Queen's head housekeeper of 32-years at Sandringham inexplicably quits - Daily Mail

Queen's head housekeeper of 32 years at Sandringham QUITS after revolt where staff 'refused to lock themselves in a Covid-19 bubble for Christmas'

• Patricia Earl, 56, has served the Queen for 32-years and has mysteriously quit 
• While she has not commented, the departure follows a revolt from royal staff 
•  Employees were asked to stay at Sandringham for four weeks over Christmas
• Buckingham Palace have insisted Patricia's departure was 'completely amicable'

By Monica Greep For Mailonline

Published: 09:42 GMT, 6 December 2020 | Updated: 09:52 GMT, 6 December 2020

The Queen's head housekeeper at Sandringham has mysteriously quit her job after 32 years working with the monarch.  

Patricia Earl, 56, who lives close to the royal estate in the Norfolk village of Dersingham, has left her position, following a staff revolt earlier this year which saw workers rebel against plans to isolate them from loved ones for a month. 

According to The Sun Online, the housekeeper was 'embarrassed' after Royal Household staff refused a plan for them to stay in the royal's Covid-19 bubble at Sandringham over Christmas.

The housekeeper was a well-respected royal member of staff, and in 2018 Patricia was presented with the Royal Victorian Medal. 

The Queen's head housekeeper at Sandringham has mysteriously quit her job after 32 years working with the Monarch, 94. Pictured, Her Majesty at Sandringham in January 

First established by Queen Victoria in 1896, the Royal Victorian Order is chosen at the Queen's discretion, and is often awarded to those who have served the monarch or the royal family with dedication. 

Patricia did not want to comment on her departure, while a Buckingham Palace spokesman told The Sun Online yesterday: 'This was a completely amicable departure.' 

A team of about 20 employees had been asked to remain on the monarch's Norfolk estate without their families to support her, Prince Philip and other members of the Royal Family during the festive period.

But the group – said to involve cleaners, laundry and maintenance workers - are believed to have mutinied because they are unwilling to isolate from loved ones for four weeks.

A staff uprising over Christmas plans means the Queen will spend Christmas at Windsor Castle for the first time in 33 years. Pictured, Queen Elizabeth and the Duke of Edinburgh at Windsor Castle in March

Staff were being asked to stay for the month-long period so they could remain in a Covid bubble to protect the 94-year-old monarch.

The Queen typically spends her winter break at Sandringham, travelling up after the Christmas party for extended family members at Buckingham Palace in December. 

But the uprising means the Queen and Prince Philip will spend Christmas at Windsor Castle for the first time in 33 years.  

It was announced earlier this week that this year they will forgo the festivities and remain at Windsor, where they have been isolating with a 'bubble' of staff since October. 

The Queen typically spends her winter break at Sandringham, travelling up after the Christmas party for extended family members at Buckingham Palace in December. Pictured, the Queen's annual Christmas broadcast last year in Windsor Castle last year 

It is understood the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh will not take advantage of the relaxed Covid restrictions to form a Christmas bubble with other households.    

It means the couple face spending Christmas Day without any of their four children for the first time since 1949, when the then Princess Elizabeth left a one-year-old Charles in the UK so she could be with Prince Philip in Malta.  

Vanity Fair's Katie Nicholl said the Queen wants her children and grandchildren to 'enjoy Christmas with their other loved-ones' and 'not feel torn' as she prepares for a 'quiet' festive season at Windsor.

She claimed: 'The Queen has said that this is the year for her family to enjoy Christmases with other family members and not feel torn, as they often do, when a royal Christmas takes priority.'

It is understood the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh will not take advantage of the relaxed Covid restrictions to form a Christmas bubble with other households. Pictured, the Queen and Prince Phillip in 2017 

Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall will spend Christmas at Highgrove, in Gloucestershire, although they expect to see the Queen and Prince Philip at Windsor at some point over the festive season.

They will also see Camilla's children Tom Parker Bowles and Laura Lopes at some point.

Meanwhile Prince William and Kate Middleton are most likely to spend Christmas at Anmer Hall, Norfolk or with the Duchess' parents, Carole and Michael Middleton,in Berkshire.  

