The Positive Brexit Thread

[Icecream Snow 761]

1 hour ago, Herman said:

Nadine Dorries has been sent out to calm the situation.

Well technically she's not wrong, there is no fuel shortage. We have plenty of fuel, we just don't have the HGV drivers to deliver that fuel to the petrol stations 😛

[Rock The Boat 1,329]

6 hours ago, Herman said:

Aye, the people that sold the country brexit are going out of their way to make it even worse.

Sod's law that I actually need petrol for the weekend. Might have to find something else to do.

Petrol shortages in Germany, I suppose that's due to Brexit.

From the Telegraph;

Motorists’ groups are baffled by the issue being thrust into the public consciousness after a summer of low-level disruption barely registered. The timing has fuelled suspicion that the leak is more to do with low politics and a lobbying campaign for looser visa restrictions, to bring in more drivers and bring down soaring costs.

BP’s head of retail, Hannah Hofer, told the Cabinet Office taskforce call that ministers needed to understand “the urgency of the problem” as it restricts deliveries to up to 100 of its 1,200 sites. 

Fewer than 20 BP forecourts have been forced to close completely and the AA’s president, Edmund King, also stressed that there is “no shortage of fuel”. 

He points out that thousands of forecourts are operating normally with just a few suffering temporary supply chain problems, while demand for road fuel is still almost a tenth below pre-pandemic levels.

The problems have erupted, chiefly, because somebody leaked BP’s remarks into the public domain.

BP sources deny being behind the leak, claiming that headlines about petrol rationing across the company’s sites are hardly in its interest.

But suspicion has nonetheless fallen on the haulage industry and the businesses it supplies, from oil companies to supermarkets. Lobby groups have spent months urging ministers to adopt a temporary visa regime for European Union drivers, to help address an estimated shortfall of 100,000 drivers in the UK.

Another pointed the finger directly at the Road Haulage Association, whose managing director of policy Rod McKenzie, a former BBC executive and fierce opponent of a hard Brexit over the past five years, was on the call.

The problems have been intensified by the cancellation of about 45,000 HGV driving tests due to Covid, a backlog that the DVLA has only just begun to clear. 

The workforce is also aging, meaning companies are struggling to replace drivers who retire. The RHA says the average age of a haulier is 55, and 13pc are older than 60.

Many drivers would be forgiven for leaving the industry over their treatment after Covid hit, with many rest stops closed during the first lockdown and thousands of truckers forced to spend Christmas Day in their cabs around Dover last year when France closed the border due to fears over a new Covid variant. Sources pointed to the fact that parts of Europe such as Germany and Poland have an even bigger dearth of drivers than the UK

 

[horsefly 4,296]

10 hours ago, BroadstairsR said:

Oh. He's getting frantic, once again. Blood pressure pill, Bill?

If you had read the article properly instead of just concentrating on the date of it you would then have  gleaned more insight into the problem to the extent that you could then, perhaps, realise, finally, just why the situation was destined to deteriorate the way it has, and from way back.

Your superficial attention to these matters does tend to get rather tedious, don't you think? 

Well I have to admit you've perfected the art of superficiality, so I concede you are indeed the expert on that front. You linked an article THREE years out of date precisely because you read the headline, got all excited, and didn't bother to read any further. The situation was NOT destined to deterioate as it has, as you would have understood if you had bothered to read it. The report it references was intended as a warning that action needed to be taken to avoid future problems, it did not say those problems were unavoidable. It is the UK that is experiencing closed petrol stations, and queues of hundreds of cars to those that are still open. It is the UK that is experiencing empty supermarket shelves. Not a word of explanation from you why the UK finds itself uniquely in that position.

BTW, your faux outrage at insulting comments when you start every post you have ever posted in response to mine with the playground childish taunting that I'm really Billy is truly tedious, and utterly pathetic coming from someone who is clearly old. What a sad excuse for a man you are.

[MooreMarriot 310]

" Petrol shortages in Germany, I suppose that's due to Brexit."

Gavin Esler on Twitter: "Just checked with friends in Germany - they have no fuel shortages, no acute HGV driver shortages, no empty supermarket shelves, no gas crisis, no panic buying. “But we also have no Brexit,” as one of them pointed out." / Twitter

 

[horsefly 4,296]

5 hours ago, Rock The Boat said:

Petrol shortages in Germany, I suppose that's due to Brexit.

