50 days

Today was the last day on which the UK could possibly hope to end the process of olling 17 separate trade deals we currently enoy as a (ex) EU Member State. Don't fret though, Liz Truss is one the case and I am sure all bases are covered. Which cheese or jam. Other preserves are available.

The Government has known since January was coming, and yet little progress seesm to have been made, other than signing an inferior deal with Japan, the details of shich the Government won't tell us for a few years! There has been no oversight as Parliament voted its right to do this away. And then COnservative MPs Tweeted complaints that the Japanese Parliament got to ratify it, ours didn't. Taking back control, or rather returning soveriegnty to Westminster. Or not, all going to Whitehall and Cummings in particular.

The effect of this will not be felt until after New Year, nor will the effects and costs of all that red tape.

Talking of red tape, the Government has only just released a first draft of the Haulier's Handbook, which while detailing of the process, fails to mention which paperwork or which IT systems will be used. And it's a bit crap.

"If the trader arranges for the goods to move under the CTC the driver must be given . . . a TAD from the trader, and be told by the trader that the movement has been released to the transit procedure and that they can proceed to the place of exit from EU member state.” No mention of what paperwork or how it is to be delivered.

It is expected that final version will be issued in the first week of December, less than four weeks before it goes live. And it has to be translated as EU haulage drivers will have to understand and use the system.

"as @Eliz_de_Jong told MPs that it doesn't answer the basic question “what documentation and checks do I need for my journey?”...this thing needs translating into English before it gets to Spanish/French and Polish". “It is later than we’d want it to be and [government] officials working on it know that it is later than they would have wanted it to be.”

Meanwhile, a Civil War is going on in Downing Street as just about everyone, including the PM's girlfriend having an opinion in new appointees. And the PM assured the new US President that the UK would honour the GFA. The question on that is, HOW?

It’s 35 weekdays days to transition, removing weekends, Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Years Day