Brexited | the worst threads live the longest

[finneh]

In terms of how Brexit has affected me personally, I would have to say not so I'd notice.

Of course being retired means you are out of the main stream, although just recently I have been contacted by a number of people/companies I use to deal with over ten years ago, at that time I had my own business involved in Training Programming of various sorts, for various companies. They are all now seeking my help in providing training for new employees. The majority of these people haven't trained anybody for years (which help explains why they are still using my number as a contact for training!) and the single most common factor is that their pool of cheap skilled labour has dried up, mainly as people return home to countries in the EU. Some of this was of course affected by Covid related issues, but of those I've spoken to, most say it was beginning with Brexit.

It would appear they are now revisiting their payment levels/scales and broadly this amounts to having to up their wages/salary levels and offer free training; not just to new recruits, but for some companies also to all employees under the age of thirty five they are offering to support a 'continuous training' programme based on personal aspirations. Presumably to try and keep people they train.

Anything that gets companies reinvesting in their locally sources people/workforce and not having to rely on Government handouts, means a brighter future...viva Brexit!

Almost makes me want to return to the fray.... but on second thoughts with steel hips and a pacemaker in place better not!

As someone who runs an 8 figure turnover business I'd agree.

Supply chains have been really challenging over the last 16-17 months but it's been equally challenging with suppliers outside of the EU compared with inside. Shortages of materials due to higher demand and lower supply have caused massive cost inflation. Likewise the container cost increasing by an order of magnitude (although a byproduct is making UK products more competitive).

Labour is harder to come by nowadays but in fairness this has been a positive for us. Our factory (45 guys) is quite a tight knit group and we've been able to increase salaries at the lower end without ceding a competitive advantage (as our competitors are either doing likewise or not meeting customer demand).

Effectively we're in a position I've not seen before, which is large growth in EBITDA (by far a group record) whilst also implementing larger than inflationary pay rises (particularly at the lower end). Our order book is also at a record high.

It's also nice to be in a market where customers are looking at more than just price. Contractors are now as interested in security of supply and your ability to be dynamic to changing delivery programs. Our competitors who shut down last Spring, were slow to increase stock levels last Summer and whom simply blamed their supply chain when they couldn't keep up with site demands have lost market share.

It's also not awful for a company with £3m of stock to see 35% material inflation.

Electricity prices are challenging but along with the super deduction it's given us the impetus to give the preliminary go ahead for £500k in solar panels.

Truth be told the only major byproduct that I have been able to attribute to Brexit thus far is our industry paying 10% more for lower skilled workers due to lower supply.

 

[Paul the Wolf]

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/...government-measures-to-ease-risk-of-shortages

Alongside this, 5,000 HGV drivers will be able to come to the UK for 3 months in the run-up to Christmas, providing short-term relief for the haulage industry. A further 5,500 visas for poultry workers will also be made available for the same short period, to avoid any potential further pressures on the food industry during this exceptional period.

Recruitment for additional short-term HGV drivers and poultry workers will begin in October and these visas will be valid until 24 December 2021. UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) are preparing to process the required visa applications, once made, in a timely manner.

Surprise. You can work till Xmas Eve and then p!ss off!

 

[Stanley Road]

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/...government-measures-to-ease-risk-of-shortages

Alongside this, 5,000 HGV drivers will be able to come to the UK for 3 months in the run-up to Christmas, providing short-term relief for the haulage industry. A further 5,500 visas for poultry workers will also be made available for the same short period, to avoid any potential further pressures on the food industry during this exceptional period.

Recruitment for additional short-term HGV drivers and poultry workers will begin in October and these visas will be valid until 24 December 2021. UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) are preparing to process the required visa applications, once made, in a timely manner.

Surprise. You can work till Xmas Eve and then p!ss off!

They don't have to come, some may not want these terms

 

[Paul the Wolf]

They don't have to come, some may not want these terms

They'd have to be pretty desperate. At the speed their applications are processed they may be ready to come by 23rd December, then find some accommodation.
What happens if they're still on British soil on Xmas Day. Deported to Stalag Sh!thole on the Falkland Islands?

 

[Stanley Road]

They'd have to be pretty desperate. At the speed their applications are processed they may be ready to come by 23rd December, then find some accommodation.
What happens if they're still on British soil on Xmas Day. Deported to Stalag Sh!thole on the Falkland Islands?