From the Telegraph;

Motorists’ groups are baffled by the issue being thrust into the public consciousness after a summer of low-level disruption barely registered. The timing has fuelled suspicion that the leak is more to do with low politics and a lobbying campaign for looser visa restrictions, to bring in more drivers and bring down soaring costs.

BP’s head of retail, Hannah Hofer, told the Cabinet Office taskforce call that ministers needed to understand “the urgency of the problem” as it restricts deliveries to up to 100 of its 1,200 sites. 

Fewer than 20 BP forecourts have been forced to close completely and the AA’s president, Edmund King, also stressed that there is “no shortage of fuel”. 

He points out that thousands of forecourts are operating normally with just a few suffering temporary supply chain problems, while demand for road fuel is still almost a tenth below pre-pandemic levels.

The problems have erupted, chiefly, because somebody leaked BP’s remarks into the public domain.

BP sources deny being behind the leak, claiming that headlines about petrol rationing across the company’s sites are hardly in its interest.

But suspicion has nonetheless fallen on the haulage industry and the businesses it supplies, from oil companies to supermarkets. Lobby groups have spent months urging ministers to adopt a temporary visa regime for European Union drivers, to help address an estimated shortfall of 100,000 drivers in the UK.

Another pointed the finger directly at the Road Haulage Association, whose managing director of policy Rod McKenzie, a former BBC executive and fierce opponent of a hard Brexit over the past five years, was on the call.

The problems have been intensified by the cancellation of about 45,000 HGV driving tests due to Covid, a backlog that the DVLA has only just begun to clear. 

The workforce is also aging, meaning companies are struggling to replace drivers who retire. The RHA says the average age of a haulier is 55, and 13pc are older than 60.

Many drivers would be forgiven for leaving the industry over their treatment after Covid hit, with many rest stops closed during the first lockdown and thousands of truckers forced to spend Christmas Day in their cabs around Dover last year when France closed the border due to fears over a new Covid variant. Sources pointed to the fact that parts of Europe such as Germany and Poland have an even bigger dearth of drivers than the UK

 

Where in that tedious, rambling quote does it say that Germany is experiencing fuel shortages?

[BroadstairsR 2,159]

1 hour ago, horsefly said:

Well I have to admit you've perfected the art of superficiality, so I concede you are indeed the expert on that front. You linked an article THREE years out of date precisely because you read the headline, got all excited, and didn't bother to read any further. The situation was NOT destined to deterioate as it has, as you would have understood if you had bothered to read it. The report it references was intended as a warning that action needed to be taken to avoid future problems, it did not say those problems were unavoidable. It is the UK that is experiencing closed petrol stations, and queues of hundreds of cars to those that are still open. It is the UK that is experiencing empty supermarket shelves. Not a word of explanation from you why the UK finds itself uniquely in that position.

BTW, your faux outrage at insulting comments when you start every post you have ever posted in response to mine with the playground childish taunting that I'm really Billy is truly tedious, and utterly pathetic coming from someone who is clearly old. What a sad excuse for a man you are.

Dur!

You haven't got it, have you?

The article was posted because it pointed out that the shortage of lorry drivers has been on the cards for some time due to some of the reasons mentioned, but more pertinently due to Eastern European workers  increasingly being lured into alternative work in their own countries. A posting above indicates that the trend started earlier. I believe Mercedes, for example, (might have been BMW) recently opened up a plant in Hungary (might have been Poland.) There were many.

You seem to live perpetually in your own self-created little world, and so much so that you even believe your own nonsense and deceptions, despite numerous contradictions.

Why is it that whenever I come into contact with you, I am reminded of the saying:

"If only you could see yourself as others see you?"  Something in Shakespeare, I believe.

Btw, keep up with the insults and the pretence Bill. It's so bloody amusing. Such a unique outpouring of nastiness and base insults, your usual format, really says more about you than anybody the filth is aimed at.

PS.

Updated article from the Financial Times (Aug. 2021.)

"Europe has an estimated 400,000 shortage of lorry drivers, according to research group Transport Intelligence, with the workforce stretched by the pandemic-induced boom in online shopping. But the deficit would likely deepen and wages would rise sharply because of three main rule changes, layered on top of persistently strong demand, Gomez said. From next February, truck drivers will be subject to tougher EU labour laws designed to protect workers from harsh conditions and low pay. The EU Mobility Package reforms were approved after three years of negotiations last year, and will require truck drivers to take breaks of four days when carrying out jobs within a country, while lorries have to return to their home country every eight weeks. Recommended News in-depthSupply chains Supply chain squeeze: first cars, now chairs and cupboards Drivers will also be eligible to receive the statutory minimum wage in every member state they drive in for most jobs between countries outside of their registered nation. While welcoming the rule changes as positive in the long-term and noting that XPO Logistics expected to cope better with the disruptions next year, Gomez said drivers’ salaries on the continent would rise by “high single to low double-digit” percentages. This is likely to add to transport costs, which would be another blow for retailers, wholesalers and manufacturers that have endured a year of elevated shipping and logistics costs already."  Happy now? Wot!  Even more regulation. That should help the situation.

