Cycling UK Forum

Jdsk wrote: 5 Oct 2021, 1:58pm "The culling of healthy pigs has begun on British farms, with farmers forced to kill animals to make space and ensure the continued welfare of their livestock, amid an ongoing shortage of workers at slaughterhouses."
https://www.theguardian.com/business/20 ... ir-workers

Jonathan

On the assumption that supply of pigs is set to approximately meet demand (farmers would never raise animals thet were not required - impacts already tight profits). So does this mean we'll now have pork shortages in the shops or maybe just be importing more from the EU? Either way seems daft.

Ian

Psamathe wrote: 5 Oct 2021, 11:23am
Sounds a great sound-bite for Johnson to spout but I can't understand how it would work in practice.

Ian

Well in theory, by forcing up the costs of cheaper labour you encourage cost saving & productivity via innovation & automation. Of course, there were plenty of ways to do this that didn't involve leaving the EU that a number of countries within the EU have demonstrated. And yes, an element of that does involve higher prices across the board, stuff is rather more expensive in e.g. the nordic nations, but then their median wage is higher and they are far more equal societies generally.

Which of course is the major flaw with Johnson's ramblings, the kind of government interventions that would be necessary aren't the kind of interventions which come easily to the conservative party. Instead they seem to have settled on a break everything and let the market sort it out approach, which is unlikely to work very well beyond a few lucky sectors.

It was also the flaw with 'lexiter' thinking. The idea that brexit was a path to more leftwing economics is delusional, naive or both.

Psamathe wrote: 5 Oct 2021, 2:08pm

Jdsk wrote: 5 Oct 2021, 1:58pm "The culling of healthy pigs has begun on British farms, with farmers forced to kill animals to make space and ensure the continued welfare of their livestock, amid an ongoing shortage of workers at slaughterhouses."
https://www.theguardian.com/business/20 ... ir-workers

Jonathan

On the assumption that supply of pigs is set to approximately meet demand (farmers would never raise animals thet were not required - impacts already tight profits). So does this mean we'll now have pork shortages in the shops or maybe just be importing more from the EU? Either way seems daft.

Ian

It could mean there won't be any blankets but the silver lining will be there won't be any pigs at the appropriate time
It won't worry me too much as I don't eat animals(other than a couple of mackerel once a week),but I'd imagine the pig farmers will be a little piddled off about it,along with the turkey,fruit and veg ,sheep and perhaps beef farmers will be next to suffer.....

Did someone say "you couldn't make it up"

Jdsk wrote: 5 Oct 2021, 2:02pm

Oldjohnw wrote: 5 Oct 2021, 2:00pm

Jdsk wrote: 5 Oct 2021, 1:58pm "The culling of healthy pigs has begun on British farms, with farmers forced to kill animals to make space and ensure the continued welfare of their livestock, amid an ongoing shortage of workers at slaughterhouses."
https://www.theguardian.com/business/20 ... ir-workers

You did know - and I will break this to you gently - that the whole nature of farming is that animals die?

I hope that you're quoting that...

Jonathan

I can only go by what Mr Johnson said...

More importantly they are being culled, not slaughtered... To the animal that might not be a huge difference, but the very point of farming is to produce a usable resource, not just to bring animals up to kill them.

David Davies:- https://youtu.be/XAdmCrzmUW4

Jdsk wrote: 5 Oct 2021, 8:37am

Today's Times. Although apparently the Government are arguing that it's 127.

27 could have been one from each Member State:

It's 27:
https://mobile.twitter.com/superglaze/s ... 5931331584

Jonathan

"Shipping lines raise fees as driver shortage clogs up British ports":
https://trans.info/en/shipping-lines-ra ... rts-257101

"Britain's driver shortage, post-Brexit stockpiling, and increased demand due to reduced foreign travel, have contributed to growing container congestion at ports throughout the country. As a means of motivating companies to get containers out of the port and returned on time, major shipping lines have either reduced the number of days containers can be stored before fees kick in, or raised the level of the fees themselves."

Jonathan

Interesting data on the petrol supply chain and what just happened:
https://news.sky.com/story/how-an-extra ... t-12426700

Jonathan

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/ons-essential-food-items-shortages-b1934777.html wrote:One in six shoppers unable to buy essentials, ONS finds
...
And nearly one-quarter could not find certain non-essentials, according to analysis by the Office for National Statistics (ONS).
...
The ONS published its figures as the winter crunch facing Britain came into sharper focus. Schools have been told to stockpile tinned food in anticipation of shortages, while food banks are struggling to get enough items to hand out to needy people. Meanwhile, prices are expected to rise because of the lack of supply.
...

Ian

"Now farmers throw away MILK! Tens of thousands of litres are being poured down the drain after going off before it can be collected because of HGV driver shortage":
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/articl ... rtage.html

Jonathan

Johnson has not actually done something (after how many weeks of denial?)

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/boris-johnson-supply-chain-brexit-b1934887.html wrote:Boris Johnson calls in ex-Tesco boss to fix supply chain crisis
Boris Johnson has appointed a former Tesco boss to resolve supply chain issues causing empty shelves in shops and supermarkets.

In a dramatic escalation of government acceptance of the scale of the crisis facing retail, the prime minister admitted that the problems are “acute” and affect businesses across the UK.
...

We saw it with Covid inaction, again with supply chain issues, he denies there is any problem, dithers, does nothing and eventually does too little too late. Leadership material?

Ian

Psamathe wrote: 8 Oct 2021, 4:55pm

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/boris-johnson-supply-chain-brexit-b1934887.html wrote:Boris Johnson calls in ex-Tesco boss to fix supply chain crisis
Boris Johnson has appointed a former Tesco boss to resolve supply chain issues causing empty shelves in shops and supermarkets.

In a dramatic escalation of government acceptance of the scale of the crisis facing retail, the prime minister admitted that the problems are “acute” and affect businesses across the UK.
...

We saw it with Covid inaction, again with supply chain issues, he denies there is any problem, dithers, does nothing and eventually does too little too late. Leadership material?

And this followed on 15 September 2021:

"Michael Gove to head new taskforce to secure food supply chain":
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/20 ... ply-chain/

Although Gove isn't mentioned in today's announcement:
"Dave Lewis brings with him a wealth of industry knowledge and expertise to the new role. He will advise the Prime Minister and Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster... "

Overcentralisation and chaos.

Jonathan

Psamathe wrote: 8 Oct 2021, 4:55pm Johnson has not actually done something (after how many weeks of denial?)

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/boris-johnson-supply-chain-brexit-b1934887.html wrote:Boris Johnson calls in ex-Tesco boss to fix supply chain crisis
Boris Johnson has appointed a former Tesco boss to resolve supply chain issues causing empty shelves in shops and supermarkets.

In a dramatic escalation of government acceptance of the scale of the crisis facing retail, the prime minister admitted that the problems are “acute” and affect businesses across the UK.
...

We saw it with Covid inaction, again with supply chain issues, he denies there is any problem, dithers, does nothing and eventually does too little too late. Leadership material?

Ian

Most definitely not yet the Tories love him!

"Farmer's emotional plea to PM to 'save our bacon'":
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/uk-58845776

Refusing to engage with those involved in the relevant sectors seems to be a common theme.

And IMHO is quite different from traditional Conservatism.

Jonathan