Failing inspections

It came as no surprise to read in Wednesday's Financial Times that the implementation of checks on imported goods into the UK was being shelved indefinitely.

Coming a day after the announcment of postponing the British Standard, with the complexity that would bring, this should not have been a surprise.

But the reason given was that it would create an inflationary effect, tacit admission then that putting up barriers with your largest and closest trading partners would increase costs and therefore push up inflation.

Neither has made big news in the papers, the red tops and the the Brexit-supporting dailies.

The Inland Border Facility in Ashford has only been used, I understand, in the last 18 months for checks on pets being carried out on those Ukranians entering the country. And the veterinary inspection facility that was being built on the Whitfield industrial estate is now ppart of a link road for the new electric bus services to Burgoyne Heights and into town.

Meanwhile what has angered the red tops is the news that the EU27 are introducing electronic travel documents, like the US has, on all 3rd countries, and the UK now being a 3rd country to the EU27, this applies to British citizens. Punishment for Brexit was the assessment from either the Express or Mail, but they should be the last to complain about sovereign nations securing their borders, no?

And finally, Oliver Dowden says inflation is stickier in the UK, in part, because we are affected by a "tight labour market that Europe doesn't have". Another implicit admission there that Brixit and the ending of the free movement of labour has caused this. The Bank of England increased interest rates again, despit wages among all but the highest paid either well under inflation or not rising at all. All of this makes a recession or something even worse, for more likely.

In place of immigration, a junior Minister has suggested that the retired over 50s might like to re-enter the workplace as delivery drivers for fast food joints. Let me state, that in 107 weeks when I retire, that's it for good. If the Government want such drivers they either allow EU citizens in to do the job, or they quit their jobs and deliver big macs and kebabs themselves.

Great Briatain there, reclaiming the title of the "Sick Man of Europe". Well done Tories, well done.