In Tier 2 regions, like Windsor, up to six people from different households are able to mix outdoors. This means the Queen and Prince Philip could meet with family members for horse riding or walks in the grounds of Windsor Castle.  

The couple are well accustomed to spending Christmas at Windsor Castle, having spent holidays at the castle before moving the celebration to Sandringham in 1988.  t the Middleton family home in Berkshire.  

The Queen won't attend a church service on Christmas Day in order to prevent crowds gathering but is expected to worship privately in Windsor Castle's private chapel.

Read more:

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2020-12-06 09:42:00Z
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Brexit: 'Final throw of the dice' as trade talks resume - BBC News

EPA/YVES HERMAN / POOL

Crucial negotiations to secure a post-Brexit trade deal between the UK and the EU are to resume later.

UK chief Brexit negotiator Lord Frost will meet EU counterpart Michel Barnier in Brussels to try to bridge the two sides' "significant differences".

A UK source told the BBC it could be the "final throw of the dice" to agree a deal before the end of the year.

BBC political correspondent Chris Mason said the mood was downbeat, but both sides still wanted a deal.

He quoted a UK government insider as saying: "Often the darkest hour comes just before dawn."

Sunday's meeting comes after talks between Prime Minister Boris Johnson and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen failed to deliver agreement.

• What are the sticking points in Brexit trade talks?
• Brexit: What is a level playing field?

The pair spoke on the phone for an hour on Saturday but failed to break the deadlock on "critical issues".

In a joint statement issued afterwards they said fishing rights, competition rules and how any deal would be enforced were still causing problems.

They added: "Both sides underlined that no agreement is feasible if these issues are not resolved."

However, Mr Johnson and Ms Von der Leyen said they "welcomed the fact that progress has been achieved in many areas".

Both have agreed to talk again on Monday evening.

BBC political editor Laura Kuenssberg said the statements signalled "clearly" that a trade deal is out of reach right now, and "if no-one budges in the next few days, it's simply not going to happen".

Speaking to Ireland's Sunday Independent newspaper, Irish Foreign Minister Simon Coveney said: "We are more likely to get a deal than not because I think it's in everybody's interest."

He added that reports the EU had hardened its negotiating stance at France's behest were inaccurate.

Areas of disagreement

Lord Frost and his team of negotiators are due to travel back to Brussels on Sunday, where they will to try to work through areas of disagreement with their EU opposite numbers.

One of these is over access to UK waters by the EU's fishing fleets.

Another is what measures there should be to ensure a "level playing field" for businesses on both sides of the Channel.

Also outstanding is any consensus on how any new agreements would be enforced, and about the role of the European Court of Justice.

If a deal is not reached, border checks and taxes will be introduced for goods travelling between the UK and the EU.

Brexit - The basics

• Brexit happened but rules didn't change at once: The UK left the European Union on 31 January but leaders needed time to negotiate a deal for life afterwards - they got 11 months.
• Talks are on again: The UK and the EU have until 31 December to agree a trade deal as well as other things, such as fishing rights.
• If there is no deal: Border checks and taxes will be introduced for goods travelling between the UK and the EU. But deal or no deal, we will still see changes.

What happens next with Brexit?

'Everyone's best interests'

The EU's chief negotiator, Michel Barnier, tweeted after Saturday's statement was published, saying: "We will see if there is a way forward."

Ireland's Taoiseach (Prime Minister) Micheál Martin also tweeted, welcoming the news that the teams would resume trade talks.

He said: "An agreement is in everyone's best interests. Every effort should be made to reach a deal."

Labour's shadow Cabinet Office minister Rachel Reeves said: "The British people were promised a deal and, with time running out, we urge both sides to get on with reaching an agreement."

It's not over, not yet.

The two sides in this complicated and drawn out process have agreed that it is worth trying one last time to find a way through their profound differences.

But the statements from the prime minister and the EU chief, Ursula von der Leyen, signal clearly that a trade deal is out of reach right now - spelling out that if no-one budges in the next few days, it's simply not going to happen.

