Category Archives: Brexit

Hundreds of EU nationals have been refused permission to stay in Fife after Brexit, figures reveal.

Home Office data published for the first time, shows around 270 people who applied to continue living in the area by September 30 had their application rejected.

Applicants can challenge a negative EU Settlement Scheme application by launching an appeal.

But, the3Million, which campaigns for EU citizens' rights, is concerned about the status of those who are left "in limbo" waiting for their appeals to be concluded.

The EU Settlement scheme launched in March 2019 to regulate the immigration status of European citizens who live in the UK.

Those who have lived in the UK for five years, and meet the criteria, can receive settled status and remain in the country indefinitely.

Others who have lived in the country for less time can receive pre-settled status, which allows them to remain for a further five years. They can later apply for settled status.

The figures show that since applications opened, 16,810 people applied to continue living in Fife, with 16,090 receiving a conclusion by the end of September.

Of them, 8,800 (55 per cent) received settled status and 6,540 (41 per cent) pre-settled.

The highest number of applications came from citizens of Poland (5,800), Romania (2,740) and Bulgaria (1,190).

Monique Hawkins, policy and research officer at the3million, said many people had lost their job or rental opportunity while waiting for application and appeal outcomes.

She said: "Many people report not being able to get through to helplines, and find it next to impossible to get progress updates on their applications.

"For those who have been refused, the administrative review and appeals process face their own lengthy delays.

"We are extremely concerned about the length of time it is taking to unite people with their lawful status, and thereby their rights to continue living and working in the UK."

Though the scheme officially closed on June 30, EU citizens with limited reasonable grounds for missing the deadline can still apply to secure their rights.

Around 270 applications were submitted after the deadline in Fife.

The Home Office said people with a pending application, are protected while the outcome of their application is unknown.

A spokeswoman said the EU Settlement Scheme has been an "overwhelming success", with 6.3 million applications received and 5.5 million people being granted permission to stay so far.

She added: Caseworkers will always look for reasons to grant rather than refuse.

"Individuals can be refused on eligibility or criminality grounds, and if a refused applicant disagrees with our decision, they can apply for an administrative review or appeal.

We have published non-exhaustive guidance on reasonable grounds for making a late EUSS application and take a flexible and pragmatic approach to considering them, and weve made millions of pounds available in funding for organisations to support vulnerable applicants.

Article byFederica Bedendo, Data Reporter

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Number of EU nationals refused permission to stay in Fife after Brexit revealed - centralfifetimes.com

Mr Beaune, a known close aide of French President Emmanuel Macron, has continued to launch several scathing attacks against Britain. The Brexit critic has repeatedly claimed the UK is now significantly worse off as a result of leaving the EU. He has also fired several outbursts towards the UK Government as the row over the granting of licenses to French small fishing boats to operate in British territorial waters erupts.

But the French Europe minister has taken yet another huge swipe at Brexit Brtiain, questioning its success and claiming there are "more economic hardships and shortages than anywhere in Europe".

Mr Baune also claimed the "British technique" of hitting France and the EU "aims to hide the failures of Britain".

The Brexit critic posted a video on Twitter of an interview he conducted with French news channel La Chane Info (LCI).

He tweeted alongside this: Brexit, what success? In the UK, there are more economic hardships and shortages than anywhere in Europe.

"The British technique of hitting France and the EU aims to hide the failures of Brexit."

But the comments have sparked a furious backlash from a leading Frexiteer, who has once again renewed his campaign for France to leave the EU.

Generation Frexit President Charles-Henri Gallois tweeted his reply to his 19.3k followers, saying: "The #Brexit, wage increases of 8.8 percent.

"We would like such a success in France."

READ MORE:Joy as UK tears up trade barriers 766BN boost

The firm has been at the centre of a bitter row with Dutch authorities over the country's 15 percent dividend withholding tax on some of its shares, which makes them less attractive for investors.

The new single structure with all shares under British law means none of its shares would be under this tax and will also enable the oil giant to quickly strike sale and acquisition deals.

Frexit campaigner Mr Gallois, listing the four major areas Project Fear was wrong, told Express.co.uk: "I have been thinking that Britain was correct to leave since day one.

"It shows that Project Fear was wrong on everything. Wrong on unemployment, wrong on the growth, wrong on investments, wrong on the pound value.

