Is this the Final, Final, Final Deadline for a Deal

[grrclark]

6 minutes ago, Retsdon said:

No, they haven't. They have had no idea what to plan for.  Until a week ago nobody even knew there was a trade deal forthcoming, let alone what it looked like. How can any business plan or budget for that?

You're of course completely right in that there was nothing definite to plan for, however any business owner or management team worth their salt should have considered the possible eventualities and forecast/planned/budgeted for that, much of which may have been planning for downsides.

Every budget/forecast has to consider an element of the unknown and making reasoned assumptions of what may happen.  Somethings like Covid19 drive a wrecking ball through even the best planning scenario, but the fall out of Brexit was reasonably predictable within a slightly broader spectrum than 'normal'.

The reality however, and this cannot be overlooked, is that an awful lot of businesses seem to thrive despite the remarkable inability of their owners/management teams to be able to plan or forecast anything, so i'm not at all surprised that a lot of businesses will be crying out right now about how they just didn't know what it all might mean.

[Walker570]

...but there is a lot they could have done in preparation for that situation and I have that from a Director of a large international company.  He has been planning for various scenarios.

[Gordon R]

Retsdon - Brexit has happened - let it go.

[grrclark]

42 minutes ago, Walker570 said:

...but there is a lot they could have done in preparation for that situation and I have that from a Director of a large international company.  He has been planning for various scenarios.

As is his obligation.  Some still don’t though.

I have conducted several due diligence assessments, prior to private equity investment, since 2016 and every single one has considered post Brexit preparedness.

Having a final answer was not appropriate, but being able to demonstrate a process of ongoing evaluation and potential opportunism/mitigation was essential.

On the theme of Private Equity investment the UK has had more investment, post the Brexit vote than France and Germany combined.  I find that hugely reassuring.

[armsid]

Companies could have been training workers to the level required post brexit  and manufacturing could have upped their game and used the time to manufacture auto parts building materials consumables etc all the commodities we import in case of no deal or deal or did they think we would stay after all the scaremongering.The shackles are off bosses if they are  any good should should be asking for investment in this great country   there are vast markets the commonwealth countries we abbandoned to join the EU .What an oppurtunity for everyone.

[grrclark]

27 minutes ago, armsid said:

Companies could have been training workers to the level required post brexit  and manufacturing could have upped their game and used the time to manufacture auto parts building materials consumables etc all the commodities we import in case of no deal or deal or did they think we would stay after all the scaremongering.The shackles are off bosses if they are  any good should should be asking for investment in this great country   there are vast markets the commonwealth countries we abbandoned to join the EU .What an oppurtunity for everyone.

Many have done exactly as you suggest.

[ditchman]

well its 11 oclock..............and now it begins............its going to be a cluster-**** for a while............but it will come good

just listening to Jasmine Aliby-Brown on the paper review............that woman is a communist damnation.....why they give air time to the simple minded i cannot fathom.........

she is on record as saying .."if boris johnson became prime minister she would leave the country"....

" why deary are you still here"..............

Edited December 31, 2020 by ditchman

[Aled]

Well well done ERG group, UKIP/Brexit Party....so will there a be battle to rejoin??

If this works out well as the PW economists predict then no, but if it goes belly up???? So on we go...i really hope it does go well otherwise...

 

Cheers

Aled

 

Edited January 1, 2021 by Aled

[12gauge82]

6 hours ago, Aled said:

Well well done ERG group, UKIP/Brexit Party....so will there a be battle to rejoin??

If this works out well as the PW economists predict then no, but if it goes belly up???? So on we go...i really hope it does go well otherwise...

 

Cheers

Aled

 

Unless it goes drastically wrong by my count we can think about another one in 40 odd years. 

 

[vmaxphil]

If this works out well for us I wonder in a year or so if other countries like Greece, Spain, Italy will try their luck in the open market?

[TIGHTCHOKE]

45 minutes ago, vmaxphil said:

If this works out well for us I wonder in a year or so if other countries like Greece, Spain, Italy will try their luck in the open market?

That is one of the major points the EU Top Brass are worried about and why they made it so damned difficult for us to leave their House of Cards!

[johnphilip]

I think Germany will be the next to leave. 

[ditchman]

20 minutes ago, johnphilip said:

I think Germany will be the next to leave. 

WOT ?..................the stalwart......what are the pointers on that comment...??

[johnphilip]

4 minutes ago, ditchman said:

WOT ?..................the stalwart......what are the pointers on that comment...??

They have the most to loose , I dont belive they want to make up the short fall , over the losses of monies no longer received from the uk . Me personally  I dont realy care , all I care about is the fact we have left . And wish the best for my country . A great shame Nigel  was not named in the honours list . 

[ditchman]

if germany goes the whole EU project will collapse..............interesting times ahead

i would think it more likley that some of the smaller satellite states of the EU would pull out...as a result of closer manufacturing ties with the UK.............i would love to be a fly on the wall at the EU......they must be in turmoil..

[JohnfromUK]

1 hour ago, johnphilip said:

They have the most to loose , I dont belive they want to make up the short fall , over the losses of monies no longer received from the uk

That is all quite true, but I don't think they will leave ........ however I think there will be big changes to come.

For Germany, they are a highly successful manufacturing nation; despite having fairly high costs - they have successfully maintained a reputation for quality and their manufactured goods (cars, machinery, white goods, some hi tech electronics etc.) sell well - both in the EU and world markets.   For Germany, The EU is about a market for German goods.

I agree that they don't want to make up the shortfall - and the main problems here are France and Poland.  In the past, France has not been a net contributor to the EU - despite being (with Germany) one of the 'main players'.  That has changed a bit in recent times, but France still contributes less than half of what Germany does.

Poland is by far the biggest beneficiary, but is now a much wealthier country than it once was.

There needs to be a lot of 'rebalancing'.  France needs to pay it's full share - and Poland needs to recognise that it has to receive less and contribute more.  No one is going to like it - and maybe Germany will give in (for now) - but it will feed their nationalist parties - and that historically has led to big troubles.