A feature of Brexit negotiations has often been the last minute stand off, the political emergency, before suddenly, lo and behold, a deal emerges from the wreckage.

By Monday night, that tradition may have been proven again.

Yet it seems there is a lot more to be done than ironing out a few last minute glitches.

Read more from Laura here.

Even if the two sides agree a deal, there are still hurdles to overcome.

Any agreement reached will need to be turned into legal text and translated into all EU languages, then ratified by the European Parliament.

The UK government is likely to introduce legislation implementing parts of any deal reached, which MPs will be able to vote on.

And the 27 EU national parliaments could also need to ratify an agreement - depending on the actual contents of the deal.

The week to come

After the meetings between the teams on Sunday and the leaders' talk on Monday, the UK Internal Market Bill will return to the House of Commons.

Certain clauses could allow the government to break international law, by overriding elements of the original treaty with the EU for Brexit - the withdrawal agreement.

The EU is unhappy with it, as is the House of Lords, which voted to scrap those clauses of the bill.

But the government is still backing its measures, which could cause tensions in the trade talks, and it is expected to push them through the Commons on Monday night.

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2020-12-06 08:11:00Z
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Brexit: 'Final throw of the dice' as trade talks resume - BBC News

EPA/YVES HERMAN / POOL

Crucial negotiations to secure a post-Brexit trade deal between the UK and the EU are to resume later.

UK chief Brexit negotiator Lord Frost will meet EU counterpart Michel Barnier in Brussels to try to bridge the two sides' "significant differences".

A UK source told the BBC it could be the "final throw of the dice" to agree a deal before the end of the year.

BBC Political Correspondent Chris Mason said the mood was downbeat, but both sides still wanted a deal.

He quoted a UK government insider as saying: "Often the darkest hour comes just before dawn."

Sunday's meeting comes after talks between Prime Minister Boris Johnson and European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen failed to deliver agreement.

The pair spoke on the phone for an hour on Saturday but failed to break the deadlock on "critical issues".

In a joint statement issued afterwards they said fishing rights, competition rules and how any deal is enforced were still causing problems.

They added: "Both sides underlined that no agreement is feasible if these issues are not resolved."

However, Mr Johnson and Ms Von der Leyen said they "welcomed the fact that progress has been achieved in many areas".

Both have agreed to talk again on Monday evening.

The BBC's political editor Laura Kuenssberg said the statements signalled "clearly" that a trade deal is out of reach right now, and "if no-one budges in the next few days, it's simply not going to happen."

Areas of disagreement

Lord Frost and his team of negotiators are due to travel back to Brussels on Sunday, where they will to try and work through areas of disagreement with their EU opposite numbers.

One of these is is over access to UK waters by the EU's fishing fleets.

Another is what measures there should be to ensure a "level playing field" for businesses on both sides of the Channel.

Also outstanding is any consensus on how any new agreements would be enforced, and about the role of the European Court of Justice.

• LIVE: Leaders agree to resume post-Brexit trade talks
• What are the sticking points in Brexit trade talks?
• Brexit: What is a level playing field?

If a deal is not reached, border checks and taxes will be introduced for goods travelling between the UK and the EU.

Brexit - The basics

• Brexit happened but rules didn't change at once: The UK left the European Union on 31 January but leaders needed time to negotiate a deal for life afterwards - they got 11 months.
• Talks are on again: The UK and the EU have until 31 December to agree a trade deal as well as other things, such as fishing rights.
• If there is no deal: Border checks and taxes will be introduced for goods travelling between the UK and the EU. But deal or no deal, we will still see changes.

What happens next with Brexit?

"Everyone's best interests"

The EU's chief negotiator, Michel Barnier, tweeted after Saturday's statement was published, saying: "We will see if there is a way forward."

Ireland's Taoiseach (Prime Minister) Micheal Martin also took to Twitter, welcoming the news that the teams would resume trade talks.

He said: "An agreement is in everyone's best interests. Every effort should be made to reach a deal."

Labour's shadow Cabinet Office minister Rachel Reeves said: "The British people were promised a deal and, with time running out, we urge both sides to get on with reaching an agreement."

