Will Brexit be a casualty of COVID-19?

[Norton Canes]

Not the final nail in the coffin, but perhaps the first:

UK farms fly in pickers from Eastern Europe

The first of six specially chartered flights from Romania to London will land on Thursday afternoon carrying 150 people to assist British farmers pick fruit and vegetables. Despite a high profile "Pick for Britain" campaign appealing to students and laid-off hospitality workers to help with the harvest, not enough British workers have come forward. The six flights were privately chartered by large UK food producers and will land between now and June. The National Farmers Union estimates a shortage of 70,000 seasonal farm workers that has been exacerbated by the Covid 19 lockdown.

Before boarding, the prospective workers will have their temperatures checked, fill out a health questionnaire and be given masks and hand sanitiser. On arrival in the UK, they will be taken by bus to farms in East Anglia to pick lettuce.

Mark Bridgeman, the president of the Country Land and Business Association, said bringing in workers from overseas to help meet the shortfall was "the right thing to do if we want to keep the supermarkets stocked".

[Non Stop Dancer]

No, and what's more, the financial hardship we're going to go through as a result of corona will be nigh on impossible to separate from the ill effects of Brexit, so we won't even be able to say I told you so.

[Non Stop Dancer]

Sorry, forgot to give my reasoning for saying no. Because that's what the people paying for Brexit to happen want it to happen, same as last time.

[Fambo Number Mive]

Much of Johnson's base don't care what he does as long as they get Brexit.

[jobotic]

Maybe Covid19 will fuck the EU so much that Bannon and Putin won't be arsed about brexit any more.

Whatever I hope these so-called fruit pickers are out on their arses by December 31st. Pisstake. Probably get the virus and want treatment off of our NHS god bless those angels.

[bgmnts]

I searched for fruit picking jobs within 40 miles of my area on various jobsites and didn't find a single opening.

Would have happily picked fruit for money though. The fact they have to fly Romanians shows what an utter farce it all is.

[steveh]

Somewhere I read that lower unemployment and rising wages in Romania mean coming to the UK for work is significantly less attractive than it was anyway, never mind any Brexit restrictions on immigration.

[jobotic]

the UK would refuse such a request, the spokesman said this morning. He told journalists:

We will not ask to extend the transition. And, if the EU asks, we will say no. Extending the transition would simply prolong the negotiations, prolong business uncertainty, and delay the moment of control of our borders. It would also keep us bound by EU legislation at a point where we need economic and legislative flexibility to manage the UK response to the coronavirus pandemic.

What is also interesting about this comment is that it shows No 10 is now arguing that coronavirus strengthens the case for the UK to break away from regulatory alignment with the EU. Opposing regulatory alignment could end up with the UK having to negotiate with the EU on WTO terms (what used to be called a "no deal" Brexit), although of course the government says it wants a Canada-style trade deal.

Psychotic.

[Fambo Number Mive]

How does the spokesman explain that one of the best responses to the Coronavirus came from a country still within the EU (Germany)? How does he explain that our government's delayed and pathetic response has nothing to do with being in the transition phase and everything to do with our government?

[jobotic]

He doesn't. They don't to have explain themselves. Be quiet.

[Rich Uncle Skeleton]

Yeah shut your face

[Cloud]

Wishful thinking, just like when the government collapsed and had to go into a general election and everyone thought this was the moment the voices of "Stop this madness!" would be heard and Corbyn's newly won landslide majority would be leading us all into that second referendum because "a lot of those old cunts are dead now".  Not falling for that one again!

[olliebean]

The Brexiteers are probably loving this, they're pretty much assured of their beloved no deal Brexit and can blame all the consequences on coronavirus.

[idunnosomename]

Also its like the war except theres plenty of food and drink and all you need to do is clap or hobble around your 25m long garden

[jobotic]

What has FBPE darling Sir Kier got to say about this?

Is it fuck all by any chance?

[idunnosomename]

well im just glad we have an ADULT in charge of the opposition, not a ghastly old trot banging on about food banks all the time. sanity is restored to politics.

[Sebastian Cobb]

I really hoped that not many Romanians were interested.

A bit like when they hyped the 'swarms' of Romanians that were going to come here when they joined the EU, and loads of press turned up at the airport to interview a Romanian who looked confused as to why he was getting so much attention.