Edited September 25, 2021 by BroadstairsR

[BroadstairsR 2,159]

37 minutes ago, MooreMarriot said:

" Petrol shortages in Germany, I suppose that's due to Brexit."

Gavin Esler on Twitter: "Just checked with friends in Germany - they have no fuel shortages, no acute HGV driver shortages, no empty supermarket shelves, no gas crisis, no panic buying. “But we also have no Brexit,” as one of them pointed out." / Twitter

 

Gavin Esler?

Remind me. Didn't he stand, unsuccessfully I seem to recall, as a prospective parliamentary candidate for the Change UK party (led by Anna Subry) in the 2019 General Election?

Would figure.

Edited September 25, 2021 by BroadstairsR

[Herman 9,750]

7 hours ago, Icecream Snow said:

Well technically she's not wrong, there is no fuel shortage. We have plenty of fuel, we just don't have the HGV drivers to deliver that fuel to the petrol stations 😛

Aye, we did have all of this. But by the rules of self fulfilling prophecies we now have petrol shortages and far more empty stations than we actually did.😖

[Herman 9,750]

While it is true that there are driver shortages in the EU they also have freedom of movement,Schengen and all the benefits of the single market. So a Latvian can pick up a load in Germany, deliver it to France, pick up another load for Spain and so on, with little paperwork, visas etc. They have a much bigger pool to choose from, they do not specifically need a German driver to deliver to German customers.

We have none of this now so if you think EU drivers are going to be tempted by strict visas, border checks etc then dream on. The only way they will come is with massive tempting wages.

Wake up brexiters. Please.

[BroadstairsR 2,159]

37 minutes ago, Herman said:

While it is true that there are driver shortages in the EU they also have freedom of movement,Schengen and all the benefits of the single market. So a Latvian can pick up a load in Germany, deliver it to France, pick up another load for Spain and so on, with little paperwork, visas etc. They have a much bigger pool to choose from, they do not specifically need a German driver to deliver to German customers.

We have none of this now so if you think EU drivers are going to be tempted by strict visas, border checks etc then dream on. The only way they will come is with massive tempting wages.

Wake up brexiters. Please.

You seem confused between those lorry drivers who could come to the UK on an easily completed temporary visa (according to new initiatives) and those whose work is trans-European. One would hope visa rules for the former are strictly adhered to, though. Obtaining a visa should require some scrutiny.

The former will reside in the UK on that visa and transport goods from ports, factories to storage and onto supermarkets etc. The latter come into the UK via Dover etc. The latter need extra paperwork to cope with Brexit induced requirements but have also been impeded by pandemic requirements, perhaps more so. They need no visa.

There is a shortage of both. The former more due to Brexit, but Covid has clouded the issue. The latter for many reasons.

Panic reporting, panic buying will always make matters worse. We seem to specialise in that in the UK, hardly Third World problems though. 

"Oh no!  Chickin' and not turkey for me Christmas. Well I never. Will I still get me sprouts? I love a bit of sprouts on me Christmas dinner. Bleedin' lorry drivers, bleedin' Boris, bleedin' brexit. Must git me sprouts."

Edited September 25, 2021 by BroadstairsR

[A Load of Squit 5,160]

 

 

[Herman 9,750]

A quick explainer on how the EU logistics model worked and how Brexit barriers have crippled us.

A Romanian registered truck would pick up stuff from Italy, bound for the UK. It would then pick up stuff in the UK, bound for another drop in the UK or back to Europe. Their profit relied on quick turnaround and especially little to no border checks. Freedom of movement so to speak. This way freed up domestic drivers to do local, domestic deliveries, which we had just enough to do this job.

Now there are border checks these logistic companies will not take on jobs bound for the UK. Which also means no more extra pick ups. So our own drivers have to pick up the slack. This has stretched our domestic logistic firms to breaking point.

It's all in the details and the RHA and logistic firms have been shouting and warning about this for a long time. The fact you failed to heed the warnings, or pooh-poohed them as project fear are your own fault. Listen next time.