It's not over, not yet.

The two sides in this complicated and drawn out process have agreed that it is worth trying one last time to find a way through their profound differences.

But the statements from the prime minister and the EU chief, Ursula von der Leyen, signal clearly that a trade deal is out of reach right now - spelling out that if no-one budges in the next few days, it's simply not going to happen.

A feature of Brexit negotiations has often been the last minute stand off, the political emergency, before suddenly, lo and behold, a deal emerges from the wreckage.

By Monday night, that tradition may have been proven again.

Yet it seems there is a lot more to be done than ironing out a few last minute glitches.

Read more from Laura here.

Even if the two sides agree a deal, there are still hurdles to overcome.

Any agreement reached will need to be turned into legal text and translated into all EU languages, then ratified by the European Parliament.

The UK government is likely to introduce legislation implementing parts of any deal reached, which MPs will be able to vote on.

And the 27 EU national parliaments could also need to ratify an agreement - depending on the actual contents of the deal.

The week to come

After the meetings between the teams on Sunday and the leaders' talk on Monday, the UK Internal Market Bill will return to the House of Commons.

Certain clauses could allow the government to break international law, by overriding elements of the original treaty with the EU for Brexit - the withdrawal agreement.

The EU are unhappy with it, as are the House of Lords, who voted to scrap those clauses of the bill.

But the government is still backing its measures, which could cause tensions in the trade talks, and they are expected to push them through the Commons on Monday night.

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2020-12-06 04:01:00Z
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MoS COMMENT: Grandiose Macron and vaccine prove we're right to leave - Daily Mail

MoS COMMENT: Grandiose Macron and vaccine prove we're right to leave

By Mail On Sunday Comment For The Mail On Sunday

Published: 00:55 GMT, 6 December 2020 | Updated: 00:55 GMT, 6 December 2020

The behaviour of the European Union in the Brexit talks shows very clearly just why it is necessary for this country to leave that body. 

The EU is unable to respect the sovereignty and free will of any nation that comes under its authority. 

Faced by a country wishing to pursue its own interests, the superstate becomes intransigent and impossible to negotiate with.

In terms of normal diplomacy, the EU negotiating team's decision to raise near-impossible difficulties in the final days of bargaining is crude, ill-mannered and dangerous.

To demand unfettered access to fish in British waters for ten years would be a rash and difficult demand at any stage. 

With hours to go before an agreement must be reached, it was plain irresponsible. 

Much the same can be said for the suggestion that Britain should be effectively tied to the very EU regulations that departure allows us to escape. Experienced negotiators regard the sudden blockage as 'ridiculous' and 'laughable'. 

This is not the way that civilised statesmen treat each other, and it puts Britain in a position where it must stand firm.

The behaviour of the European Union in the Brexit talks shows very clearly just why it is necessary for this country to leave that body. Pictured: European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen

The EU is unable to respect the sovereignty and free will of any nation that comes under its authority, says the Mail on Sunday. Pictured: Boris Johnson

Already this country is beginning to benefit from the freedom that independence gives. Our decision to go ahead with Covid vaccines is a perfect example. 

We no longer have to wait, like a fast ship forced to plod along at half-speed in a convoy, for the slowest and most bureaucratic states in the EU to make their minds up. 

We can do what we think best in our national interest. And that is what we shall be able to do in many other fields, once we have regained the freedom of action we gave up to Brussels almost 50 years ago. One liberation will lead to another. It is a fitting symbol of our new status.

So why has the French president, the posturing and grandiose Emmanuel Macron, hurled his spanner in the works with days to spare before a deal must be made? 

It is easy to guess that he has done so because of his domestic problems (currently he has had to back down from an outrageously oppressive new police law, and a group of Paris gendarmes have been charged with savagely beating a black music producer). 

He almost always seems to have domestic problems, and his original promise to be a new kind of politician faded long ago.

But it is also the case that France has never hesitated to use the European community to get its own way. In the 1960s, President De Gaulle ruthlessly blocked British entry for selfish national reasons. 

