Brexit, for once some facts.

oyster

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I agree, but that's their problem.

Sainsburys in my area have been very good with sanitisers around the store as well as the entrance where they even provide paper towels, and even sanitiser in two places when leaving, but they've never sanitised trolleys and no supermarket sanitises baskets.

Incidentally they also don't have all the shortages you've mentioned with the others, nor have Waitrose, and both insist on masking, not allowing entry without unless with a medical exemption certificate.
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There is no-one to insist on anything round here. No Sainsbury or Waitrose either! :)
 

flecc

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Oct 25, 2006
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There is no-one to insist on anything round here. No Sainsbury or Waitrose either! :)
That's a pity, they are very strict around here. My Sainsburys has two guarding the entrance, one just outside and one just the other side of the entrance sanitising.

Ocado deliver the equivalent of Sainsbury or Waitrose stocks and service and they've started to deliver through South Wales, but doubt they cover your area yet.
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Jesus H Christ

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I've already seen people not bothering with masks, not leaving gaps - even when easy to do. They are simply ignoring rules - I'm sure advice will be even less effective. And pots of hand sanitiser are often empty. Few are sanitising baskets and trolleys.
They are the crash test dummies. Let them get on with it. If they die, then lifting restrictions was wrong. If they live, lifting of restrictions was the right thing to do. Until the test results are in, I’d advise continuing with your current safety measures. They’ve worked for you so far.
 

Nev

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Nobody is telling them not to, so they can carry on as long as they like. And I'm betting the government will be advising that.
In a recent Covid briefing Mark Drakeford was asked what will happen to restrictions next month and he said they were likely to move from compulsory to advisory, and that he could see many people likely to carry on wearing masks and social distancing for some time to come.

In my area all the Super Markets are still making sure everyone wears a mask, but these are fairly large Super Markets and so can afford to always have at least one and often two members of staff on the door ensuring people wear masks.

When the rules change to advisory I still intend to wear a mask and social distance when shopping but I suspect a lot of youngsters wont bother.
 
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oldgroaner

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They have no other option, we can't pay people not to work indefinitely, we can't keep businesses shut down indefinitely, we can't keep the young out of school indefinitely



It means we must protect ourselves while continuing life as normal as possible. Masking, social distancing, hygene and generally employing commonsense to avoid infection.

Almost 85% of us have succeeded in not catching Covid-19 and 97.9% of us have avoided dying from it. These could have been much higher with more sense employed.
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And we need much better masks, a point I made on here long ago apparently the Fp3 variety is the current most touted protection
 

flecc

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And we need much better masks, a point I made on here long ago apparently the Fp3 variety is the current most touted protection
I can still breathe ok through the disposable one Waitrose gave me a few months ago, so no need to change it yet.

When it becomes difficult to breathe through it I'll know it's full of Coronavirus and it's time to change it. ;)
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oyster

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In a recent Covid briefing Mark Drakeford was asked what will happen to restrictions next month and he said they were likely to move from compulsory to advisory, and that he could see many people likely to carry on wearing masks and social distancing for some time to come.

In my area all the Super Markets are still making sure everyone wears a mask, but these are fairly large Super Markets and so can afford to always have at least one and often two members of staff on the door ensuring people wear masks.

When the rules change to advisory I still intend to wear a mask and social distance when shopping but I suspect a lot of youngsters wont bother.
Of course, I'd be far more likely to trust someone who wears a mask and maintains separation than someone who doesn't.
 

Jesus H Christ

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And we need much better masks, a point I made on here long ago apparently the Fp3 variety is the current most touted protection
Except for essential purposes, I won’t be going into any indoor venue for the foreseeable future. When going indoors is unavoidable, I’ll continue to wear a mask. Now FP3 are obtainable and not too ridiculously priced, that what I’ll be wearing. Contracting Long Covid is still a real possibility, even after 2 x vaccinations.
 

flecc

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Yes. We've waited 55 years since the last time, but at last our national football team has beaten Germany in a major competition, the Euro 2020, delayed since last year:

England 2, Germany 0.

Raheem Sterling and Harry Kane the scorers.
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Jesus H Christ

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Yes. We've waited 55 years since the last time, but at last our national football team has beaten Germany in a major competition, the Euro 2020, delayed since last year:

England 2, Germany 0.