"Actually, if you look at the IMF predictions, the UK will do better than the Eurozone."

Earlier this year, consumer goods giant Unilever announced it would be ditching its joint Anglo-Dutch corporate structure in favour of establishing one company in the UK, adding the decision would provide it with greater strategic flexibility.

Mr Gallois added: "Unilever and Shell are quite particular as they were from the Netherlands and the UK. They have chosen the UK.

"I dont see a French or German company moving its HQ to the UK.

"But it shows the attractiveness and the post-Brexit UK.

"You dont have to tie to EU rules anymore. Maybe more American and Asian firms will choose the UK to host their European hub as you have a good trade deal agreement with the EU."

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'We want that success!' Beaune trashing of UK 'failures' torn apart as Frexit calls surge - Daily Express

Wednesday 01 December 2021 6:00 am

So, its eeyore no more. Philip Hammond rarely confused for a ray of sunshine during his time as Chancellor is now taking a rather brighter view of at least one of Londons post-Brexit opportunities: as the global home of digital assets.

Good for him. For much of his spell at No.11 he saw only the problems that came with the UK leaving the European Union so much so that The Sun once labelled him the Remainers Rebel Leader.

Needless to say, it is not an entirely optimistic Hammond that spoke to us about the future of London. He blames Brexit for distracting regulators, which may well be true.

But that even he can see a chink of sunshine through the clouds is indicative of a wider step-change in the Citys view of our departure from the European Union.

It is becoming abundantly clear that the EUs businesses are not willing to allow the blocs leadership to close the door on their access to London markets with two delays in two weeks to both the end of clearing and derivative access.

We would expect further delays, or better, a longer-term settlement. And it is also becoming apparent that the price being asked for equivalence is simply too high.

Andrew Bailey is unlikely to be anybodys idea of a wanton risk-taker but he has, rightly, said that the most important thing for a post-Brexit Britain is the power to set its own rules, take advantage of new technologies, and remain agile when it comes to newer, digital, global ways of doing business.

Regulators have, so far, got on board; the Financial Conduct Authoritys new boss Nikhil Rathi has been clear he wants his watchdog to be a competitive advantage for Britain.

The immediate transitory effects of our departure from the EU have, in part, been hidden behind the pandemic.

But in the medium- to long term, there remain plenty of reasons to be optimistic and grasp the opportunities afforded by new freedoms. Even Philip Hammond agrees sort of.

Read this article:

Smart regulations the path to a prosperous post-Brexit future - City A.M.

Sylvie Bermann discussed the current relationship between the UK and France as Boris Johnson and Emmanuel Macron have not been seeing eye to eye on the same issues which both countries need to come together to handle. Links between the two European governments have become even more fraught over the past couple of months as the UK leaves the EU with Brexit there are ongoing protests and disagreements as both countries are in adispute overfishing licenses. The French and UK governments also cannot come to an agreement on the current migrant crisis in Calais, as migrants enter France to cross the Channel to enter the UK.

Both governments have failed to tackle the issue with each shifting the blame to one another when the topic is approached.

Speaking to Times Radio Lord Ricketts said: "I think we're down three or four out of 10 because I think this is the worst I've known it in 40 years as a diplomat."

"There have been bad moments in the past, the Iraq war where we were very badly divided on.

"But that was a question of judgement on a big issue rather than what we have now which I think is a collapse in confidence between the two capitals and perhaps particularly in Paris, although Sylvie can say that more than I can.

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"I think there's been a real loss of confidence in the seriousness of Boris Johnson's Government.

"So we are down in the depths and we have to depend on business links, cultural links, links between friends and families to keep things going until government links get better."

Ms Bermann added: "I'm afraid I agree with Peter. It's very bad.

"Jokingly I said, a few weeks ago that it has never been as bad since Waterloo so it shows how bad it is.

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"I think, it's linked to Brexit, obviously, because we have a government who is very pro European and also we want agreements and that's not necessarily the case."

Touching on one of the current disagreements between the two European powers Ms Bermann said: "And of course, lots of issues like fisheries and migration and the Northern Ireland protocol gave the opportunity for further crisis."

"But Peter as I said, there's a problem of trust. And it's very difficult to get out of that."