You're being over pessimistic as usual, things will work out, they always do.

 

[Paul the Wolf]

You're being over pessimistic as usual, things will work out, they always do.

Going well so far.

 

[Pexbo]

Just back from a holiday in Edinburgh for the last week and barely made it home fuel wise. Warning light came on just before Gloucester so we came off the M5 looking for fuel and drove to 5/6 different stations which were all shut. I usually comfortably get 50 miles off the warning light so felt OK risking the ~40 miles back to Bristol but got cold feet when I started doing it as it was dark and it suddenly felt really fecking stupid risking having to pull on to the hard shoulder on the motorway rather than sit in a service station trying to figure something out.

Fortunately the service station we pulled into (Cheltenham) wasn’t operating an HGV only rule so I put in half a tank at £1.60 and drove home with a thoroughly sore bum hole.

feck Brexit.

 

[Berbasbullet]

I’m struggling to find fuel around my local fuel stations. Not sure how I’ll get to work

 

[JPRouve]

I’m struggling to find fuel around my local fuel stations. Not sure how I’ll get to work

As Lagarde once told french workers, ride a bike.

 

[Berbasbullet]

As Lagarde once told french workers, ride a bike.

25 miles?

 

[RedChip]

Looks like Boris will send in the army to drive the fuel tankers.

 

[JPRouve]

25 miles?

Think about it this way, you will be ready for the 2022 Tour de France edition. It's a win-win.

 

[Sultan]

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/...government-measures-to-ease-risk-of-shortages

Alongside this, 5,000 HGV drivers will be able to come to the UK for 3 months in the run-up to Christmas, providing short-term relief for the haulage industry. A further 5,500 visas for poultry workers will also be made available for the same short period, to avoid any potential further pressures on the food industry during this exceptional period.

Recruitment for additional short-term HGV drivers and poultry workers will begin in October and these visas will be valid until 24 December 2021. UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) are preparing to process the required visa applications, once made, in a timely manner.

Surprise. You can work till Xmas Eve and then p!ss off!

Just can't see the government proposals working. Why would someone leave their present jobs and travel the UK on a temporary 6-month visa with all the implications of looking for accommodation leaving their families and then return back?

Do policymakers think these decisions through?

 

[JPRouve]

Just can't see the government proposals working. Why would someone leave their present jobs and travel the UK on a temporary 6-month visa with all the implications of looking for accommodation leaving their families and then return back?

Do policymakers think these decisions through?

Particularly when we are talking about a profession that is highly needed in all major EU countries and most drivers are employed, it would be risky to leave your company for a short term offer.

 

[Sultan]

Costing petrol stations around £600.00 to 1000.00 in salaries a day on each site as they sit idly waiting for tankers to arrive. The companies are not even answering their phones from angry forecourt operators. If this lasts long I can predict some permanent closures.

 

[Paul the Wolf]

Just can't see the government proposals working. Why would someone leave their present jobs and travel the UK on a temporary 6-month visa with all the implications of looking for accommodation leaving their families and then return back?

Do policymakers think these decisions through?

It's not even a 3 months visa, it's date specific , gone by 24th December even if you arrive the day before. Don't want to upset the Brexiters and the government praying the problems have gone away. Oh well.

 

[Sultan]

Particularly when we are talking about a profession that is highly needed in all major EU countries and most drivers are employed, it would be risky to leave your company for a short term offer.

The best outcome for EU populations and politicians who were contemplating leaving the Union will now have second thoughts and could make the Union stronger.

 

[Berbasbullet]

Think about it this way, you will be ready for the 2022 Tour de France edition. It's a win-win.

Brexit means gold medals

 

[Sultan]

I wonder what the outcome would be if there was a poll to assess public opinion on Brexit?

 

[golden_blunder]

Looks like Boris will send in the army to drive the fuel tankers.

I was watching the news earlier and thinking why don’t you just use the army? There was no mention off it

 

[Paul the Wolf]

Looks like Boris will send in the army to drive the fuel tankers.

Are they qualified?
Anyway they'll be too busy plucking turkeys.
Hear most of them are pheasant pluckers.

 

[Sassy Colin]

Brexit has ruined Xmas, and it's not even the end of September yet.