French president, the posturing and grandiose Emmanuel Macron, hurled his spanner in the works with days to spare before a deal must be made

Now, in a curious reversal, another self-interested French president is blocking British departure.

The rest of the EU, especially Germany, may feel this is foolish, but the European need for unanimity, and France's special standing at the very heart of the project, gives Paris extraordinary power.

In normal negotiations, this sort of thing would not happen. Both parties would seek the best possible deal for themselves, and settle on that basis. 

But these are not normal negotiations. Politics, rather than mutual prosperity, have got the upper hand.

Faced with this sort of foolishness and petulance, Boris Johnson has no choice but to stand his ground and not give in. 

And the British people, who can recognise arrogant obstruction when they see it, will undoubtedly back their Prime Minister all the way. We cannot surrender to this sort of thing, and we will not.

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2020-12-06 00:55:00Z
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COVID-19: Hospitals preparing for 'largest scale vaccination campaign' in UK history - Sky News

Hospitals are preparing to begin the first phase of the "largest scale vaccination campaign" in the UK's history.

The first COVID-19 vaccines will arrive at hospitals by Monday ahead of the first jabs being given on Tuesday.

GP surgeries in England have been told to start staffing COVID-19 vaccination centres by 14 December.

Image: The specialist freezers will hold doses of the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine

Professor Stephen Powis, NHS national medical director, said: "Despite the huge complexities, hospitals will kickstart the first phase of the largest scale vaccination campaign in our country's history from Tuesday.

"The NHS has a strong record of delivering large-scale vaccination programmes - from the flu jab, HPV vaccine and lifesaving MMR jabs - hardworking staff will once again rise to the challenge to protect the most vulnerable people from this awful disease."

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Health Secretary Matt Hancock has reportedly been referring to Tuesday as "V-Day" and told The Sunday Telegraph that he "can't wait" to scrap the three-tier system of coronavirus restrictions and "get back to living by mutual respect and personal responsibility, not laws set in parliament".

More from Covid-19

When asked if the distribution of the vaccine beginning this week could mean restrictions end sooner, he said: "Yes, it will."

He added: "There's no doubt that having the vaccine early... will bring forward the moment when we can get rid of these blasted restrictions but until then we have got to follow them."

Image: The vaccine must be stored in temperatures of -70C to -80C

Meanwhile, pictures have been released of freezers that will hold the Pfizer/BioNTech coronavirus vaccines in the UK.

The images from Public Health England (PHE) were taken at a secure location in England, with the vaccine needing storage temperatures of -70C to -80C.

So far, Pfizer has dispatched initial volumes of vaccine from Belgium, which will be followed by distribution across the UK by PHE and the NHS.

The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) said this will begin with a "post-delivery quality assurance process" to ensure the vaccine's quality and integrity has been maintained through transit.

This process, which could take 12 to 24 hours, is carried out by a specialist medical logistics company, and relies upon information on the shipment temperature data being supplied by Pfizer.

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How the vaccine rollout will work

Over the following few days, each box needs to be opened and unpacked manually, and temperature data has to be downloaded from each box, the DHSC said.

There are five packs of 975 doses per box, and only sites with the necessary licence from the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency can split the vaccine packs.

Once all checks are complete, the vaccine will be made available to order by authorised sites in the NHS, with around 50 sites in England so far.

The DHSC pointed out that delivering the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine is complex because it needs to be stored at very cold temperatures and moved carefully, so at first it will be administered from hospital hubs.

Defrosting the vaccine takes a few hours and then additional time is required to prepare the vaccine for administering.

These steps mean that it will be difficult to reach those in care homes, who are meant to be among the first to receive the jab.

Mr Hancock said work is under way to make sure these people receive the vaccine "as soon as possible", despite these "significant challenges".

"We are prioritising the most vulnerable first, and over-80s, care home staff and NHS colleagues will all be among the first to receive the vaccines.

"We are doing everything we can to make sure we can overcome significant challenges to vaccinate care home residents as soon as possible too."

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The DHSC said more than 1,000 local vaccination centres, operated by groups of GPs, will come online shortly and they will increase as more vaccines come into the country.

