Daily Archives: September 20, 2021

Unionism saw in Brexit an opportunity to wreck the Good Friday agreement and get a hard border back. Instead, it is any prospect of the survival of Northern Ireland that has been demolished. Sir Jeffrey Donaldson admitted in an interview at the weekend that if Sinn Fin took the first ministers post at Stormont, it would be a problem for unionists.

The latest opinion poll showed Sinn Fin poised to be countrys largest party on 25%, with the DUP plummeting to 13%, now surpassed on the unionist side by the Ulster Unionist party (UUP) and Traditional Unionist Voice (TUV). Next years census will probably show that the Catholic community is now larger than the Protestant one. An election is due in the spring of 2022. This is the context in which we must view Donaldsons threat to pull out of the executive, and his decision to stop co-operating with the Irish government in cross-border bodies. The protocol is a fig leaf, and one plucked from a tree the DUP and Boris Johnson planted.

The Rev Ian Paisley used to refer to Martin McGuinness as my deputy when the DUP leader was the first minister and the Sinn Finer was the deputy first minister. McGuinness indulged the old man: both roles are actually equal and represent the joint leadership of the Northern Ireland executive. But unionism, having had marginally the largest party electorally, has always held the first ministry, and clings to the vestigial delusion of dominance, glossing over the concept of power-sharing in mandatory coalition that was at the heart of the Good Friday agreement. The TUV has only one MLA at Stormont, but Jim Allister speaks forcefully for the past to which much of unionism longs to return in the aformentioned poll, the party hit 14%, leapfrogging the DUP. He said any unionist leader who serves under a Sinn Fin first minister would be a stooge.

Donaldson chose to make what was billed as a landmark speech on the eve of the visit to Northern Ireland last week of the European Commissions vice-president, Maro efovi. According to the former DUP leader Peter Robinson, the speech would define the position of unionism for decades to come and with it the future of the union. On becoming leader in June, Donaldson was meant to be the progressive face of the DUP who would turn the party around to face forwards. But having called the protocol the most serious constitutional crisis in Northern Ireland since our formation a century ago, he offered no ideas as to how to save his beloved country, other than threatening to collapse its government. He implied his grand gesture would bring about an election; in reality that is the prerogative of the secretary of state, who might just not bother.

What Donaldson wants of the EU and the British government is unclear. In his speech he declared: Kicking the can down the road will merely tighten the knot. As political statements go, its not far off an owl in a sack troubles no man. Robinson, now the partys backroom statesman, wrote garishly that unionism must unite against a devilish ploy that will, unless it is removed, spread like a cancer through the blood and into the bones and organs of the union. But while Donaldson said attempts to limit the impact of the protocol would fail, and that his party would not follow those who said it was here to stay (a dig at the new UUP leader, Doug Beattie, who suggested that a cross-border body might help), he did not adopt the full ditch the protocol position of fundamentalist unionists, either.

He did, however, to his shame, play the old Paisleyite card of implying that his was the voice of reason holding back a tide of rage. Paisley Sr used to warn his opponents that they would reap a bitter harvest. Loyalist gangs would demonstrate what they believed he meant by going out and killing Catholics. Donaldson referred to street disorder last spring and added that while it had subsided, it would be an act of folly to believe that the anger has receded or the danger has passed. The government indulges this notion, though it knows it to be spurious. Those disturbances in unionist working-class areas were relatively minor, largely orchestrated by a thuggish element and widely denounced within the unionist community. But the thugs have not given up. Sectarian graffiti is being scrawled on walls, and there are reports of Catholics being intimidated out of traditionally Protestant areas.

efovi will judge for himself the strength of opposition to the Northern Ireland protocol. When it was announced that he was to meet with academics, business and community leaders at Queens University Belfast, loyalists called on protesters to gather at the gates. efovi said the Commission would do everything possible to minimise the disruption brought about by the protocol, which was, he reasoned, not the problem. On the contrary, he said, it is the only solution we have. While a majority in Northern Ireland voted to remain in the EU, many of those in the room are now adapting to the realities of Brexit, turning to their advantage the unique access the protocol gives the country to both EU and UK markets. The anti-protocol men marched up and down outside. There were about 25 of them. Paisley Sr got tens of thousands of people out to oppose the Anglo-Irish agreement in 1985 it went ahead anyway.