 

[Pexbo]

I wonder what the outcome would be if there was a poll to assess public opinion on Brexit?

If you had a Brexit vote now, continue as we mean to go on or reverse everything back to 2016 I think it would be comfortably 60%+ in favour of remain. That’s what I’d expect a real vote on it to achieve.

If you could somehow extract the truth out of everyone with a “are you better off in or out” style vote it would be 75%+ remain.

I think the 2019 election as well was thoroughly built on “just get on with it and get it over” with no real thought of the consequences. Now those consequences are known I’d be interested in how those people are feeling now.


“Strong and stable Conservative government or Jeremy Corbyn’s coalition of chaos”

 

[Stanley Road]

As Lagarde once told french workers, ride a bike.

Tory cnut once said the same thing. A hideous being, Paul's mate probably

 

[Dante]

Just back from a holiday in Edinburgh for the last week and barely made it home fuel wise. Warning light came on just before Gloucester so we came off the M5 looking for fuel and drove to 5/6 different stations which were all shut. I usually comfortably get 50 miles off the warning light so felt OK risking the ~40 miles back to Bristol but got cold feet when I started doing it as it was dark and it suddenly felt really fecking stupid risking having to pull on to the hard shoulder on the motorway rather than sit in a service station trying to figure something out.

Fortunately the service station we pulled into (Cheltenham) wasn’t operating an HGV only rule so I put in half a tank at £1.60 and drove home with a thoroughly sore bum hole.

feck Brexit.

I usually put the nozzle into the car.

 

[AllGoodNamesRGone]

A half tank cost you £1.60? What are you driving? A lawn mower?

 

[Pexbo]

I usually put the nozzle into the car.

That’s because you’re a pervert.

A half tank cost you £1.60? What are you driving? A lawn mower?

A zippo lighter with 4 wheels.

 

[Paul the Wolf]

Tory cnut once said the same thing. A hideous being, Paul's mate probably

Oi, last GE in the UK I voted in was '97 when John Major was my local MP and Blair won.

 

[finneh]

If you had a Brexit vote now, continue as we mean to go on or reverse everything back to 2016 I think it would be comfortably 60%+ in favour of remain. That’s what I’d expect a real vote on it to achieve.

If you could somehow extract the truth out of everyone with a “are you better off in or out” style vote it would be 75%+ remain.

I think the 2019 election as well was thoroughly built on “just get on with it and get it over” with no real thought of the consequences. Now those consequences are known I’d be interested in how those people are feeling now.


“Strong and stable Conservative government or Jeremy Corbyn’s coalition of chaos”

I'm not sure where you live and work but as someone who works and employs several dozen people in West Bromwich (who voted 68% to leave) I can categorically say that they would vote to leave in greater numbers if another vote were to occur.

I think this is the mistake people made the first time. They assume that the greater the pro-EU viewpoint is held in their circles the more chance that their viewpoint is held in all circles. If their viewpoint becomes more pro-EU that this view has to be reflected countrywide.

In fact I'd argue the opposite is true. I genuinely believe that the more pro-EU the people who voted to remain get; not only the more pro-Brexit their adversaries get; but the more the people who were wavering would tend to favour the now not so scary alternative.

Especially when they see their wages having grown by 10% for the first time since Blair changed the game.

 

[Klopper76]

I'm not sure where you live and work but as someone who works and employs several dozen people in West Bromwich (who voted 68% to leave) I can categorically say that they would vote to leave in greater numbers if another vote were to occur.

I think this is the mistake people made the first time. They assume that the greater the pro-EU viewpoint is held in their circles the more chance that their viewpoint is held in all circles. If their viewpoint becomes more pro-EU that this view has to be reflected countrywide.

In fact I'd argue the opposite is true. I genuinely believe that the more pro-EU the people who voted to remain get; not only the more pro-Brexit their adversaries get; but the more the people who were wavering would tend to favour the now not so scary alternative.

Especially when they see their wages having grown by 10% for the first time since Blair changed the game.

So you think people are seeing these food and gas shortages and thinking it’s worth carrying on? Are people seriously that daft?

 

[AllGoodNamesRGone]

I'm not sure where you live and work but as someone who works and employs several dozen people in West Bromwich (who voted 68% to leave) I can categorically say that they would vote to leave in greater numbers if another vote were to occur.

