly, still not any closer to a tangible Brexit benefit…
I don’t dislike all things European at all. I just dislike the EU which is a political union nothing to to with countries, people or culture etc. I am also European as I’m British but, no surprise, you don’t know the difference about the EU, and European
Stop making things up about ports and what you pretend I’ve said as well. The problem we always have had is with Calais which has nothing to do with Brexit as I said before. Delays there are mostly to do with bad weather and French strikes.
You clearly know nothing about this do you.
As for IT systems, we have them, it’s the EU that hasn’t got them as described in EU document Smart Borders 2.0
The UK also had to accept freedom of movement and pay for the privilege something NI doesn’t have to.
That’s why anyone who has an Irish grandparent has taken an Irish passport .
But that won’t help my grandchildren or yours .
Well my kids have Irish grandparents and they haven’t.
So many Pros and Cons.
So they will have the choice denied to others .
Gosh, if I was eligible to apply for Irish citizenship, I would definitely take it up, especially as they allow dual citizenship - even if one is not travelling now, you never know when it may come in handy in the future.
If someone from U.K. was granted Irish citizenship because they had an Irish grandparent, would gaining that citizenship entitle their children or grandchildren to claim Irish citizenship too, even if they had never lived in Ireland? What a gift that could be for your children and future grandchildren.
To have the rights of a U.K. Citizen and the rights of an Irish Citizen (and therefore the EU freedom of movement within Europe which I used to enjoy) would be brilliant.