In his speech, Donaldson said childishly that to unionists it would appear that there are those in the EU who only seem to be alive to nationalist concerns. The EU has wisely declined to indulge unionisms desire to play the victim, instead turning a blind eye to the governments persistent unilateral abuse of the trading rules it agreed when it signed up to the protocol. A better strategist than Donaldson could have claimed this as a victory. The situation suits the British government. The prime minister can point to the DUP in the same way Donaldson points to the loyalist paramilitaries. Kate Hoey, who recently said Northern Ireland had been sacrificed to get Brexit, was reportedly photographed at the weekend speaking at a TUV barbecue. Shes a close friend of Ian Paisley Jr MP, who backed the fundamentalist Edwin Poots during his brief tenure as leader.

The DUP, baulking at the potential of a first minister coming from what used to be known as the other sort, has retreated back to sectarianism, the frailty of its commitment to power-sharing exposed. The Irish government, in deference to unionist sensitivities, and alarmed itself by the rise of Sinn Fin in the Republic, is keeping a polite distance from talk of a border poll. But soon it will be inevitable. There will be no decades to come for the union. Donaldson said in his speech he would not play the blame game. No wonder.

Link:

Unionists Brexit politicking has ensured Northern Ireland has no future - The Guardian

Brexit will have a bigger impact on the food and drink industry than the Covid pandemic, the former boss of Sainsburys has warned.

Speaking at the Convenience Conference in London on Thursday, Justin King said that it was inevitable that prices would rise because of supply chain issues.

In two years time you are all going to realise Brexit was bigger news than Covid, said Mr King. I think its already clear thats true. Labour relative to your business is going to become a much more expensive resource because of that, and that means productivity and your approach to it is going to fundamentally change.

A lot of whats happening with this is the new normal. Our labour situation in the UK is now structural and long-term, with a real lack of political will to sort it.

Justin King, who predicted in 2017 that Brexit would lead to higher prices, less choice and poorer quality, added: There is a border in the Irish Sea. It is not going away and forever that is going to change the nature of business.

Mr King also warned of price rises and said that the industry was in mid-crisis, adding: We have a long way to go and we absolutely dont know what the journey is.

Justin King served as chief executive of Sainsburys parent group, J Sainsbury plc, for a decade before stepping down in 2014. He was previously director of food at Marks & Spencer and also held senior positions at Asda.

His comments were the latest in a string of warnings from sector chiefs about the impacts of Brexit on the food and drink industry. On Thursday, the chief executive of Co-op, Steve Murells, said that supermarket prices increases are coming due to supply chain problems.

With the industry dealing with a severe shortfall of workers and rising commodity prices, Mr Murrells said that the supermarket chain would look to offset the costs as best we can, but said some of that will filter down to customers.

Marks & Spencer also announced on Thursday that it would have to close 11 of its French stores due to Brexit.

The quintessentially British brand said that supply chain problems caused by the UK leaving the European Union have made it near impossible to maintain standards and keep shelves full.

Paul Friston, M&S international director, said: As things stand today, the supply chain complexities in place following the UKs exit from the European Union now make it near impossible for us to serve fresh and chilled products to customers to the high standards they expect, resulting in an ongoing impact to the performance of our business.

With no workable alternative for the High Street stores, we have agreed with SFH to close all 11 franchised stores.

There are currently around 500,000 job vacancies across the food and drink supply chain and a demand for workers is leading to wage inflation, which is likely to be passed on to customers.

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Former Sainsburys boss says Brexit will have a bigger impact than Covid on food and drink - The Independent

The social care sector faces a looming shortage of workers due to post-Brexit immigration rules, a report for the Government has admitted.