Edited September 25, 2021 by Herman

[Herman 9,750]

 

[A Load of Squit 5,160]

26 minutes ago, Herman said:

 

This story was filmed by Ivor Camera.

[BroadstairsR 2,159]

29 minutes ago, Herman said:

A quick explainer on how the EU logistics model worked and how Brexit barriers have crippled us.

A Romanian registered truck would pick up pick up stuff from Italy, bound for the UK. It would then pick up stuff in the UK, bound for another drop in the UK or back to Europe. Their profit relied on quick turnaround and especially little to no border checks. Freedom of movement so to speak. This way freed up domestic drivers to do local, domestic deliveries, which we had just enough to do this job.

Now there are border checks these logistic companies will not take on jobs bound for the UK. Which also means no more extra pick ups. So our own drivers have to pick up the slack. This has stretched our domestic logistic firms to breaking point.

It's all in the details and the RHA and logistic firms have been shouting and warning about this for a long time. The fact you failed to heed the warnings, or pooh-poohed them as project fear are your own fault. Listen next time.

Strange that in view of the following:

13th June 2016

"The results of a Road Haulage Association (RHA) survey released today show a clear majority of members believe that leaving the European Union (EU) would be in the best interests of their companies.The results show that 61% are in favour of their company leaving the EU, while 30% wish to remain part of the EU and 10% are still undecided. Opinions expressed by members wishing to leave the EU included the perception that membership of the EU had increased the regulatory burden, and helped foreign hauliers compete unfairly. Many also cited wider political reasons for their decision. There is also concern over issues such as trucks from abroad crossing UK borders filled with cheap diesel to avoid paying fuel duty. Another concern was that companies from outside the UK are able to hire cheaper labour, making it difficult for hauliers to compete."

I suppose that we can all trawl the internet and find something to suit our agenda.

[Yellow Fever 3,767]

I'm really amused by all the Brexit diehards desperately trying not to make 2+2=4. Call a spade a spade - the chronic long term HGV driver shortage, exacerbated by Covid has now turned acute and septic in the UK only due to Brexit.

Even Johnson knows it - his political calculation is that petrol and food shortages will be blamed on him and his pathetic government by the general population - electoral disaster to follow. The Ultra Brexiteers will vote for him any way (they are that gullible so can be easily misled and ignored) so U turn, let in 5000+ EU drivers (and I guess other critical workers if they can be persuaded €€€) quickly and try and save the day.

Pst. Don't mention Brexit.  

[BroadstairsR 2,159]

Of course, you could reverse that line and blame everything on Brexit, as you eventually did.

There is no U turn as you put it. Any person from the EU is still entitled to come a live and work in the UK as long as they fulfil visa requirements. These can vary according to need.

What's wrong with that? All countries in the world demand the same, Merkel's domain excluded.

The visa system is designed to keep out undesirables. Is that bad?

The fact that we are now able to be flexible with issuing visas and admit sectors from Europe as required, rather than present an open door, as before, is a Brexit bonus and far from a U turn.

Edited September 25, 2021 by BroadstairsR

[Herman 9,750]

19 minutes ago, Yellow Fever said:

I'm really amused by all the Brexit diehards desperately trying not to make 2+2=4. Call a spade a spade - the chronic long term HGV driver shortage, exacerbated by Covid has now turned acute and septic in the UK only due to Brexit.

Even Johnson knows it - his political calculation is that petrol and food shortages will be blamed on him and his pathetic government by the general population - electoral disaster to follow. The Ultra Brexiteers will vote for him any way (they are that gullible so can be easily misled and ignored) so U turn, let in 5000+ EU drivers (and I guess other critical workers if they can be persuaded €€€) quickly and try and save the day.

Pst. Don't mention Brexit.  

How many years now trying to explain the simplest of things to people? Exasperating.

Boiled down to a jus of the thickest consistency.

If you vote to make trade and travel harder, trade and travel will be harder.

 

[Herman 9,750]

 

[Well b back 3,199]

1 hour ago, BroadstairsR said:

Strange that in view of the following:

13th June 2016

"The results of a Road Haulage Association (RHA) survey released today show a clear majority of members believe that leaving the European Union (EU) would be in the best interests of their companies.The results show that 61% are in favour of their company leaving the EU, while 30% wish to remain part of the EU and 10% are still undecided. Opinions expressed by members wishing to leave the EU included the perception that membership of the EU had increased the regulatory burden, and helped foreign hauliers compete unfairly. Many also cited wider political reasons for their decision. There is also concern over issues such as trucks from abroad crossing UK borders filled with cheap diesel to avoid paying fuel duty. Another concern was that companies from outside the UK are able to hire cheaper labour, making it difficult for hauliers to compete."