Bigger vaccination centres and arrangements through local pharmacies will be confirmed once more doses of the vaccine are available, it added.

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2020-12-06 00:04:26Z
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Boris Johnson will make 'one last throw of the dice' in Brexit trade talks - Daily Mail

Boris Johnson will make 'one last throw of the dice' in Brexit trade talks after hour-long phone call with EU chief failed to resolve 'significant differences' - and could address the nation on No Deal if deadlock remains

• Boris Johnson and Ursula von der Leyen failed to resolve 'significant differences' 
• Talks will resume on Monday in hope that the impasse can be broken by evening
• If no agreement is made Mr Johnson could make a dramatic address to nation
• He might be forced to announce that the UK will leave the EU without a deal

By Glen Owen and Brendan Carlin and Anna Mikhailova For The Mail On Sunday

Published: 22:40 GMT, 5 December 2020 | Updated: 00:30 GMT, 6 December 2020

Boris Johnson will make 'one last throw of the dice' in trade talks with the EU on Monday to avert a No Deal Brexit at the end of the month as negotiations remained deadlocked this weekend.

An hour-long phone call between the Prime Minister and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen failed to resolve the 'significant differences' between London and Brussels over French demands for Britain to remain tied to EU rules. Talks will resume in Brussels today.

If the impasse is not broken by tomorrow evening, when Mr Johnson and Ms von der Leyen speak again, Mr Johnson could make a dramatic address to the nation announcing that the UK will leave without a deal.

Boris Johnson (pictured during his phone call with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen) will make 'one last throw of the dice' in trade talks with the EU on Monday to avert a No Deal Brexit at the end of the month as negotiations remained deadlocked this weekend 

An hour-long phone call between the Prime Minister and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen (pictured) failed to resolve the 'significant differences' between London and Brussels

Talks cannot continue beyond next week because it would leave insufficient Parliamentary time to pass the deal in to law.

The Government's scope to make concessions in the talks is limited by pressure from Brexit-supporting Tory backbenchers – some of whom have privately threatened to try to force a leadership contest if the Prime Minister surrenders any of the country's post-EU freedoms.

After making the call from his Chequers country escape, Mr Johnson released a joint statement with Ms von der Leyen which said that 'significant differences remain on three critical issues: level playing field, governance and fisheries', adding: 'Both sides underlined that no agreement is feasible if these issues are not resolved.'

British negotiators were left stunned by a sudden hardening of the EU position at the behest of French President Emmanuel Macron (pictured), who said he would veto any deal that threatened French interests

Last night, a source close to the talks said: 'This is the final throw of the dice. There is a fair deal to be done that works for both sides but this will only happen if the EU is willing to respect fundamental principles of sovereignty and control.'

British negotiators were left stunned by a sudden hardening of the EU position at the behest of French President Emmanuel Macron, who said he would veto any deal that threatened French interests. 

One source called them 'unprecedented last-minute demands incompatible with our commitment to becoming a sovereign nation', adding: 'There is barely any time left, and this process may not end in agreement.' 

Peter Bone, one of the 'Spartans', a group of Tory MPs named for their hard line on Brexit, said: 'I would bet my house Boris won't sell out Britain in any deal he gets.' Fellow Spartan Marcus Fysh insisted Brussels – not Mr Johnson – would have to compromise.

WHAT IT WILL MEAN FOR YOU IF THEY CAN'T AGREE  

Will my food bill go up?

Britain imports a quarter of its food from Europe, so red tape and delays at ports could disrupt supplies of produce such as mushrooms and salad. But major shortages are unlikely as authorities have already delayed requirements for new food delivery paperwork until July.

From then, the UK will need to be told of animal-based food imports, including meat, milk and eggs.

Under World Trade Organisation (WTO) terms, the UK can impose tariffs on food from the EU, which could raise prices for Britons. Imported cheddar, for example, could face a 57 per cent duty. Food and drink face an average tariff of 18 per cent – equal to £2 a head on a typical £45 shopping basket if the cost is passed to customers.

Will I still be able to find my favourite foods?

Some products that came from the EU might become harder to find if hauliers redirect their routes.

