Aug 7, 2019 05:11 AM
Top Obama aide dismisses chances of UK Brexit trade pact as 'delusional' (UK, US communities)
https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/politics/t...s-18854276
INTRO: Britain's hopes of striking a major post-Brexit trade deal with the US have suffered a damaging blow. Larry Summers, one of ex-President Barack Obama’s top economic advisers, claimed Boris Johnson ’s chances of a favourable agreement were “delusional”. The former US Treasury Secretary’s warning that the UK would have “no leverage” in trade negotiations came as Dominic Raab arrived in Washington. The new Foreign Secretary has pledged to “fire up” Britain’s economic relations outside the EU.
But Mr Summers said: “If Britain thinks American financial regulators, who have difficulty coming together on anything, are going to come together to give greater permissions and less regulation to UK firms, I would call that belief close to delusional. Britain has much less to give than Europe as a whole did, therefore less reason for the US to make concessions. You make more concessions dealing with a wealthy man than you do dealing with a poor man. Second, Britain has no leverage. Britain is desperate. It needs an agreement very soon.” (MORE)
Don’t expect closer ties between Britain and Canada any time soon (UK, Canadian communities)
https://beta.theglobeandmail.com/politic...time-soon/
INTRO: New British Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab came to tell us Canadians we’ll be even closer partners after Brexit. But no, Mr. Raab, you’ll be too busy staring at your navel for the next few years, and sorting out the mess with your biggest partners after Brexit, for us to focus on each other.
We Canadians know what that’s like. When Donald Trump was threatening to tear up NAFTA, there wasn’t anything more all-consuming than getting through a renegotiation. In the meantime, Britain won’t have the bandwidth to make Canada a closer partner. And the truth is, Canada doesn’t have to see Britain as crucial, either.
Of course, much depends on whether Mr. Raab’s boss, new British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, stays in power long enough to execute a departure from the European Union on Oct. 31, deal or no deal. That’s far from certain. (MORE)
British beer waits to see what's brewing with Brexit (UK community)
https://www.afp.com/en/news/3954/british...oc-1jd2hm1
INTRO: Britain's beer industry is in limbo, waiting to see what is in the pipeline for brewers, pubs and drinkers after Brexit -- but the glass is by no means half-empty. The country is now set to leave the European Union on October 31, with the manner of its departure still up in the air.
As the five-day Great British Beer Festival kicked off in London on Tuesday, organisers said Brexit could harbour new opportunities. But they also urged the government to do all it could to mitigate against the chronic disruption predicted in a messy no-deal departure from the bloc.
"Everyone in the industry is concerned about the potential impacts of leaving the EU -- and it's unclear what they are," Tom Stainer, chief executive of festival organisers the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA), told AFP. The 190,000-member consumer organisation works to preserve traditional British beer and pub culture, lobbying politicians to support the sector. "The brewing industry relies on imported hops and malts, and on exports. CAMRA is urging the government to mitigate any potential impacts as much as possible," Stainer said. "They can remove potential shocks by giving stability: reducing beer tax and sorting out business rates."
The Society of Independent Brewers, which represents around 830 independent craft breweries, has published an eight-point guide for members to follow in preparing for a no-deal Brexit... (MORE)
https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/politics/t...s-18854276
INTRO: Britain's hopes of striking a major post-Brexit trade deal with the US have suffered a damaging blow. Larry Summers, one of ex-President Barack Obama’s top economic advisers, claimed Boris Johnson ’s chances of a favourable agreement were “delusional”. The former US Treasury Secretary’s warning that the UK would have “no leverage” in trade negotiations came as Dominic Raab arrived in Washington. The new Foreign Secretary has pledged to “fire up” Britain’s economic relations outside the EU.
But Mr Summers said: “If Britain thinks American financial regulators, who have difficulty coming together on anything, are going to come together to give greater permissions and less regulation to UK firms, I would call that belief close to delusional. Britain has much less to give than Europe as a whole did, therefore less reason for the US to make concessions. You make more concessions dealing with a wealthy man than you do dealing with a poor man. Second, Britain has no leverage. Britain is desperate. It needs an agreement very soon.” (MORE)
Don’t expect closer ties between Britain and Canada any time soon (UK, Canadian communities)
https://beta.theglobeandmail.com/politic...time-soon/
INTRO: New British Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab came to tell us Canadians we’ll be even closer partners after Brexit. But no, Mr. Raab, you’ll be too busy staring at your navel for the next few years, and sorting out the mess with your biggest partners after Brexit, for us to focus on each other.
We Canadians know what that’s like. When Donald Trump was threatening to tear up NAFTA, there wasn’t anything more all-consuming than getting through a renegotiation. In the meantime, Britain won’t have the bandwidth to make Canada a closer partner. And the truth is, Canada doesn’t have to see Britain as crucial, either.
Of course, much depends on whether Mr. Raab’s boss, new British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, stays in power long enough to execute a departure from the European Union on Oct. 31, deal or no deal. That’s far from certain. (MORE)
British beer waits to see what's brewing with Brexit (UK community)
https://www.afp.com/en/news/3954/british...oc-1jd2hm1
INTRO: Britain's beer industry is in limbo, waiting to see what is in the pipeline for brewers, pubs and drinkers after Brexit -- but the glass is by no means half-empty. The country is now set to leave the European Union on October 31, with the manner of its departure still up in the air.
As the five-day Great British Beer Festival kicked off in London on Tuesday, organisers said Brexit could harbour new opportunities. But they also urged the government to do all it could to mitigate against the chronic disruption predicted in a messy no-deal departure from the bloc.
"Everyone in the industry is concerned about the potential impacts of leaving the EU -- and it's unclear what they are," Tom Stainer, chief executive of festival organisers the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA), told AFP. The 190,000-member consumer organisation works to preserve traditional British beer and pub culture, lobbying politicians to support the sector. "The brewing industry relies on imported hops and malts, and on exports. CAMRA is urging the government to mitigate any potential impacts as much as possible," Stainer said. "They can remove potential shocks by giving stability: reducing beer tax and sorting out business rates."
The Society of Independent Brewers, which represents around 830 independent craft breweries, has published an eight-point guide for members to follow in preparing for a no-deal Brexit... (MORE)