I think this is the mistake people made the first time. They assume that the greater the pro-EU viewpoint is held in their circles the more chance that their viewpoint is held in all circles. If their viewpoint becomes more pro-EU that this view has to be reflected countrywide.

In fact I'd argue the opposite is true. I genuinely believe that the more pro-EU the people who voted to remain get; not only the more pro-Brexit their adversaries get; but the more the people who were wavering would tend to favour the now not so scary alternative.

Especially when they see their wages having grown by 10% for the first time since Blair changed the game.

I would love to be a libertarian. It’s like living in an alternate reality.

 

[Jippy]

If you had a Brexit vote now, continue as we mean to go on or reverse everything back to 2016 I think it would be comfortably 60%+ in favour of remain. That’s what I’d expect a real vote on it to achieve.

If you could somehow extract the truth out of everyone with a “are you better off in or out” style vote it would be 75%+ remain.

I think the 2019 election as well was thoroughly built on “just get on with it and get it over” with no real thought of the consequences. Now those consequences are known I’d be interested in how those people are feeling now.


“Strong and stable Conservative government or Jeremy Corbyn’s coalition of chaos”

Like @finneh said about West Brom, no way remain would win in East Yorkshire either. If anything both sides are more entrenched with some borderlines buying the 'they're punishing us' mantra.

Regardless of the fact the current crises are only part down to Brexit, people I know up there are adamant it's 'worth it'. Don't ask me to explain that logic though.

 

[golden_blunder]

Brunmies and Yorkshire folk are as mad as a box of frogs though

 

[Paul the Wolf]

I'm not sure where you live and work but as someone who works and employs several dozen people in West Bromwich (who voted 68% to leave) I can categorically say that they would vote to leave in greater numbers if another vote were to occur.

I think this is the mistake people made the first time. They assume that the greater the pro-EU viewpoint is held in their circles the more chance that their viewpoint is held in all circles. If their viewpoint becomes more pro-EU that this view has to be reflected countrywide.

In fact I'd argue the opposite is true. I genuinely believe that the more pro-EU the people who voted to remain get; not only the more pro-Brexit their adversaries get; but the more the people who were wavering would tend to favour the now not so scary alternative.

Especially when they see their wages having grown by 10% for the first time since Blair changed the game.

Your company's employees may have been given a 10% pay rise but don't think that applies to everyone.
Please promise to let us know if your trucks are delayed because of lack of fuel.

 

[horsechoker]

Brunmies and Yorkshire folk are as mad as a box of frogs though

And that's the problem with England, people in the North go around smiling at each other and talking silly while the people in the south are left to run the country. No wonder Ole's still in a job.

 

[finneh]

Like @finneh said about West Brom, no way remain would win in East Yorkshire either. If anything both sides are more entrenched with some borderlines buying the 'they're punishing us' mantra.

Regardless of the fact the current crises are only part down to Brexit, people I know up there are adamant it's 'worth it'. Don't ask me to explain that logic though.

I absolutely agree with the bolded.

 

[Pogue Mahone]

I'm not sure where you live and work but as someone who works and employs several dozen people in West Bromwich (who voted 68% to leave) I can categorically say that they would vote to leave in greater numbers if another vote were to occur.

I think this is the mistake people made the first time. They assume that the greater the pro-EU viewpoint is held in their circles the more chance that their viewpoint is held in all circles. If their viewpoint becomes more pro-EU that this view has to be reflected countrywide.

In fact I'd argue the opposite is true. I genuinely believe that the more pro-EU the people who voted to remain get; not only the more pro-Brexit their adversaries get; but the more the people who were wavering would tend to favour the now not so scary alternative.

Especially when they see their wages having grown by 10% for the first time since Blair changed the game.

Please tell me you don’t think this is down to a Brexit upside?

 

[finneh]

Please tell me you don’t think this is down to a Brexit upside?

It's down to consistent (or possibly greater) demand with lesser supply.

 

[Paul the Wolf]

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[Mr Pigeon]

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I'm struggling to understand what the government were thinking here. They either just want to appear to be doing something so they can make up excuses while it continues to get worse, or they are that pompous that they think Johnny Foreigner is going to rush to the UK at the mere whiff of a British fart.