I suppose that we can all trawl the internet and find something to suit our agenda.

I to was conned by the 350 million to the NHS and voted leave as many know. However I now consider Johnson and co lying pieces of s*** and have changed my mind.

Want to remind me about what was said about the vaccine roll out and which countries manufactured all the vaccine ?

[Well b back 3,199]

58 minutes ago, BroadstairsR said:

Of course, you could reverse that line and blame everything on Brexit, as you eventually did.

There is no U turn as you put it. Any person from the EU is still entitled to come a live and work in the UK as long as they fulfil visa requirements. These can vary according to need.

What's wrong with that? All countries in the world demand the same, Merkel's domain excluded.

The visa system is designed to keep out undesirables. Is that bad?

The fact that we are now able to be flexible with issuing visas and admit sectors from Europe as required, rather than present an open door, as before, is a Brexit bonus and far from a U turn.

You haven’t explained the comments made at the time. We were told ‘ The British would be queueing up for the jobs ‘. Not only not true but since then many posters have shown it was more to do with their hatred of France.

[Well b back 3,199]

Now seems likely visas will be introduced. F****** foreigners taking away our British jobs. I wonder if Nigel’s supporters will attack them, like they attacked the RNLI volunteers or Boris’s supporters will attack them like the anti vaxers physically attack NHS workers for making up COVID stating our hospitals are empty.

This isn't a particularly popular idea with many cabinet ministers.

That's because the new immigration system that came in after Brexit was all about saying to companies: "You can't rely on cheap foreign labour any more, you've got to focus on the workforce in this country, you've got to train them, you've got to pay them better wages."

Relaxing those immigration rules now undermines that message. It could lead to other sectors saying they want special treatment too.

Ministers know this situation could get very difficult, very quickly. So they do have to act - even though this is going to cause huge political embarrassment.

Labour are already saying - we told you about this, we said this should happen months ago.

Boris Johnson knows all too well his opponents are going to be very ready to say: "We told you so."

[sonyc 5,509]

2 hours ago, Well b back said:

I to was conned by the 350 million to the NHS and voted leave as many know. However I now consider Johnson and co lying pieces of s*** and have changed my mind.

Want to remind me about what was said about the vaccine roll out and which countries manufactured all the vaccine ?

You are the only person I know who voted for Brexit and subsequently has re-evaluated  and changed opinion as a result. I've stated before that is an honourable thing - to think about a stance and then state you think you mis-judged etc. However, it is more than that, much more. As we get older, the tendency is for people to get set in their ways, their politics ossifies, they rely on so-called experience, knowledge. Hardly anyone can tell them anything. I have acquaintances who still cannot accept any other view, despite all the accounts (and I'm not talking here of popular media opinion) of the likely effects that the UK would face. It takes a very principled person to change tack, to remain open-minded. Admitting you're are wrong is (imo) far better than believing you are always right. When one is wrong about something you have a revelation and a kind of happiness that no longer is something fooling you. You are more alive for it if anything. A lot of the world's problems come when folk are too rigid. The peace process wouldn't have happened for one example without a change. Many more examples.

Of course there are a myriad of influences on labour shortage problems, skills shortages, poor pay. These are structural, built into a system that has been hollowed out, a just-in-time mentality or purely run for profit. The care and health sectors have struggled to recruit for so long and investment has been inadequate.

It's not as if labour shortages were not warned about a long while before Brexit happened is it? Some industries and sectors shouted loudly - but into a populist wind. Any arguments made were just "Project Fear". Peace in Ireland another, voices also in the agricultural sector.  

I wish there were more voters who felt like you did or were able to look at things in new ways. Even accepting another person's view would be a start but it so rarely happens on this forum. And I believe this forum is just a microcosm of society anyway. Very few want to risk feeling stupid by admitting they had perhaps mis-judged something. Not to appear to be patronising but all power to you for seeing things as they are.

[Rock The Boat 1,329]

7 hours ago, MooreMarriot said:

" Petrol shortages in Germany, I suppose that's due to Brexit."

