We are here to take note of the ongoing discussions—not negotiations, just discussions—taking place within the EU following our Article 50 notification. Why are we noting anything about discussions? The EU has made it clear that negotiations are over, on terms agreed and signed off by the Prime Minister and our team. What are we to make of this? We seem determined to break bonds with our nearest neighbours, to all our costs. We persist with apparently running down the clock, threatening no deal up to the last day, expecting the ​EU to cave in to whatever we demand. It is just not going to happen.
...
I cannot believe that the principles of the Conservative Party—pragmatism, supporting business and jobs—are being sacrificed on the altar of an ideological fantasy, with its sacred duty to break 40 years of success. We have reckless brinkmanship and there is a reliance on railroading Parliament into acquiescence, even with the prospect of no deal. The path we are on is conducted by people who have got everything wrong so far about Brexit, about how the EU works and about how international trade operates.
...
The only aim seems to be to leave the EU, whatever the cost.

The noble Lord [Cavendish, Con] refers to things we have not earned. Since he owns 17,000 acres, can he explain how come that is his main critique of the other party in this House?

The Netherlands foreign minister, Stef Blok, tweeted a picture on Thursday of himself with the enormous Muppet-like creature lying in front of him in a white T-shirt emblazoned with the word “Brexit” in big red letters.
“Have you checked what consequences Brexit has for you or your company?” asked Blok, his arms lifted in mock exasperation and a somewhat unconvincing look of frustration on his face. “Make sure Brexit doesn’t get – or lie – in your way.”

In the real world, the tearing of hair among businesses trying to mitigate unknowable risks grows louder every day. Ian Wright, the head of the food and drinks federation, lets rip on behalf of his members: “Do these politicians think they’ll get away with blaming this on the EU when the day comes? When prices rise, shelves are emptying, the great British public will know who’s to blame.” He talks of companies that long ago ordered shipments of sugar and other faraway goods, with no idea if tariffs will be sky-high or zero when they arrive after 29 March. If zero, much of British food, farming and agriculture will collapse under cheap imports; if on WTO rules, they face hefty tariffs on processed food, cereals and meat.

Latest on his desk: what to do about packaging printed “Made in the EU”? No one in Whitehall can tell them how packs should be marked. Wright says most of his companies “aren’t the sort who think much about politics. But they do now.” He is incandescent. If Brexit fallout propels politicians out of politics, he warns: “If they think they can sail into jobs in business, they can think again. No company will employ them. In interviews they’ll be asked about Brexit: ‘What did you do in the great war, Daddy?’” He says one in eight of his members fear they will go to the wall in a no-deal Brexit, so he speaks with their authentic outrage.

Boris Johnson’s “fuck business” said it all. Some day, those recording angels will have the names and count the losses. Thanks to Soubry, we shall soon know what the cabinet knows.

The EU charges about 10% on imported cars, so I assume they've come to that number by assuming the UK keeps the existing rates. It appears that the goverment hasnt published its proposed tariff rates so no one actually knows what they will be.

The government should reach an agreement with the car maker in Swindon. They could call it the Honda Accord

The journey to that conclusion would no doubt be long, and eventful; something of an epic tale.

If it were too epic, there would have to be a prelude

The government should reach an agreement with the car maker in Swindon. They could call it the Honda Accord

I can’t Beat that one.

That would be confusing because it's also the name of one of their cars.

You could Jazz it up a bit?

Any Insight on how I could achieve that?

Lord Dykes (CB):

Surely the Government could also do something useful at the moment, such as sending Ministers to urgent anti-self-harm corrective therapy sessions. However, should they not also now promise the House to extend Article 50 and start preparing for a people’s vote as well in case things go wrong on 27 February?

Lord Callanan:

I can tell the noble Lord that, instead of sending Ministers to self-help therapy sessions, we are sending them to Brussels.

A noble Lord:

It is the same thing.

I get the impression Kern will appreciate all the arguments amongst the Tories at the moment regarding tariffs on agricultural imports. 1846 all over again!

I get the impression Kern will appreciate all the arguments amongst the Tories at the moment regarding tariffs on agricultural imports. 1846 all over again!

My car insurance provider has just emailed me the process of applying for a green card, which is what I’ll need if I want to drive in Europe post-Brexit. Yay!

I took an IDP when travelling, because Australia (among others) can ask for one, but they didn't, and that's with renting three times.

Can they? Ooops, I drove on my English license out here for about 4 or 5 years (including buying and renting cars), even after I became a permanent resident and should technically have got a proper Aus license.

Mr Speaker:
Order. There is something wrong with the microphone. It is very unusual. I have never been unable previously to hear the hon. Gentleman, but what I would say is blurt it out with vim, man!

Pete Wishart (Perth & North Perthshire, SNP):
I am, Mr Speaker. What does the Secretary of State have to say to the young people of Scotland who, because of his Tory Brexit, will be denied the rights and opportunities to live, work and love across the continent of Europe?

David Mundell (Secretary of State for Scotland):
The hon. Gentleman gives a solid reason why he and his colleagues should support the Prime Minister’s deal, which sets out those very issues. Instead, he would far rather have no deal and set about the chaos and disruption that he believes would further the cause of independence.

('Dog Meat in the UK' anyone) .

In less than 2 years the UK will be leaving the EU becoming a third country. I am looking in this blog at wooden packing requirements as a third country exporting to the EU. These standards include wooden packing cases and in particular wooden pallets which everyone uses. This is entirely separate from what is in or on that packaging.

The EU requires all imports that have wooden packaging from third countries to conform to ISPM 15 standard http://www.ispm15.com as set out in http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/ ... 32004L0102

Currently as the UK is trading within the single market shippers do not have to conform to this standard. If you export to the single market you can use less strict standards as set out by HMRC https://www.gov.uk/wood-packaging-import-export , in reality it means in practice you can use any old pallet that is laying about as there is no control point that checks this requirement.

The UK government is due to hold emergency talks with industry leaders today after discovering that the country doesn't have the right pallets to continue exporting goods to the European Union if it crashes out without a deal next month.

Pallets are wooden or plastic structures which companies use to transport large volumes of goods. Under strict European Union rules, pallets arriving from non-member countries must be heat-treated or cleaned to prevent contamination, and marked to confirm they meet a series of EU rules.

Most pallets currently used by British exporters do not conform to these rules meaning that British export business could potentially grind to a halt next month in the event of a no-deal Brexit.

DEFRA last week confirmed to industry leaders that the United Kingdom will not have even close to enough EU-approved pallets for companies to use for exporting to the EU after a potential no-deal exit.

This means that UK companies would be in competition for a small number of pallets which meet EU rules, while those that missed out would be forced to wait for new pallets, which could take weeks to be ready.

We'll need those non-heat treated pallets for warmth

The Government’s primary aim is to ensure that the UK leaves the EU on 29 March
with a negotiated deal which will honour the result of the referendum. However, as
a responsible government...

as a responsible government

1. The Government has already published long term analysis of the impact of a no
deal scenario that implicitly assumes a smooth, orderly transition to WTO rules.
This estimates that the UK economy would be 6.3-9% smaller in the long term in a
no deal scenario (after around 15 years) than it otherwise would have been when
compared with today’s arrangements, assuming no action is taken. There would
also be significant variation across the UK (Wales -8.1%, Scotland -8.0%, Northern
Ireland -9.1% and the North East of England -10.5%). This analysis does not
account for any short term disruptions, which would be likely to have additional
short and long run economic impacts in an immediate no deal scenario

a responsible government