Last week Friday, Prime Minister Boris Johnson committed a faux par when he publicly shared a letter that he had sent to President Macron on how his government should deal with the current migrant crisis situation.

Macron was angered and cancelled Home Secretary Priti Patel's meeting which was supposed to be held in Calais on Sunday 28th November.

The meeting was supposed to bring both countries together to tackle the disagreements and join forces to tackle the problems for which both countries are blaming each other.

Responding to the cancellation Ms Patel said: "The UK cannot tackle this issue alone, and across Europe, we all need to step up, take responsibility, and work together in a time of crisis.

"We will not shy away from the challenge we face, and next week I will continue to push for greater co-operation with European partners because a failure to do so could result in even worse scenes in the freezing water during the coming winter months."

Continued here:

France-UK relations 'not been this bad since Waterloo' as Brexit infuriates nations - Daily Express

The motoring giant revealed the manufacturing hub in the north east will be used to develop 23 electric cars by 2030. Within that period, the firm wants electric models to account for half of its global output. During a news conference in Japan, the car manufacturer said it will spend the huge sum on electric vehicles over the next five years. This will see the firm double its spend compared to the previous decade as it looks to ramp up its share of the EV market in the face of fierce competition from the likes of Toyota and Tesla.

The massive plant in Sunderland is Britain's biggest car factory, employing some 6,000 people.

Nissan chief operating officer Ashwani Gupta highlighted the importance of the Sunderland plant for the firm's wide-ranging plans over the coming years.

He told PA Media: "Europe will take the lead on electrification around the world for Nissan.

"In Europe, Sunderland is the one which will take the lead towards electrification."

This is the second major boost for the huge Sunderland factory following the announcement earlier this year Nissan would be investing 1billion in a battery plant, as well as updates to the North East hub, to to produce new electric models.

At the time, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said it was a vote of confidence in Britain, hailing the move as a pivotal moment in the UKs electric vehicle revolution

Mr Gupta added: "Sunderland is the leader, in collaboration with the government, suppliers, dealers and most importantly, our employees."

Nile Gardiner, a foreign policy analyst and former aide to Margaret Thatcher, also tweeted: "A huge vote of confidence in Brexit Britain from Japan."

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Tory MP Marco Longhi also tweeted: "By boosting trade around the world, Boris Johnson and the Conservatives are backing British business to create jobs here at home.

International Trade Minister Ranil Jayawardena highlighted in the same period, trade deals have been agreed with 70 countries, as well as the EU.

These are worth a combined 766billion a major boost to Britains economy less than a year after formally completing its departure from the bloc.

He tweeted: "Global Britain has set sail for the world!

"We have cut through a record 217 trade barriers this year in 74 nations an increase of 20 percent on last year helping our great British businesses export to dynamic economies far beyond our shores."

In an article for The Daily Telegraph, Mr Jayawardena also wrote: We must never forget just how much the UK has to offer as the worlds second largest services exporter and fifth largest economy.

"We have agreed trade deals with 70 countries plus the EU worth 766 billion.

"No other nation has secured so many trade deals with so many of its counterparts in such a short space of time. And this is just the beginning.

"We are making headway in dynamic economies around the world, and we have shaken hands on agreements with our good friends in Australia and New Zealand.

"This paves the way for our accession to the Trans-Pacific Partnership (sometimes called CPTPP), a truly enormous free trade area with a combined GDP well in excess of 8trillion last year.

"This Indo-Pacific tilt will hitch us to a fast-growing, dynamic region that we could do so much more with."

See the article here:

Brexit VICTORY! Nissan's 13.2bn move and burning of EU red tape boosts UK by billions - Daily Express

Countryfile: Tom Heap discusses pig farming crisis

European Union regulations currently ban the commercial development of the technology which sees scientists alter DNA to introduce specific traits into a living cell, including resistance to disease. However, leaving the EU has given the UK an opportunity to change the rules.

A report into the social and ethical issues raised by the use of gene editing in farm animals was published today.

The Nuffield Council on Bioethics study makes 10 recommendations to the Government, animal breeders and major food retailers.

These include a full policy review and public consultation ahead of developing a plan on how to use the technology as well as devising more detailed breeding standards enforced by a national authority.

Other recommendations include labelling food to include scientific advice on safety, nutrition and health as well as the Government getting food retailers together to agree only responsibly bred animals are sold.

