Sunday 10 July 2016

Who should be Tory Leader?

Well I think out of the original five candidates the two best remain. Andrea Ledsom was very impressive in the Brexit debates. But since then she has shown some inexperience, not least with her comments re the advantages of being a mother. Then evidence has come from a number of sources, namely people she worked with that her cv has been embellished to exaggerate her importance in two separate jobs. Who knows, she might have the potential to be another Mrs Thatcher and a great reformer. But these are times to not take risks. Mrs May is by all accounts a solid performer, and will likely be a tough negotiator in what will be difficult and protracted talks with the EU. It is time for experience which she clearly has in spades, given her record time at the Home Office - the graveyard of all Cabinet posts. My vote goes to Theresa May.  Plus she was born in Sussex, Eastbourne precisely, my home county!

But why do we have to wait until September 9 to have a new Prime Minister? Surely as a matter of urgency, the vote of 150K members can take place in a few weeks? May be something to do with allowing David Cameron to enjoy a final G20 meeting?

5 comments:

  1. well you got your wish! This idea of 'tough negotiator' is interesting. Having forced Norway to stick to the free movement of labour if it wants access to the Single market and blocked Swiss access until they agree to Free movement, the main power countries in the EU, Germany, France, Italy will not allow the UK access unless it allows free movement. So the choice will be...completely out, or stay in the single market...but if the UK wants to sell ANY stuff in the EU, it will still be bound by the single market rules and some our world class industries; eg aircraft production, cars, lorries, speciality chemicals, processed foods are highly dependent on EU sales. Hobson's choice really.

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  2. I believe there is plenty of scope for compromise. The Norway and Swiss route is not the way except as basis for negotiation. We need a UK option which will benefit all. I forsee the EU dismantling anyway. It is not the future. It is the US, China, India, South Korea, Australia - all countries queuing up to do trade deals.

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    1. I think people overlook the current achievements of the EU; it has a civil war on its eastern border, and a refuge crisis on its southern border, note, not 'migrant crisis' but refugee crisis. It helped push Iran towards a nuclear deal and help Burma move into civil government; both through sanctions and 'soft power'. The EU will not fall apart: indeed polls are already showing that the UK's brexit vote has diminished the appeal of the EU nation's own Exit parties. And these trade deals: take two such countries India: chose the French Rafale aircraft instead of the Uk's Typhoon, chose Russian subs and aircraft carrier, is selling Port Talbot to the Germans. India gives preference to no-one and we would be deluded. Also take Australia: its prefers US products and services than British and what can we buy? Iron and coal?? Don't join those who see a rosy future in the UK making deals with mismatched economies and don't expect the EU to fade away: its doing quite well, despite enormous pressures. Better than we would do: our response to the Ukraine civil war: war aircraft in the Baltics, our response to quarter million refugees (many from a war zone in Libya which we created) 2000 per year for four years.

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  3. I believe there is plenty of scope for compromise. The Norway and Swiss route is not the way except as basis for negotiation. We need a UK option which will benefit all. I forsee the EU dismantling anyway. It is not the future. It is the US, China, India, South Korea, Australia - all countries queuing up to do trade deals.

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  4. And as a manger of a company trading with China, and having been there: I have to say: the future is China: and the UK is well, well behind. We sell EU sourced high technology products to them: but the biggest British sourced export from the UK to China is cardboard boxes and metal waste. I get amazingly low container rates from shipping lines because they are desperate to fill their containers as they are sent back to China. A Trade deal with China? will be entirely one way.

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