E-borders petition

[Nick]

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We the undersigned petition the Prime Minister to require the UK Borders Agency to work constructively with the RYA and leisure industry to develop a more workable e-borders solution for recreational boaters.

Click here to sign up

[Clyde_Wanderer]

So what is the problem with the way they are presently working Nick?
I spoke to a lady in Ardfern who had been stopped the previous day in the sound of Jura and had their boat searched and several swabs taken from various parts of the boats, she also said they asked to be notified of anything strange seen while on her travels, I wouldent hessitate to inform them of anything strange I notice.
Must admit I would notify them if I met a Scotsman on the Isle of Mull.
C_W

[Nick]

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The E-borders scheme will mean that if you are sailing to foreign parts you must inform the authorities a minimum of 24 hours in advance of your arrival by email. This presents a range of difficulties for cruising yachtsmen, rangine from destination changes due to weather to lack of ineternet access on board the average yacht at sea.

Although it is nothing to do with E-borders I would object strongly to being borded and having my boat searched and swabbed unless they could give me grounds for suspicion. Random stop and search is not a power I approve of whether exercised by the polis or customs and excise.

[DaveS]

Signed.

While I have personally yet to cross an international border in my wee boat, I have been following this issue and can see that something of a monster is being created. Apparently sailing from Scotland to NI will also require going through the proposed palaver even though no international border crossing is involved! (This is apparently because the NI / RoI land border is porous and there are significant "political" issues about making it less so.)

OTOH the latter point shows that where there is recognition of an inconvenient reality there is some willingness to alter the rules to suit. The trick is surely to make the case that wee private boats are another inconvenient reality that have to be accommodated in a sensible way.

Of course if the government just signed up to Shengen then, at least for passages within the EU, the issue would go away. But I suppose that's a bit too simple.

[Nick]

Apparently sailing from Scotland to NI will also require going through the proposed palaver

I didn't realise this. This is a very real issue for many W Coast sailors as Rathlin and Ballycastle are increasingly popular destinations and of course Glenarm provides an excellent alternative to Portpatrick if coming up through the North Channel and looking for somewhere convenient to wait for the tide. I have made a completely unplanned visit to N. Ireland in the past, coming out of the Solway and deciding Carnlough was a better bet than Portpatrick. This would I guess have made me a criminal under the new legislation.

[Clyde_Wanderer]

Well I guess thats fair comment guys, I hadent read the proposals and hadent even heard of the Border agency until Ardfern last wk.
Where can I read all about it?
C_W

[JackJ]

.
]We the undersigned petition the Prime Minister to require the UK Borders Agency .....

Does anyone really believe that this travesty of a PM will take any notice of this?
The No10 petition facility was only set up to make the more innocent and niaive members of our society think that our Government listen to and care about our views. What nonsense.
If you object to having to email your sailing destination to Big Bro then just don't do it! What are they going to do? How are they going to know that you've popped over to Dublin for a few days on the black stuff or to Calais for a steak frite.
Just ignore our fascist government and lead your own life.

[DaveS]

A number of thoughts come to mind:

If you want to start a political rant, then the lounge is the place... err, sorry, there isn't one here, so...

I don't understand what you mean by Gordon being a "travesty of a PM", surely his status is just like that of all other PMs for the past few hundred years, i.e. the person elected to the position by the majority parliamentary party, no more, no less. If you refer to his personal qualities, then it's all down to personal liking I suppose, but did you honestly prefer Bliar?

The No. 10 petition facility may indeed be an entirely cynical exercise (but do remember it was started by TB not Gordon), OTOH it just possibly might have some slight residual value, in either case using it is easy and free and can do no harm. (Unless you're a conspiricy theorist that thinks that in doing so, you've told Them where you live ... There again, I reckon that "they" know already. )

[little boy blue]

ehh, dave - i don`t want you to think i`m siding with jacko here, but, iirc gordo wasn`t elected, he was annointed cos no-one would stand against him. so in that respect at least he differs, i think, from all his predecessors.
aberlour 10 this week, btw.
cheers

[DaveS]

I don't think GB's appointment is the first uncontested PM election, but can't think of another offhand to prove it. In any case, it's academic: the selection process (whether or not there are other candidates) is entirely within the control of the majority party: it's their choice how they go about it. The voting public have never had a say, so it is not a democratic exercise as that is normally understood.

I like Aberlour, and you can often find it on offer. I sometimes wonder if they've a wee overproduction problem? I'm quite happy to take advantage and help them out if so.

[Telo]

so in that respect at least he differs, i think, from all his predecessors.

Don't think so. Of the postwar PMs,

• Harold MacMillan assumed office during Anthony Eden's term of office;
  Sir Alec Douglas-Home assumed office during Mr MacMillan's term;
  James Callaghan assumed office during Harold Wilson's term;
  John Major assumed office during Margaret Thatcher's term.

So, nothing very exceptional about GB, who is the fifth postwar PM to take office during someone else's term.

Only Atlee, Churchill, Wilson, Thatcher and Blair, also five, assumed their first term of office in a general election.

[little boy blue]

dave and shard,
i have just accidently, and for the second time, deleted the erudite reply composed in response to your last postings.
i cannot be *8rs*d to do it again, for which you will no doubt be truly thankful.
yours sincerely.

[Falkirkdan]

Do you guys not think we have enough politics on the TV, press, etc, etc without bringing it to this forum.

This forum is for those who want to enjoy their boating and to get away from all this political wrangling.

[little boy blue]

who`s wrangling ? just a friendly chat

[So_Sage_of_Lorne]

Do you guys not think we have enough politics on the TV, press, etc, etc without bringing it to this forum.

This forum is for those who want to enjoy their boating and to get away from all this political wrangling.

Pot/kettle, was it not your good self who started it last time?