Professor Bruce Whitelaw, interim director of the animal sciences research establishment The Roslin Institute, supports the safe and responsible development of gene-edited animals.

He was a member of the report working group and told BBC News: "Genome editing is a genetic technology that has much to offer agriculture.

"At Roslin, we have already shown this technology can reduce the burden of disease in livestock by producing pigs resistant to the PRRS virus.

"If this application progresses to the farm this will have welfare benefits for the animals on that farm."

READ MORE ON HOW IRELAND IS EXPORTING MORE TO THE EU TO DODGE THE BLOC'S BREXIT RED TAPE

Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome (PRRS) can lead to breathing problems and complications over reproduction in pigs.

Prof Whitelaw added that the report identifies how the technology can be used to benefit agriculture.

He said: "There is momentum and now is the time to [identify] how to use genetic technologies to produce a fair and responsible livestock food system."

The report warns that reducing the risk of disease should not be used as an excuse to pay less attention to animal welfare.

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It notes checks and controls should guide the use of gene editing as its introduction risks being used to accelerate existing, unethical breeding practices.

One key conclusion of the report is that the interests of the public and animals must be aligned with the introduction of the technique in food and farming.

Professor John Dupr, Chair of the Nuffield Council on Bioethics working group and Professor of Philosophy at the University of Exeter, said: "The potential of genome editing offers a new approach to bring about genetic changes in farmed animals much more quickly than is currently possible through selective breeding.

"Whilst some applications of genome editing - such as disease resistance - sound great for animals in theory, if they were to lead to further intensification of farming then that may well be harmful to the quality of animals lives in other ways.

"Under no circumstances should new breeding technologies be brought in to perpetuate unsustainable food and farming systems. Now is the moment to act to prevent this."

The Government announced plans to harness the technology in September. It sees gene editing as a way of helping farmers grow crops which are more resistant to pests on top of boosting productivity and nutrition.

Environment Secretary George Eustice has described gene editing as a tool which could help tackle some of the biggest challenges humnakind faces around food security, climate change and biodiversity loss.

He said: "Outside the EU, we are able to foster innovation to help grow plants that are stronger and more resilient to climate change. We will be working closely with farming and environmental groups to ensure that the right rules are in place."

Gene editing is not the same as genetic modification as it does not result in DNA from other species being introduced.

It aims to create new varieties which mimic those that could be produced by natural breeding processes.

Supporters say gene editing could be used to produce animals with characteristics which are harder to achieve using conventional methods. The use of such a technique could give farmers and breeders more control over the genetic traits of animals such as pigs, chickens and cows.

It is not currently used in the breeding of animals sold for food, but the Government has announced its intention to relax regulations in England for animals bred using the technique.

After leaving the EU, the UK announced it would change gene-editing rules to slash red tape and make research and development easier.

Danielle Hamm, Director of the Nuffield Council on Bioethics, said: "It may not be long before genome edited meat ends up in the supermarkets and on peoples plates.

"Our report shows that the public generally seems more concerned about how and why new breeding technologies will be used than the nature and safety of the techniques it is not what is done, but why it is done, that matters most to them.

"The public recognise our food and farming systems need to change and it is clear they will not tolerate the introduction of any new technology that takes us further away from high welfare, sustainable farming."

A spokesman at the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs said: "We are starting with plants only and then reviewing the application to animals and microorganisms later."We are committed to proportionate, science-based regulation and we will not reduce safety or animal welfare standards."

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Brexit Britain win as UK free to make own rules around gene edited animals - Daily Express

The Brexit heat is still firmly lodged on the government as negotiations and discussions around next steps continue.

Only this week it emerged that before Brexit Britains chief Brexit negotiator warned that leaving the single market and customs union would cost 1,500 per person.

Lord Frost is now among the hardest of Brexiteers in the government arguing this week that the UK needs to ditch a European-style economy entirely.

Meanwhile, Frenchfishermenhave said they plan to blockade the channel tunnel in protest at Britains refusal to issue them with work licences.

The running dispute over the post-Brexit fishing rights is expected to boil over on Friday and cause even more disruption to UK supply chains.

The channel tunnel is a vital artery and carried vast volumes of freight and passenger traffic between the continent and the UK.