The report from the Migration Advisory Committee said the rules are expected to deprive the UK of a non-negligible source of foreign adult social care workers and that European Economic Area (EEA) nationals have been a non-negligible contributor to securing adequate care workforce in an ageing society, accounting for 5.9 per cent of the social care workforce in 2017.

At their conference today, the Liberal Democrats will table a motion calling on ministers to relax current rules to make it easier to recruit social care staff from Europe and tackle the staffing crisis in UK care homes.

Under the post-Brexit points-based immigration system introduced in January this year, most social care worker jobs do not qualify as skilled workers and so candidates are excluded from that route.

The Lib Dem motion will also call for ministers to accept the recommendation from the MAC report to extend the governments Youth Mobility Scheme, which currently allows citizens aged 18-30 from Australia, New Zealand, Canada and Japan to come to the UK for two years, to European nations.

The party wants to see the schemes upper age limit raised to 35 to attract more workers into the social care sector.

LibDem foreign affairs spokesperson Layla Moran said: Social care staff across the UK have worked tirelessly throughout the pandemic to keep us safe.

However, the Governments zealous commitment to reducing immigration at all costs is having a hugely damaging impact on this vital sector.

Even their own reports show that their new immigration rules do nothing to help fill the 120,000+ social care vacancies, with even senior care home workers often not being able to meet the Governments arbitrary salary threshold to come to the UK.

These rules are putting thousands of jobs, and hurting small businesses that are already struggling with staff shortages and the impact of the pandemic. It also means staff will continue to be overstretched and unable to give people the time and attention they need.

We should be rebuilding social care and giving our carers a fair deal, not making their jobs harder than they already are.

Liberal Democrats want to see the Youth Mobility scheme extended and the age limit raised from 30 to 35. This will open the door for thousands of more skilled care workers to come to the UK, giving overstretched social care services the urgent support they need.

i has contacted the Home Office for comment.

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Social care sector faces looming shortage of workers due to post-Brexit immigration rules - iNews

McDonalds ran out of milkshakes, Nandos had to close some of its restaurants due to a lack of chicken and Halfords has warned it is short of bikes. Meanwhile, at a key time for harvests, crops are rotting in the fields. It all points to a crisis in Britains supply chains that analysts say is the most severe since the 1970s.

The Guardian business reporter Joanna Partridge tells Rachel Humphreys that the problem is a perfect storm of pandemic disruption, component shortages from China and labour shortages exacerbated by Brexit.

One of the industries hardest hit is road haulage where an acute shortage of qualified HGV drivers means planned shipments are not being fulfilled. Steve Bowles runs Roy Bowles Transport in Berkshire. He says the shortage of drivers is causing a massive headache for his business and his clients. He, like many in his industry, is calling on the government to relax post-Brexit visa restrictions on EU drivers.

Meanwhile, more and more companies are issuing stock warnings and there are fears of a further squeeze on already stretched supply lines in the weeks leading up to Christmas.

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Is Brexit the reason McDonald's is running out of milkshakes? - The Guardian

Access to labour was the key factor that threatens the UKs competitiveness as a place to employ people, both currently and in five years time. Photo: Peter Cziborra/Reuters

British businesses have said that the impact of the ongoing staff shortages poses the biggest threat to labour market competitiveness.

In a recent survey, conducted by the Confederation of British Industry (CBI), 76% of UK firms said access to labour was the key factor that threatens the UKs competitiveness as a place to employ people, both currently and in five years time.

It was the highest proportion since the question was first asked in 2016.

On the back of this, the CBI urged the UK government for more support for businesses to plug the shortage gap in the immediate term, calling the move vital.

However, the research did reveal that the UKs jobs outlook is strengthening somewhat, with a net balance of 50% of firms expecting to grow their workforce in the next year.

