Tuesday, 9 February 2021

How's it going so far?


Yesterday I heard a musician say that he makes most of his money not from record sales, but touring. Thanks to Brexit, touring is no longer an option outside of the U.K. for all large bands. A new E.U. law means that all lorries going from here to Europe must return in three days. Result: no more touring for bands in Europe when the country opens up again.

As a minister proudly stated today, 'We are now in control of our own laws'. Well hoo-bloody-rah. His positive spin is almost ingenious. It turns us away from the real problem, which is that everyone else's laws are now completely out of our control.

Attached to this bit of news was an interview with a Belgian (?) MEP who runs a party which is dedicated to reforming the E.U. Commenting on Boris's failed attempt to gain another three years of grace to implement all the legislation attached to the deal he brokered a month ago, the minister pointed out that we cannot hang on to the old ties with unfettered benefits for ever, because we voted to leave years ago. As it is we have been granted three months, and that still won't save Britain's fishing fleets. 

All this has next to nothing to do with Covid. However, the pandemic is a brilliant way to take our minds off it. Nobody thought this through. Absolutely nobody.
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39 comments:

  1. guusje9 February 2021 at 05:07

    I have not read anything about a new EU law concerning lorries from the Uk to Europe must return within 3 days. That seems me a bit far fetched. What about going abroad in one or two big campers, surely they don't have to return within that period. Otherwise not so good for all the British holiday makers.

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    1. Tom Stephenson9 February 2021 at 05:31

      I am quoting someone whose business it is to know. As predicted at the time it was being denied, the EU finds new ways to make another country's exit as unattractive as possible every day.

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  2. Rachel Phillips9 February 2021 at 05:30

    I would have thought it was thanks to Covid bands are no longer touring here, there or anywhere. Brexit is barely off the ground yet, surely too early to make these assumptions about touring. Foreign hauliers still ply their trade back and forth.

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    1. Tom Stephenson9 February 2021 at 05:38

      Of course it is Covid right now. I am talking about the near future. Hauliers lives haven't been made easier by the paper work but you cannot compare a delivery to a one month band tour. Too early? Too late as usual.

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    2. Rachel Phillips9 February 2021 at 05:42

      I doubt it is true and that the Rolling Stones tour will be stopped.

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    3. Tom Stephenson9 February 2021 at 07:22

      Mick needs the merchandise money.

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    4. Carruthers9 February 2021 at 07:29

      This comment has been removed by the author.

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    5. Carruthers9 February 2021 at 07:38

      When people talk about Brexit they talk about what's going to happen in the coming few years. What appalls me is the effect it's had on government from the referendum up to the present day. A huge amount of government time has been wasted on it which could have been devoted to dealing with real problems that need solving.

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    6. Tom Stephenson9 February 2021 at 14:32

      Yes.

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  3. Jane and Lance Hattatt9 February 2021 at 05:32

    Darling Tom,

    We have bought a bookcase but it is languishing in Rutland......

    On its own....

    It is not a matter of National Security. It will not bring down the Government. It will not stop the World spinning on its axis. It will not bring about economic collapse or a run on the banks.

    It is a symbol.....

    We have lost so much through Brexit.

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  4. guusje9 February 2021 at 06:10

    My sister ordered a mini Cooper about half a year ago. Still waiting.

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    1. Tom Stephenson9 February 2021 at 07:20

      Minis are German cars. Shouldn't be a problem for Holland!

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  5. guusje9 February 2021 at 07:34

    Well it is. Has to come from the UK (so she told me). Not made in Holland any longer and I think only the convertables are made in Germany.

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  6. Tasker Dunham9 February 2021 at 09:35

    It was reported that lorries carrying varied stock from Britain to shops that sell British goods in the EU now need a separate document for each different item carried: one for each different variety of biscuit, one for each different variety of beer, one for each different variety of condiment, and so on. Absolute bonkers - both the system and those that negotiated it while assuring everyone it would be easy. If the load contains perishables then one minor error on a document could result in the whole load being lost. Some exporters have gone out of business.

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  7. gz9 February 2021 at 09:41

    When you think that the EU was in favour of making musicians' travel easier by keeping previous visa arrangements..but this government didn't want that...

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  8. Traveller9 February 2021 at 10:21

    As you say nothing to do with Covid ... this is Brexit and has been all over the news. Elton a John has been banging on about it, not to early to talk about it.

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  9. Rosemary9 February 2021 at 10:29

    I also heard someone saying that each musician and every member of a band, choir etc must all pay a fee of £406 for a visa to perform in Europe each and every time they go.

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  10. Tom Stephenson9 February 2021 at 14:37

    On a lighter note, I watched 'The White Crow' tonight. I'll let John do the critique. He was trained for it.

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    1. John Going Gently9 February 2021 at 15:14

      I hated it

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    2. Tom Stephenson9 February 2021 at 15:27

      You hate all the films I like, and I feel the same about all your old favourites. Takes all sorts, but tell me what you disliked about it most?

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    3. John Going Gently9 February 2021 at 16:06

      It was plodding

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    4. John Going Gently9 February 2021 at 16:09

      And you are wrong the only film we have disagreed on is a b and W movie I forget from the 40s


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    5. John Going Gently9 February 2021 at 16:13

      Canterbury tales

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    6. Tom Stephenson10 February 2021 at 03:57

      And anything with Russell Crowe in it.

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    7. Tom Stephenson10 February 2021 at 04:03

      P.S. Did you know that 'A Canterbury Tale' is Martin Scorcese's favourite film?

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  11. Susan9 February 2021 at 16:08

    These bureaucratic rules make no sense. 3-day rule for lorries crossing borders? An export doc for each biscuit? Cost to travel for musicians crossing borders? Is this media jockeying about with no truth to the matter? The Trump trials are underway. Worldwide chaos!

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  12. MrsC (Maryanne)10 February 2021 at 00:23

    We've not had overseas acts here for ages and in spite of every film and TV company coming here, no live acts. Which has done wonders for the local performance scene. It's sad and all but our big festivals have gone ahead successfully, music and cabaret and theatre gigs are all buzzing. I hope that this one little positive helps to offset this crap. Our current lack of overseas acts is Covid related not political, but the isolationist thing is the same.

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    1. Tom Stephenson10 February 2021 at 03:59

      God, can you imagine going to a festival with nothing but French acts on stage? It doesn't bear thinking about.

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    2. MrsC (Maryanne)11 February 2021 at 01:12

      Je ne regretterai rien!!! Actually, I would lol. Bound to be MIME artists, and that's the end.

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    3. Tom Stephenson11 February 2021 at 03:26

      And middle-aged crooners.

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