Re: Is this the start of a post-Brexit boom?

Lithium.
British Lithium, and here are reports of the first UK-sourced and produced high-purity lithium carbonate from Cornwall, this being the stuff that is needed to make lithium car batteries:

' "Given the potential that has been established by this project to exploit lithium resources in Cornwall, it is possible that the UK could produce a significant percentage of its lithium demand domestically; thus creating a vertically-integrated supply chain and generating additional value for the UK economy,” Cornish Lithium's chief executive Jeremy Wrathall said.'

https://www.metalbulletin.com/Articl...-Cornwall.html

Interestingly other sources state that Scotland too has lithium but it is said that Cornwall alone has enough to supply almost all the UK needs:

' “Cornwall has the potential to supply the UK with almost all the lithium it needs. It is that globally significant,” chief executive and founder Jeremy Wrathall said'

https://www.mining.com/cornish-lithi...in-uk-project/

If there's lots in Cornwall and more in Scotland that could be viable, things do indeed look promising.

Re: Is this the start of a post-Brexit boom?

In response to another post elsewhere, since I was typing:

Well said and I absolutely agree.

There have been attempts in the past from the likes of Jamie Oliver and Hugh Fearnly-Whittingstall to educate and promote that type of change, but without much success.
Now however might well be a very opportune time to try again.

As I write I am preparing Shephard's pie from scratch, with made with locally-sourced organic lamb mince.
That wasn't too difficult to source, but try finding lamb's liver for example.
It's nigh on impossible yet it can make the most flavoursome and best of all healthy dishes.
Retailers (and butchers) won't sell it because they say there's no market for it; well we can't buy what they won't sell.

I'm hoping that Brexit and Covid combined will lead to a change in our diet.
The opportunity is there, certainly.
A post-Brexit improvement in diet would surely lead to less of an obesity problem too.

Re: Is this the start of a post-Brexit boom?

I hear what you're saying Zaphod but there is a difference between British wines and English or Welsh or Scottish wines. By definition British wines have always used imported grape juice which resulted in some really undrinkable rubbish (those crap wines sold by the glass in pubs in the 60s, 70s and 80s for example). Wines made from grapes actually grown in this country, on the other hand, are award winners and eminently gluggable. Many of these wines are made by ex-pat Ozzie and Kiwi wine makers too so they should be good.

This hasn't gone unnoticed by the French wine makers as they have been buying suitable farm land in the south of England for a few years now and planting vines as fast as they can.

Re: Is this the start of a post-Brexit boom?

I remember reading that one of the big champagne houses had bought an English vineyard.
Tattinger IIRC.


Customers are usually savvy enough nowadays to know what to look for.
Anybody interested enough to want to buy wine produced from British grapes and made in Britain will almost certainly be both interested enough and savvy enough to know how to make sure that what they buy is what they wanted.
And it is easier than ever to check, with most people carrying the computing power in their pockets to enable that check no matter where they are.

You're spot-on about how good these are though.
Or at least, how good they can be.
I've had more than a few which are real competitors to the best you can buy anywhere, as the global industry itself is recognising.
The point is though that British wine from British grapes is increasing in quality and volume, which surely can only be a good thing.

Re: Is this the start of a post-Brexit boom?

When our wines started winning major awards, all the major producing countries suddenly woke up to the fact we were becoming a major player.

Not just Tattinger, Zaphod. I seem to remember reading in the Farmers Weekly some years back that other well-known French wine makers were buying up whole swathes of the Kentish, Sussex and Hampshire Downs to turn into vineyards and wineries.

Re: Is this the start of a post-Brexit boom?

They've had one reasonable harvest in four years in much of France, & that was in 2018.

At a time when French vineyards are suffering from not only Covid and trade wars with the USA but frost and drought too it looks like they made a good decision.
It also bodes well for our own producers.

Re: Is this the start of a post-Brexit boom?

Here's another indication of the sort of British inginuity which could promote a post-Brexit boom:

"A nasal spray which can prevent a coronavirus infection for up to two days could be available in high street pharmacies by the summer, researchers have said.

Scientists at the University of Birmingham have been developing the spray since April last year and are currently in discussions with shops and pharmaceutical giants on the next steps to mass produce it."

"The nasal spray, which has not yet been named, is made from ingredients that are already approved for medical use, meaning it is safe for use by humans and does not require further approval.

The formula helps prevent infection by capturing the virus in the nose and encapsulating it in a coating which it cannot escape from. As a result, it would be safe for a person to breathe out - even if inhaled by another person - because the virus would be inactive and harmless."

The report goes on to say that taking this spray four times daily is enough to provide adequate protection, but that it is safe enough to use every twenty minutes which makes it ideal for use in high-risk areas.

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/202...emists-summer/

Yes I know The Telegraph is sub.-only, but there is a free trial period or failing that the quotes above give you the gist of the story.

Re: Is this the start of a post-Brexit boom?

Some more exciting post Brexit news for Zaphod and Assman - Australian trade figures for December were released.

Trade with China is booming -The value of Australia's exports of iron ore to China rose $1.95 billion (+25pc)

Cereal to China - sales up 681%

Exports to China went up $2.3 billion (+21pc) in December, compared to the previous month — while imports fell $641 million (-7pc).

All up, this sent Australia's monthly trade surplus with China (for goods) surging to $5.2 billion.

Overall trade figures for the month:

Exports went up to $34.9 billion — a big jump compared to November (+16.3pc), and marginally higher than it was a year ago (+2.5pc).

Imports fell to $25.97 billion — a significant fall compared to the previous month (-8.8pc), and slightly lower than the previous 12 months (-0.1pc).

Overall, Australia recorded its fourth-largest monthly trade surplus (for goods) on record, at $8.96 billion — after the value of imports were subtracted from exports.

Exports of hard coking coal went up $501 million (+38pc)

Hard coking coal exports to China have diminished since mid-2020, increased exports to India, Japan and South Korea have offset the fall. Australia's three largest export destinations for coal all recorded large increases in December. They include: Japan, up $236m (+27pc); India, up $272m (+38pc); South Korea, up $148m (+48%).

Yes, definitely a post Brexit boom. It's all going very well so far don't you think? (psst! wanna buy some cheap lithium?)

Re: Is this the start of a post-Brexit boom?

Poor Brucie - he doesn't seem to understand that digging ruddy great holes in a country on the other side of the planet from the UK has absolutely nothing whatsoevere to do with Brexit.
Unless of course he thinks that it's Australia that have left the EU?

Re: Is this the start of a post-Brexit boom?

Here is another example of the type of British ingenuity that will help promote the country and also help us prosper:

'Ground-breaking' unmanned combat aircraft project in Northern Ireland

' The director of Future Combat Air at the MoD, Richard Berthon, said: "Project Mosquito is a vital element of our approach to Future Combat Air, rapidly bringing to life design, build and test skills for next generation combat air capabilities.
"Autonomous 'loyal wingman' aircraft create the opportunity to expand, diversify and rapidly upgrade Combat Air Forces in a cost-effective way, now and in the future." '

https://news.sky.com/story/ground-br...eland-12198119

A boost for Northern Ireland too.