Not only that but in a week when 27 people died while trying to cross the English Channel, it is also clear that Britain leaving the EUs sphere of cooperation has made it harder to police Britains sea border, not easier.

So where does all this leave when it comes to the Brexit deal and what is likely to happen next?

To answer some of your latest Brexit questions we have got a Brexit economics expert on hand.

Victoria Hewson is the Institute of Economic Affairs Head of Regulatory Affairs and Research Associate. She will be on hand to answer your Brexit questions in the comments section below on Friday, 26 November, between 1-2pm.

Victoria is a lawyer and practiced for 12 years in the fields of technology and financial services, before joining the Legatum Institute Special Trade Commission to focus on trade and regulatory policy.

She has published work on the implications and opportunities of Brexit in financial services and movement of goods and the issues in connection with the Irish border. Before entering the legal profession Victoria worked for Procter & Gamble in the UK and Germany.

Register to submit your question in the comments box under this article. If youre not already a member, click sign up in the comments section to leave your question.

Dont worry if you cant see your question they will be hidden until Victoria joins the conversation to answer them.

Then join us live on this page from 1-2pm as Victoria tackles as many of your travel queries as she can within an hour.

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Ask a Brexit economic expert anything about the current situation between the UK and the EU - The Independent

The UK's Brexit minister Lord Frost has continued to insist the Northern Ireland Protocol is not working, and has called for large parts of the mechanism to be completely overhauled. He has continued to demand the removal of the European Court of Justice (ECJ) from the deal, which would effectively act as a referee between the two sides in any future disputes. The EU has flat-out rejected this and so far several rounds of talks between London and Brussels have failed to make any significant breakthrough.

This has led Lord Frost to warn the UK could trigger Article 16 of the Protocol, which could see the deal significantly overhauled or completely torn apart.

But Brussels has said it will retaliate, sparking fears of a potentially destructive trade war that would send tensions between the two sides soaring.

Ben Harris-Quinney, chairman of the Bow Group think tank, believes the EU is gradually "softening" its stance in talks, a move the UK should move to embrace.

However, he warned if progress can't be made in the negotiations soon and the EU won't move from its position, "it is better to scrap the entire deal".

Mr Harris-Quinney told Express.co.uk: "The EU remains unwilling to make significant concessions on goods and use of the ECJ as final court of arbitration.

"The EU began by formally refusing to renegotiate the Northern Irish Protocol, but we are now effectively in a renegotiation, so there is a genuine softening and that should be embraced.

"The UK was the party to begin the renegotiation, and there is no point entering into that process and not solving the problem.

"We need to resolve the issue now and if the EU are unwilling to budge then it is better to scrap the entire deal than to continue a circumstance that clearly is not working, creating only further discord and uncertainty."

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The politics expert has urged the UK to trigger Article 16 and "force a conclusion" if the EU continues its hard-line stance on key issues such as checks on goods and the role of the ECJ.

But he also fears the EU could once again gain the upper hand while there also being a risk Britain has not fully prepared for the chaotic fallout triggering Article 16 could inflict.

Mr Harris-Quinney added: "If the EU is not willing to budge on key issues like goods checks and ECJ arbitration, the Government should trigger Article 16 and force a conclusion, rather than allowing the status quo and negotiations to carry on indefinitely.

"The Government has however taken a naive approach thus far, there is a danger of being out-manoeuvred by the EU again, and there is a risk that they have not adequately prepared or positioned themselves for the potential fallout of triggering Article 16."

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On Friday, Lord Frost warned a "significant" gap remains between the UK and the EU after crunch talks aimed at resolving the Protocol issues once again ended in stalemate.

The Brexit minister repeated a threat to use Article 16 of the protocol to override some of the rules he negotiated because of the impact on Northern Ireland.

Lord Frost said in a statement: "We would still like to find a negotiated solution.

"But the gap between our positions is still significant and we are ready to use Article 16 to protect the Belfast (Good Friday) Agreement if other solutions cannot be found."

Following the talks with his UK counterpart, European Commission vice president Maros Sefcovic said a "decisive push" is required to get a medicines deal over the line.

The pair will hold further talks on possible changes to the Northern Ireland Protocol in Brussels this week.