If red tape causes big lorry queues at the border, some perishable foods might struggle to make it to supermarket shelves in time – particularly as supplies of fresh fruit and vegetables have already been disrupted as a result of Covid.

What about travel plans?

Holidaymakers travelling to the EU will need to make sure their passport is valid. Schengen Area countries require that passports for visitors from non-EU countries must be valid for at least six months.

They also require passports to have been issued within ten years, so Britons whose passports have extra months added from previous ones could be affected. The Government has already advised anyone wishing to travel to EU countries and Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland from January to check their passports comply with these rules, regardless of whether a trade deal is agreed. If they have followed this advice, their plans should not be disrupted in a No Deal scenario.

Travellers might need additional paperwork when driving in Europe, and you will need to check with your mobile phone operator whether roaming fees will apply.

Will I need health insurance when travelling to Europe?

Yes. The European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) will no longer be valid, so holidaymakers going to EU counties will need to take out their own health cover. The Government says this will be the case with or without a deal. The EHIC covered pre-existing conditions, but many insurance policies don’t.

Do I need to worry about my bank account or credit card?

Not if you live in Britain and hold a UK bank account. However, thousands of expats in EU countries have been told their UK current accounts and credit cards will be shut down at the end of the year because British banks face complex red tape on accounts to customers in the EU when current regulations end in January.

Will I still be able to get my prescription drugs?

There is good news here. Medicines have been designated as extremely important ‘category 1 goods’. That means extra preparations are in place to ensure no disruption to supplies. Transport Secretary Grant Shapps has ruled out border delays for any Covid vaccine. Haseeb Ahmad, president of the Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry, told The Mail on Sunday last night that drug firms had stockpiled up to three months of supplies to prevent shortages. Imports of medicines will not face tariffs – even if there’s no deal.

How will it affect British firms selling products to EU?

The UK would trade with the EU on WTO rules – at least until a host of smaller deals can be done.

Currently, British companies can sell goods and services into EU markets tariff-free, with minimal border checks. The same goes for EU companies selling here.

Under WTO terms, the UK could impose quotas and tariffs on goods being imported from the EU. It could do this to protect key UK markets, making imported goods more expensive to buy here. The EU could do the same for our exports, hurting UK businesses that try to sell on the Continent.

Are British jobs at risk?

There have been warnings about hundreds of thousands of job losses, but much will depend on how individual companies respond.

Some sectors will fare worse than others – but small firms that focus solely on the UK market may even see a boost. Car manufacturers in particular have warned that No Deal would cost them £100 billion over five years, leading to redundancies. Under WTO rules, tariffs could add £2,700 to a British-made car sold in the EU. Tariffs on vans and trucks could add 22 per cent to prices, making it harder to compete. Car makers also fear disruption to supply chains for parts and have been stockpiling and booking space on planes in case ports become jammed.

What does it mean for our manufacturers?

The EU is the largest export market for Britain’s manufacturers – from firms producing chemicals to electronics and vehicles. The biggest consequence of WTO terms would be moving from a zero rate to higher tariffs.

Another concern is the impact on ‘just-in-time’ supply chains, which move materials into the country just before they are needed, reducing the need to store stock and cutting warehouse costs. Longer customs checks may disrupt this.

British firms may also have to prove most parts in their products originated in the UK – not easy for those with global supply chains.

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https://news.google.com/__i/rss/rd/articles/CBMiamh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LmRhaWx5bWFpbC5jby51ay9uZXdzL2FydGljbGUtOTAyMjAwMy9Cb3Jpcy1Kb2huc29uLW1ha2Utb25lLXRocm93LWRpY2UtQnJleGl0LXRyYWRlLXRhbGtzLmh0bWzSAW5odHRwczovL3d3dy5kYWlseW1haWwuY28udWsvbmV3cy9hcnRpY2xlLTkwMjIwMDMvYW1wL0JvcmlzLUpvaG5zb24tbWFrZS1vbmUtdGhyb3ctZGljZS1CcmV4aXQtdHJhZGUtdGFsa3MuaHRtbA?oc=5

2020-12-05 22:40:00Z
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