Raheem Sterling and Harry Kane the scorers.
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I’m no authority of football. I have very little interest in the sport, but they actually looked like they deserved the win today.
 
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flecc

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I’m no authority of football. I have very little interest in the sport, but they actually looked like they deserved the win today.
It's far from over though, they've only reached the quarter finals. Three more matches if they are to become the European champions in this Brexit year. Which obviously Boris Johnson would like to happen.
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oyster

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Has HMRC made a mess of VAT on imports?

If you buy something under £135 and there is a Online Marketing Portal involved, the portal will add 20% VAT. Then nothing to pay on actual import.

If there is no OMP involved, but still under £135, the seller must register with HMRC and charge 20% VAT. Then nothing to pay on actual import.

HMRC expressly state that VAT will have been charged, therefore nothing to pay on actual import. And it is not the consumer's problem.

So what happens if the seller doesn't register for VAT and doesn't charge VAT?

From what I am reading around the place, it appears that under £135, lots of people are not getting charged VAT at time of purchase, and not afterwards either.

How can HMRC force a seller in another country to register with them, to do VAT returns, remit funds, etc.?
 
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flecc

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How can HMRC force a seller in another country to register with them, to do VAT returns, remit funds, etc.?
Maybe by seizing anything coming in from them until the VAT is paid.

That's not too different from what has been happening previously with personal imports from overseas suppliers.
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oyster

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Maybe by seizing anything coming in from them until the VAT is paid.

That's not too different from what has been happening previously with personal imports from overseas suppliers.
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It is different because:
HMRC expressly tell us that VAT will have been charged - no ifs, no buts;
Lots of reports of not being charged any VAT - none of items being seized;
Grossly unfair to end up paying VAT plus charge by carrier for collecting that VAT when impossible to anticipate;
It ain't the consumer's fault and there is precious little we can do to protect ourselves from these charges.

Note: I am absolutely NOT complaining if I pay the same rate of VAT on something from abroad as goods within the UK.
 
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flecc

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It is different because:
HMRC expressly tell us that VAT will have been charged - no ifs, no buts.
Agreed, different in that sense.

Lots of reports of not being charged any VAT - none of items being seized;
Grossly unfair to end up paying VAT plus charge by carrier for collecting that VAT when impossible to anticipate;
But this is exactly what has been happening for years, pot luck whether one gets charged or not.
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oyster

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Just saw a different interpretation of the Hancock affair:

Denial of L-T3 Liothyronine ~ The Great UK Crime Against Humanity

Secretary of State for Health & Social Care Matt Hancok did not resign because of an affair, and anybody who thinks that will believe anything they are told.

The government appointed its fixer Sajid Javid as the new secretary of state for health & social care to try and dig the government out of the hole it has dug for itself.

No matter how you consider the matter, the UK is under a duty to provide medical care for the chronically sick and disabled, and anybody who has been denied L-T3 Liothyronine will know exactly how debilitating and disabling that can be.

In fact the denial of Liothyronine is a form of inhumane treatment described by Article 7(1)(k) of the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court as: Other inhumane acts of a similar character intentionally causing great suffering, or serious injury to body or to mental or physical health.
 

Danidl

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Just saw a different interpretation of the Hancock affair:

Denial of L-T3 Liothyronine ~ The Great UK Crime Against Humanity

Secretary of State for Health & Social Care Matt Hancok did not resign because of an affair, and anybody who thinks that will believe anything they are told.

The government appointed its fixer Sajid Javid as the new secretary of state for health & social care to try and dig the government out of the hole it has dug for itself.

No matter how you consider the matter, the UK is under a duty to provide medical care for the chronically sick and disabled, and anybody who has been denied L-T3 Liothyronine will know exactly how debilitating and disabling that can be.

In fact the denial of Liothyronine is a form of inhumane treatment described by Article 7(1)(k) of the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court as: Other inhumane acts of a similar character intentionally causing great suffering, or serious injury to body or to mental or physical health.
Very much a stretch... . Obviously someone has a bee in their bonnet about this medicine .
 

Woosh

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So what happens if the seller doesn't register for VAT and doesn't charge VAT?
they have to use an online service provider such as twobirds, taxamo assure, Aura etc
These organisations collect your VAT payment + £2 to cover the admin cost.
All the couriers and RM have to comply.
 
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