Out of the 422 respondents, surveyed between 16 31 August 2021, 87% said they are actively planning to recruit permanent roles this year, with almost half expecting increased levels of hiring. Only 9% expected lower levels of recruitment for such roles compared to the past year.

Read more: UK businesses criticise self-isolation changes for food supply chain workers

The data also found that nearly seven in 10 firms (68%) are planning to either increase pay in line with or above inflation making the rebound the highest since the question was first asked in 2009.

In August, inflation in the UK rose to 3.2%, up from 2% in July, to hit its highest level since March 2012.

The rise was more than economists expectations for a reading of 2.9%, and reflected a jump in food and drink prices, compared to August 2020, when chancellor Rishi Sunaks eat out to help out discount scheme cut the cost of restaurant meals.

The 1.2 percentage point increase between July and August was also the largest since records began in January 1997, however, the Bank of England (BoE) said the surge was manageable and temporary.

Meanwhile, almost three in five firms (59%) said that they were keeping COVID-19 safety measures in place to support employees confidence to return to offices. As employees return, businesses are expecting changed working patterns to stay.

Story continues

Compared with working pre-pandemic, over three quarters of UK firms expect the use of hybrid working to increase, 40% expect full time remote working to increase, and 58% expect informal flexibility to increase in their organisation.

Read more: UK delays full post-Brexit border checks from EU

As well as staff shortages, other key areas of concern for businesses were access to skills, and the ability to move UK workers across the European Union.

After a challenging year its encouraging to see the jobs market rebound. With demand returning, businesses both small and large, have put their recruitment plans into action. But as the UKs labour market emerged from one crisis, its been plunged into another, with shortages holding back growth, said Matthew Fell, CBI chief policy director.

Whilst firms have been stepping up to address labour shortages through further investment and training, these steps take time and do little to ease the pressure firms are facing now.

Watch: What is inflation and why is it important?

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UK firms warn staff shortages biggest threat as Brexit begins to bite - Yahoo News

British citizens in the last few months have been unfairly turned away from EU flights because of a confusion over passport expiry dates.

Thought it was already too complicated to fly from the UK to the EU these days? If COVID-19 hadnt made travel hard enough, Brexit has thrown another spanner in the works for Brits just trying to get away.

If you have been turned away from a flight recently, theres a chance the government might owe you thousands of pounds in compensation.

The EU requires that travellers from other countries have a passport thats been issued in the past 10 years and will be valid for three more months after the date you plan to leave the EU.

But the UK has been enforcing stricter rules than this, turning away passengers if they have a passport valid for less than six months.

As a result, many passengers who should have been allowed to enter the EU have been denied the chance altogether.

In response to the news, the UK government claims that it was just taking a risk-averse approach to the two rules - that a passport must have been issued 10 years ago AND have at least three months left upon exiting the EU.

We make no apology for taking a risk-averse approach to ensure our citizens do not face issues at borders, a spokesperson says.

While the UK has been stopping people with passports issued more than nine years and nine months ago, the EU has confirmed that the two conditions work independently.

As long as a passport was issued 10 years ago, and has three months left of validity, the passenger is allowed entry.

One of the first agencies to put their hands up and admit the mistake is Tui.

It changed its boarding policy to be in line with the EUs requirements, but its taken a number of disgruntled passengers being turned away to reach this point.

Martin Stubbs was planning on flying from Birmingham to Crete with his wife in August. His wifes passport was valid by the EUs rules but not by the UKs so when they rang to check three days before the flight, Tui told him they wouldnt be allowed to board.

We were lucky that we could rebook at a cost of 1,005 (1,176.44). But knowing now they have got the rules wrong, very frustrating, Martin told Euronews Travel. He is yet to receive a refund or any compensation.

We were looking forward to this holiday for two weeks, but it was taken away from us three days before we were due to depart.

Vanessa Pritchard-Wilkes told the Independent that Tui turned her away from a flight from Birmingham to Tenerife last week, even though her passport met the EUs conditions.