Read more here:

'Tear up the ENTIRE deal!' Boris urged to strike back in Brexit row if EU refuses to cave - Daily Express

Fewer than one in five people in Great Britain believe Brexit has been a success, a YouGov poll has found.

Meanwhile, 52 per cent of respondents think that things have gone badly since the transition period ended 11 months ago.

The percentage of Britons dissatisfied with the effects of the divorce hovered around 40 per cent at the start of the year. However, this figure has shot up in recent months, following the petrol crisis in September, which was sparked by a shortage of HGV drivers.

The latest numbers are likely to make grim reading for a government that continues to suggest Brexit is in the best interest of the country.

The electorate now thinks Brexit is the largest single issue facing the UK, according to an Ipsos Mori survey carried out last month.

Some 28 per cent of people viewed it as the most pressing concern, slightly more than those who thought the pandemic should be the governments main focus.

In September, it was the other way around, with 37 per cent of voters deciding Covid-19 was the nations most urgent problem and 20 per cent thinking it was Brexit.

The increased concern over Brexit came around the same time that Richard Hughes, the chairman of the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) warned that the decision to leave the bloc would reduce our long run GDP by around 4 per cent.

By comparison, Mr Hughes, speaking after the Budget was announced on 27 October, estimated that the impact of the pandemic would lower the countrys GDP by roughly another 2 per cent.

Other Brexit headaches include the UKs ongoing fishing dispute with France, which flared up again on Friday, as French fishermen blocked ports and the Channel Tunnel over a disagreement about operating licences.

Excerpt from:

Only 18 per cent of Britons think Brexit is going well, poll finds - The Independent

Bars are full, restaurants are turning away customers who dont have reservations and, judging by the people laden with bags, the Christmas shopping season is already under way. Belfast has known plenty of crises down the decades but this doesnt feel like one of them.

Instead, on a Thursday evening in November, Northern Irelands capital has the air of any other big provincial UK city, with a thriving hospitality sector and plenty of money changing hands. Were it not for the accents, it could be Leeds or Manchester.

But as with Leeds and Manchester, scars are visible just a short walk from the city centre, and in Belfast these result not just from the impact of industrial decline but from the Troubles, too. The Berlin Wall may have come down; the peace wall separating the Falls and Shankill roads has not.

Brexit has added a new level of complexity to the highly charged politics of Northern Ireland. The protocol agreed by London and Brussels prevented a hard border being created between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland by putting a barrier between Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK in the Irish Sea.

If the plan was to make the peace process more secure, it didnt work. Unionist politicians say strict interpretation of the protocol by the EU has made the agreement unworkable, and Brexit minister Lord Frost has for weeks been threatening to invoke article 16, which puts an emergency brake on the Northern Ireland chapter of the UK-EU deal. That could trigger a full-blown trade war, which would be devastating for businesses already feeling the impact of the extra trade friction.

Archie Norman, chairman of Marks & Spencer, says: At the moment things are not too bad. We do have border constraints but they are deal-able-with. Things are a lot better than they are in the Republic of Ireland or in continental Europe, where weve announced a restructuring of our food operations.

Norman insists there isnt a food safety problem. Our food standards are higher than those in continental Europe. The sensible thing would be to agree to product equivalence, where we would agree not to drop standards. If we were planning any variations, we would notify the EU and they could then decide what to do about it.

In the grand scale of things the economic issue is so trivial. Northern Ireland has a similar population to Hertfordshire. Of course it matters hugely politically, but there is no hazard to anyone from produce from the rest of the UK arriving there. We are at risk of going to war over nothing.

Northern Ireland secretary Brandon Lewis wants a deal that gives exporters the best of both worlds access to the EU single market and the UK internal market.

The conditions are met to trigger article 16, he said, but we dont want to use it. We would much rather come to an agreement with the EU. Thats achievable with a different implementation process.

Lewis says the public discourse over Northern Ireland focuses on Brexit and the Troubles, and it is hard to cut through that so businesses and individuals see the opportunities that exist. Everyone wants to talk about the protocol and the legacy of the past. There is a different story going on.

One part of that story is the boom in Northern Irelands film and TV industry catalysed by Game of Thrones. What began with some modest pump-priming in 2010 led to eight blockbuster series and acted as a magnet for other productions. We invested heavily in the pilot. We took a risk and it paid off, said Richard Williams, chief executive of Northern Ireland Screen.