Gavin Esler on Twitter: "Just checked with friends in Germany - they have no fuel shortages, no acute HGV driver shortages, no empty supermarket shelves, no gas crisis, no panic buying. “But we also have no Brexit,” as one of them pointed out." / Twitter

 

Gavin needs better friends. The current ones are feeding him bs. Who would have thought it. 

[Rock The Boat 1,329]

7 hours ago, horsefly said:

Where in that tedious, rambling quote does it say that Germany is experiencing fuel shortages?

I'll have a word with the editor of the Telegraph and tell him a bloke on a message board says his articles are tedious and rambling. He'll probably resign. 

[The Real Buh 3,432]

Haulage is in a weird place. We’re right in the verge of it being automated and it will be in its death throes soon. It will be interesting to see how it develops.

[How I Wrote Elastic Man 1,186]

7 hours ago, BroadstairsR said:

Of course, you could reverse that line and blame everything on Brexit, as you eventually did.

There is no U turn as you put it. Any person from the EU is still entitled to come a live and work in the UK as long as they fulfil visa requirements. These can vary according to need.

What's wrong with that? All countries in the world demand the same, Merkel's domain excluded.

The visa system is designed to keep out undesirables. Is that bad?

The fact that we are now able to be flexible with issuing visas and admit sectors from Europe as required, rather than present an open door, as before, is a Brexit bonus and far from a U turn.

Who, in your opinion, were the undesirables?

[DannyGirl 7]

39 minutes ago, How I Wrote Elastic Man said:

Who, in your opinion, were the undesirables?

"Were?" Do you, mean "are?"

My opinion wouldn't matter, the Immigration Office sets the rules which, I should imagine, wouldn't differ much from those of any other country and which usually start with eliminating people with a criminal record. The one time I needed a visa to work abroad I had to provide proof of qualifications and proof of employment as well. I think insurance of some sort was also required.

(Even for a tourist visa beyond just one month in many countries proof of funds, medical insurance and the ongoing ticket are usually needed ,even though you can be as desirable as is possible.) 

All pretty obvious really, and designed to protect the interests of the country you are travelling to, whether it be for work, settlement or pleasure.

Edited September 25, 2021 by DannyGirl

[How I Wrote Elastic Man 1,186]

3 minutes ago, DannyGirl said:

"Were?" Do you, mean "are?"

My opinion wouldn't matter, the Immigration Office sets the rules which, I should imagine, wouldn't differ much from those of any other country and which usually start with eliminating people with a criminal record. The one time I needed a visa to work abroad I had to provide proof of qualifications and proof of employment as well. I think insurance of some sort was also required.

(Even for a tourist visa beyond just one month in many countries proof of funds, medical insurance and the ongoing ticket are usually needed ,even though you can be as desirable as is possible.) 

All pretty obvious really, and designed to protect the interests of the country you are travelling to, whether it be for work, settlement or pleasure.

Under EU freedom of movement, you can still be asked to provide proof that you can support yourself without state help, and have to register your presence with authorities. And it is possible to exclude people who presented a security risk

[Rock The Boat 1,329]

6 hours ago, How I Wrote Elastic Man said:

Who, in your opinion, were the undesirables?

What was undesirable was the UK relying on cheap imported labour. It's a lazy solution that doesn't address underlying structural defects in the jobs market and leaving the EU has simply exposed the problem that has been there for years. At the moment, the spotlight is on the lack of HGV drivers. But we can add to that list vegetable pickers, care workers, hospitality staff, hospital ancillary staff, nurses and doctors to name just a few sectors. 

In the haulage industry, the lack of skilled workers has been a problem for years as working conditions have deteriorated, red tape increased, pay not kept up with inflation and workers jacking in their jobs to move to other sectors. And all the time our solution is to bring in people from low-income countries whether that be within or without the EU. This solution is a sticking plaster. It means we are not investing in and training our own people. Bringing in low wage people drives down wages and conditions for our own workers who can't earn a living wage. So Brexit should be seen from a positive stance. If the Road Hauliers Association wants a workforce in a post-Brexit world then they will just have to pay the going rate to attract drivers into the industry. Anybody that considers themselves a progressive or on the left should welcome this situation that sees workers pay rising. If the National Farmers Union want their cabbages picked then they will have to improve pay and conditions for workers. This is how a free-market system works. And employers will have to pay from their profits which is a great way of distributing wealth to those that deserve it. If there is one lesson to be taken from Covid, it is the importance to the country of front-line workers such as delivery drivers, supermarket staff and care workers, who are usually among the lowest pay groups in society. Post-Brexit Britain means a fairer deal for low-income workers.