She and her husband had spent over 1,600 (1876.68) on their holiday and then spent an extra 177 (207.65) for a new passport to start her holiday four days later.

Following new information provided, we can confirm that we have now changed our policy accordingly. Customers will not be denied boarding on the basis that their passport needs to meet both conditions dependently, Tui has announced.

EasyJet has also released a statement saying that despite UK government advice not changing, they are now following the information from the European Commission instead.

If you have been turned away despite having the proper documentation, you are likely to be owed compensation.

Air passengers rights rules say that Brits denied entry to a flight to Europe could be entitled to up to 350 (409.70) in cash as well as a full refund.

With entire families being turned away, claims are expected to run into the thousands and may cost the government millions in total.

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Post-Brexit passport blunder could mean Brits are owed thousands - Euronews

For employers struggling to find staff, Britains worst labour shortage in decades is seen as putting the economic recovery from lockdown at risk. For workers, it comes as a moment of opportunity.

For the first time in a generation, its a sellers market for workers, said Andy Prendergast, a national secretary at the GMB. The union organiser, who represents drivers and couriers in the logistics sector, said there was a rush of activity among members pushing for better pay and conditions.

With Britain estimated to be short of 100,000 lorry drivers, in the midst of an online shopping boom, hauliers have entered a bidding war, offering recruitment bonuses of up to 1,000 and higher salaries.

Most employers are seeing staff trickle out of the door, and there is a huge risk that the trickle becomes a flood if action isnt taken, Prendergast said. Our message to employers is you need to look at this now, you cant wait for the next pay round in April. There is a genuine fear you will have no staff left.

Not all employers are listening. Industrial disputes are springing up across various sectors despite the shortages, including at Yodel, where more than 250 drivers delivering to Marks & Spencer, Aldi, Very and others have voted to walk out over pay and conditions.

There have been similar disputes at Booker, part of the Tesco empire that manages deliveries for Budgens and Londis convenience stores, and Hanson cement. Ocado is facing strike action after the Observer revealed some staff working for its Ocado Zoom rapid delivery service were being paid at rates that worked out at less than 5 an hour.

After decades of decline, trade union membership in the UK increased for the fourth year in a row in 2020, rising by almost 120,000 as employees sought protection from the risks of Covid-19 and redundancies.

Now on the other side of lockdown, with firms sounding the alarm over job shortages, the role of unions is shifting from saving jobs to boosting pay and conditions.

Kate Bell, the head of employment rights at the TUC, said:The pandemic has certainly changed the role of unions, whether its health and safety, access to sick pay, and now decent terms and conditions. Some of the realisation of the furlough scheme is that unions were heavily involved, and really showed why you need collective action.

A report from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) on Thursday showed a lack of EU applicants was contributing to challenges in staffing the reopening of the economy, especially in transport and storage, as the fallout from Covid collided with Brexit.

Faced with severe shortages, business leaders are calling on the government to expand the visa system to allow employers to hire more staff from overseas, saying this is the only short-term fix for chronic labour shortages.

In the long-run executives acknowledge more investment in training for the domestic workforce is vital; yet are less comfortable talking about pay, warning that heftier wage bills will stoke inflation and hit consumers in the pocket.

Companies have been very happy to apply capitalism to chief executives. When they cant employ on a rate, theyll raise it, but then they refuse to do it for manual staff and cleaners, so were having to organise, Prendergast said.

Businesses across all industries told the ONS a lack of suitable applicants was the main reason for being unable to fill vacancies in late August 2021, with transport and storage firms the most likely to complain about a lack of EU workers.

Among all firms experiencing recruitment challenges, one in four said a reduced number of EU applicants was a factor. This rose to almost one in two (46%) transport and storage businesses, the highest of any sector.

Job vacancies have soared above 1m for the first time, the highest level on record, according to official figures this week. However, average pay still remains below the pre-2008 financial crisis peak, more than 13 years later, after the worst decade for earnings growth since the Napoleonic wars.

