Prepping for Brexit thread

Farway

gfplux wrote: »

This article from the evening standard is rather frivolous but does contain a rather disturbing paragraph

https://www.standard.co.uk/comment/comment/french-husbands-seville-oranges-and-hawaiian-pizza-stockpiling-for-brexit-has-taken-a-surreal-turn-a4211261.html

I QUOTE
Elsewhere last week, a professor of food policy warned that, in the event of no-deal, the UK food supply faces levels of disruption that are “unprecedented” in peacetime, and that fresh fruit and vegetables, in particular, could run short. Thrilling if you’re a seven-year-old boy; less so for everyone else. Meanwhile, a friend tells me she’s been stocking up on insulin pens for her diabetic mother since six local GPs in south London have already run out.
END QUOTE

Who to you believe? Unnamed prof or head of a French port?
A French port chief has emphatically dismissed alarmist claims that there will be massive delays between Dover and Calais if the United Kingdom leaves the EU Customs Union in a no-deal Brexit.

“There are certain individuals in the UK who are whipping up this catastrophism for their own reasons. This has provoked a lot of concern but basically ‘c’est la bullsh**’,” Jean Marc Puissesseau, the president of Port Boulogne Calais, told The Telegraph on Sunday.
Mr Puissesseau has been saying that his port is ready for No Deal and that there would be no delays to freight since January, and dismissed allegations that his British colleagues are not ready, either.
“The British authorities have been doing a great deal to prepare. People say they are asleep but I can assure you that they are highly professional and they are ready,” he said.
“Nothing is going to happen the day after Brexit,” he assured the newspaper, adding: “Britain will be a third country, that’s all, and there is no reason why this should lead to any problems. If both sides do their homework traffic will be completely fluid.”
He explained that other countries’ hauliers are also up-to-speed and prepared for new customs procedures, saying: “I have just received a delegation of Polish hauliers — and they are the most important in Europe — and I can tell you that they are perfectly up to speed on everything that has to be done.”

DawnW

The professor in question is Professor Tim Lang. See https://www.city.ac.uk/people/academics/tim-lang
He is a long standing expert on aspects of food production, supply and security and has consulted on the topic for the UN.

And don't forget, the head of a French port has a business to talk up. But let's hope he is right.

[Deleted User]

What will be, will be my friends which is why we're all of us being up front about making preparations to weather the transition period between being in the EU and coming out of the EU by whatever means it happens.

If we have enough food, commodities, meds equipment, appropriate clothing and gear for whatever the season it we ought to be able to make an OK life for us and our families until we find what the new 'post Brexit normal' actually is.

DigForVictory

Farway wrote: »

If both sides do their homework traffic will be completely fluid.

I don’t like that “if” at all.
But then I spent the day making jam...

dandy-candy

My DS1 mentioned a couple of weeks back that Paddypower were taking bets on rationing coming back. DH and I are both overweight and tbh rationing would probably be the best thing that could happen to us and a few of our “bug boned” friends with equally poor willpower!

grunnie

dandy-candy wrote: »

My DS1 mentioned a couple of weeks back that Paddypower were taking bets on rationing coming back. DH and I are both overweight and tbh rationing would probably be the best thing that could happen to us and a few of our “bug boned” friends with equally poor willpower!

That might slim me down as well. My mum said she ate better during the war as they didn't snack between meals so the meals were looked forward too. A social occasion with all the family round the table but no tv then.

silverwhistle

MrsLurcherwalker wrote: »

If we have enough food, commodities, meds equipment, appropriate clothing and gear for whatever the season it we ought to be able to make an OK life for us and our families until we find what the new 'post Brexit normal' actually is.

I don't like that 'if' either. Already there are shortages of meds reported: not my specific one at the moment but related. I won't starve either and have enough resources, but many don't.



If there are shortages and price increases I hope any inchoate anger that expressed itself in the vote is directed in the right direction and not blaming others.


Still, at least Mr Johnson will be safe from rotten tomatoes and egg-throwing; they'll be valuable commodities!

[Deleted User]

Love it! he's not having my tomatoes even if they are squishy, I'll make chutney instead!

We've still got time to check for gaps in our stocks and all we need is still readily available in the shops at probably better prices than it will be available for after Brexit. I'm not noticing anything other than slightly less choice in the number of varieties of baked beans etc that are available locally and to be honest less to chose from makes decisions on what to buy slightly easier. I'm not aware of anything NOT being available so there's time and above to put things right.

maryb

Tim Lang made a bit of a stir earlier this year with a paper which appeared to be based on the assumption that all our imports of food from the EU would cease overnight for good and we would have to replace them with home grown supplies.


This is not 1940 and the Germans are not about to cut off our supply of onions from the Channel Islands

silverwhistle

MrsLurcherwalker wrote: »

I'm not aware of anything NOT being available so there's time and above to put things right.

I suspect it'll be more like your lettuce from southern Spain in the off season is going to be rather limp..


I like the chutney idea, and if Mr Johnson visits Scotland afterwards it's more likely to be manky neeps and the odd herring forgotten about in the back of the fridge, possibly then refrozen.:-)



But for all the director of Calais port's confidence, the issue may be more the preparation of the hauliers, exporters, shippers and so forth. If you are a small company that has not had to do any additional paperwork for EU loads that would all change, and there are reports that many exporters aren't ready. Calais may be ready to check form 43b etc., but if it's not available (physically or electronically) they may not be able to transit the load.



It really doesn't take long for queues to build up for even brief checks. I used to drive UK/Italy regularly, via different routes through France, Belgium, Luxembourg, Switzerland, and it was all remarkably quick and smooth until something untowards happened. The longest waits tended to be arriving in British ports, and I've noticed the delays increase on more recent holidays so don't hold out great hopes for improvements..