GoT blazed a trail: after it came, among others, Line of Duty, Derry Girls, Dalgleish, a new mini-series based on Henry Fieldings novel Tom Jones, and The Northman, a new Viking revenge film starring Nicole Kidman. Belfast now has three film studios, and Williams says the success of the industry is a shining example of what was meant to happen post the Good Friday agreement.

PAC group a manufacturing firm in north Belfast that comes up with solutions to engineering problems may lack the stardust of a new Kidman movie, but in its way it is emblematic of the Northern Ireland economy: small (45 employees) but growing fast post-lockdown, and now running into supply constraints.

Darren Leslie, the companys business development director and one of its founders, said: Things are starting to bounce back. Everybody is busy. Nobody can get people. Workload is going through the roof. We are having trouble finding the right people and keeping them.

More than any other part of the UK, Northern Ireland is a land of contrasts. It has by far the highest share of public sector employment, yet Queens Belfast boasts the most spin-offs of any university, and over the past 25 years public-private partnership has helped build an impressive cybersecurity cluster. It is the poorest region and the happiest.

John Turner, professor of finance at Queens, said Northern Ireland had an abundance of social capital that may explain high happiness levels. People have come through the Troubles and can deal with adversity. Maybe it has made people a bit more resilient.

Graham Brownlow of Queens Universitys management school said Northern Ireland had three sets of economic problems. First, it shared in the problems of the UK economic model and was entwined in that. Second, the UKs weaknesses such as poor productivity and low investment in R&D, were magnified in Northern Ireland. Finally, it had its own unique problems: the protocol, the shared border, and the fact that the Good Friday agreement didnt really take account of the need to run for economic reconstruction alongside political reconciliation.

A lot of people suggest solutions that dont deal with all the sets of problems. Theyll suggest a silver-bullet solution such as having the same low rate of corporation tax as the republic but there isnt one, Brownlow says.

The Troubles held the economy back, leading to weaker investment and trade. Public spending plugged the gap, and has been rebadged since the Good Friday agreement to form part of the peace dividend. But political instability has been holding back the economy since partition in 1921, and in the early 1960s the Treasury pressed for closure of the shipbuilders Harland and Wolff as part of an economic restructuring.

The close links between politicians and businesspeople foster cronyism. The education system remains largely fractured along Catholic-Protestant lines. Northern Ireland has the largest proportion of Neets young people not in employment, education or training in the UK. Small businesses tend to stay small.

Owen Reidy, assistant general secretary at the Irish Congress of Trade Unions, also complained of a lack of a long-term strategy, and of squabbling local politicians possibily over-estimating their importance: This is a little place on the fringes of Europe. There is too much emphasis on looking south, looking east or looking across the Atlantic.

Some look to daddy in London; some look to mummy in Dublin. But mummy and daddy are not that interested any more.

Ever since Milton Friedman coined the phrase, economists have been arguing about the merits of helicopter money drops of free cash designed to encourage consumers to spend. Northern Ireland is putting the theory to test.

Taking its lead from a scheme tried in Jersey last year, every adult in the country has been given a Mastercard loaded with 100 that they have to spend before mid-December. In an attempt to support local businesses and encourage high street footfall, the money cant be spent online.

Gordon Lyons, Northern Irelands minister of the economy, says if every adult spends up to the 100 limit, there will be a 140m boost to the economy. We wanted to give businesses an immediate shot in the arm and we are at the peak of the scheme right now.

Lyons is hoping for an even bigger boost thanks to a multiplier effect from, say, someone buying a new washing machine and needing to hire a plumber to fit it. Mastercard says there was a discernible multiplier effect in Jersey.

Even so, some say the money from the UK governments Covid recovery fund might have been used more effectively. Peter Bryson of Save the Children in Northern Ireland said helicopter money would be better spent on topping up the incomes of those on universal credit or child payments to the one in four Northern Irish children living in poverty.

SDLP politician Matthew OToole asked: Is this the right time for a stimulus? People are going to be using it on Black Friday and it is hard to see it having an added stimulus.

He thinks it a fascinating economic experiment, though. People will be doing PhDs on it for years.

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Northern Ireland is huge in TV, but post-Brexit reality is far less glitzy - The Guardian