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Alex Marshall, the president of the Independent Workers Union of Great Britain, said: Theres not a labour shortage, theres a wage shortage. There are people to do these jobs if the money on offer is right for them to make the sacrifice to do those jobs.

Official figures show inflation-adjusted pay, including bonuses, was 521 a week in July, 1 below the level in February 2008, amid a reluctance among employers to pay higher wages and the impact of a rising cost of living.

Bell said unionised workers were pushing for higher pay after a decade of weak earnings growth. The TUC estimates if wages had risen at the historic trend rate seen before the financial crisis, workers would be 5,900 better off on average.

Workers are right to ask for higher pay rises. It is still a long way behind where it should be, she said.

The governments national living wage has helped the lowest-paid workers. However, Conservative promises made in 2015 to raise the legal floor to 9 an hour by 2020 have not been met, and at 8.91 an hour it remains below the level campaigners say is required to protect workers from falling into poverty.

With terms and conditions steadily whittled down over the years, loyalty to employers was not high at the outset of the UKs labour shortage crisis, Prendergast said.

People have been taken advantage of for years, and now theyre saying: This is my time.

Link:

Its a sellers market for workers: how Covid and Brexit have shaken up UK jobs - The Guardian

Brussels shipped off 16 youngsters on jaunts across the Continent in a European Union propaganda push. The jollies which cost around 312,500 per person included once-in-a-lifetime opportunities, such as meeting Santa Claus in Lapland, beer brewing classes, wine tasting and tickets to music festivals. The money was spent between 2018 and 2019, meaning British taxpayers forked out 650,000 for the project.

German MEP Nicolaus Fest, who unearthed some of the items, said: There are three constants in the EU: bureaucracy, waste and nonsense.

Here the EU displays this better than ever by generously funding young travellers to jet set around Europe guzzling wine, crafting beer and partying at music festivals.

How exactly the EU can justify such woeful expenditure as being beneficial to the ordinary people of Europe is beyond me.

This is quite clearly an expensive vanity project gone wrong which will no doubt leave most citizens bewildered and angry.

The project was set up to counter a lack of awareness about EU-funded projects, the blocs regional policy department told the MEP.

According to internal documents, the first trip in 2018 set back taxpayers around 1.6million.

Its eight travellers visited destinations in every EU member state apart from island nation Malta.

As well as meeting Santa and crafting their own beer, the youngsters were treated to fishing expeditions and lessons on becoming spies in a Soviet bunker.

The second so-called road trip featured two five-week jaunts between Ireland and Cyprus, as well as Finland and the Canary Islands.

MUST READ:Why Spain is about to cause a major nightmare for the EU

Several videos posted on YouTube showed the travellers guzzling Champagne, drinking beer and making a splash at a water park.

Eurocrats have since boasted that around 55 million video views were generated by the reports from the two trips.

In an email to Mr Fest, they added: In 2018 and 2019, the Road Trip Project allowed young people from different countries and backgrounds to team up, discover the diversity of Europe's regions, see first-hand EU solidarity at work on the ground and, more importantly, to communicate and share their experience with their generation, in their own way and their own words, via social media and video platforms.

Original post:

Why we left! EU spending farce exposed as UK taxpayers forked out 650k on road trips - Daily Express

The European Parliament approved over 1 billion in subsidies for Ireland to help manage the economic impact of Brexit on Wednesday.

Ireland is by far the biggest beneficiary of the so-called Brexit Adjustment Reserve, a pot of 5.34 billion set aside by the EU for the countries hardest hit by the disruption caused by the departure of the United Kingdom.

Fine Gael MEP for Midlands North West Colm Markey described the funds as hugely welcome and demonstrating a high degree of EU solidarity with Ireland.

The fund was approved with an overwhelming vote of 652 votes in favour versus 32 against. The bulk of the funds will be distributed to Ireland in tranches from now until 2023, with a final 20 per cent allocated in 2025 in an amount calculated according to how the previous money was spent.

