That statement by Johnson has been eclipsed by something far more significant - according to today's BBC website (https://nam01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.bbc.co.uk%2Fnews%2Fuk-50699168&data=02%7C01%7Cusma%40lists.colostate.edu%7C38af29bd5caf4a47e6cc08d77b620311%7Cafb58802ff7a4bb1ab21367ff2ecfc8b%7C0%7C0%7C637113533199456338&sdata=kCbxslqG%2BuNdHJ2Jxwm1TZrVbSgG045i7YttDi1tdK4%3D&reserved=0 ) details of US-UK negotiations for a post-BREXIT trade agreement has been leaked and Johnson is anxious to find the source of the leak. The leak could be somebody in the UK or somebody in Russia (official or unofficial?). Regardless of how it was leaked, Jeremy Corbyn (the Labour Party leader) said the papers were evidence that the UK government was in advanced stages of negotiations with the US to open up the National Health Service (NHS) to American pharmaceutical companies. Such a step would be a total anathema to the UK electorate. In the UK, medical treatment is funded by National Insurance Contributions (which in reality is a tax on earnings) and is free at the point of delivery. If a Briton visit another EU country and requires emergency medical treatment, they are treated on the same basis as penniless locals in that country. If a British resident wishes to travel outside the EU, they are advised to take out medical insurance to cover any emergencies. Most policies require extra premiums for winter sports and for visits to the US and Canada. The suggestion therefore that American pharmaceutical companies want to be directly involved in the NHS operations will probably dwarf anything else that has come up in the election.
It is also worth pointing out that Johnson has a poor record of keeping his word - I won't bore you with the details apart from saying that his detractors in the UK view him much as Trump's detractors in the US view their President. The promise about removing the ban on using the imperial system will probably die unless the issue is stirred up again before the election. Martin Vlietstra -----Original Message----- From: USMA [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of [email protected] Sent: 07 December 2019 05:23 To: USMA List Server Subject: [USMA 1272] UK's Johnson on Metric Units "I think the reality is a lot of people are now educated in the metric system, we have to recognise that." https://nam01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.dailymail.co.uk%2Fnews%2Farticle-7765629%2FBoris-Johnson-warns-Britain-risks-sleepwalking-coalition-led-Jeremy-Corbyn.html&data=02%7C01%7Cusma%40lists.colostate.edu%7C38af29bd5caf4a47e6cc08d77b620311%7Cafb58802ff7a4bb1ab21367ff2ecfc8b%7C0%7C0%7C637113533199456338&sdata=4KJlyKNnt3OWPqqctpesilZS%2FGDld8pgmGqExlDyuQY%3D&reserved=0 Boris Johnson reveals plan to bring back pounds and ounces: PM sees 'no reason why people should be prosecuted for selling goods in imperial measures after Brexit PM said he would lift the EU's ban on shops selling in imperial measurements He vowed to 'bring back that ancient liberty' and hark back to the old system Mr Johnson branded Jeremy Corbyn 'most extreme Left-wing candidate ever' By Jason Groves Political Editor For The Daily Mail Published: 17:16 EST, 6 December 2019 | Updated: 21:15 EST, 6 December 2019 Boris Johnson has revealed plans to bring back pounds and ounces once Brexit is done as he attacks Jeremy Corbyn as 'the most extreme Left-wing candidate produced by the Labour Party in a century' entering Number 10. In a wide-ranging interview with the Daily Mail, the Prime Minister laid out his post-election blueprint to lift the EU ban on imperial measurements and hark back to the old system. He said: 'We will bring back that ancient liberty. I see no reason why people should be prosecuted.' The Conservative leader added: 'I think the reality is a lot of people are now educated in the metric system, we have to recognise that. 'But people. I understand what a pound of apples is. I also understand what a kilo of apples is. 'There will be an era of generosity and tolerance towards traditional measurements.' With less than a week until polling day, the eye-catching announcement came as Mr Johnson cranked up campaigning in his bitter race for Number 10 with Jeremy Corbyn. Today, the PM lays bare the consequences of a Labour government and said Britain faces the starkest choice at the ballot box for decades. _______________________________________________ USMA mailing list [email protected] https://lists.colostate.edu/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/usma _______________________________________________ USMA mailing list [email protected] https://lists.colostate.edu/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/usma