The Government has said the sum will be spent on compensating businesses for lost trade, protecting jobs, assisting fishing communities, and for customs infrastructure that is needed at ports.

Sinn Fin MEP Chris MacManus welcomed the funding, and appealed for the Irish Government to spend it on the border region.

The lions share must be directed to helping workers and business decimated by Brexit along the Border, he said in a statement.

Fianna Fil MEP Billy Kelleher called in the European Parliament for the money to go to assist the fishing sector, while the industry body representing the food and drink sector Food Drink Ireland also appealed for funds from the scheme.

The food and drink sector is deeply resilient but now faces major disruption to its markets from Brexit while still contending with the impact of a global pandemic, its director Paul Kelly said in a statement.

A trade delegation of international MEPs led by Fine Gaels Sen Kelly is due to visit Northern Ireland to discuss the impact of its post-Brexit arrangements under the Protocol. The European Commission is expected to propose measures to ease the implementation of the rules in talks with the British government in the coming weeks.

Brexit was not mentioned in the European Commission President Ursula von der Leyens set piece State of the Union address to the European Parliament on Wednesday, a notable absence after years in which the departure of the United Kingdom has featured as a theme in EU debates.

I noticed you never used the B word, Brexit, Fine Gaels Kelly said in his response in parliament to von der Leyens speech. Perhaps an intelligent omission and a message in itself.

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European Parliament approves over 1bn in Brexit subsidies for Ireland - The Irish Times

Maison Bleue in Morningside, which has been open for the past five years, has now closed, with staffing shortages cited as a key reason for the decision.

Despite seeing great success and high demand, Dean Gassabi, 65, who runs Maison Bleue in Edinburgh on Victoria Street as well as the Morningside site with his daughter Layla, 40, has been forced to dispose of the second establishment.

The restaurant was previously closed on a temporary basis for six weeks due to staffing issues, despite Mr Gassabi saying it had been packed.

A report published by Caterer.com last month revealed more than 90,000 workers had left the UKs hospitality sector over the past year.

Mr Gassabi said: My daughter and I work in the business and its absolutely breaking our hearts to dispose of it.

Unfortunately we just dont have the chefs, so all our staff have now been moved to Victoria Street.

We worried that this would happen after Brexit. When the pandemic came, it just aggravated the whole thing and we just found ourselves in this situation.

During lockdown, a lot of European staff went home and they couldnt come back either because of Brexit because they didnt have their visas or because the country was closed due to lockdown.

The sad thing about this is that the demand has been high and the restaurant has been a great success, but we just cant continue like this.

Mr Gassabi said even their suppliers, who he stressed he was fighting with to keep prices low, were facing similar staffing problems.

This is adding to their problems as food supplies are coming in at 2pm for lunchtime service, which begins at midday.

Mr Gassabi noted chefs are being trained in the UK. However, he said it took at least two years for someone to receive appropriate training.

Someone who has started as a KP [kitchen porter] two or three years ago are now applying for head chefs, he said.

"That shows you where we are in the industry and that needs to be reviewed.

To be a head chef in my day, you had to be a chef for ten years to be one.

Everything is also now more expensive such as supplies and wages as a result of Brexit and thats going to transfer to the customers.

Mr Gassabi added: When they see a steak is selling at 70, do you think they are going to buy that? Im not prepared to lower our standards. I am not prepared to put someone on who cant cook or serve or inflate our prices.

The Maison Bleue owner said his 25-year-old Victoria Street restaurant has been saved as a result of the Spaces for People scheme enabling him to have a terrace to host guests.

The Edinburgh restaurateur recently received confirmation the terrace will now remain in place until December 31, which he said would be a godsend to his business.

However, Mr Gassabi is calling for the UK Government to offer work visas to European hospitality employees to ensure they are able to continue working.

At the moment, the hospitality industry doesnt allow you to have a decent life, he said.

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Edinburgh restaurateur announces closure of Maison Bleue Morningside restaurant and blames Brexit and Covid impact - The Scotsman