It's Probably Nothing

A week ago today, the Coalition Government told us all very quietly indeed that it was going to revoke some parts of an ageing schedule from The Trading with the Enemy Act of September 5th 1939. The latter was passed two days after the Germans last went visiting their neighbours.
It may seem odd that the Act is still in force; but the truth is, it’s a useful thing to have on the Statute Book just in case another unpleasant European episode starts. Most of the articles about not selling battleships to Italians and sinking the French fleet have been revoked over time. But one very important one hadn’t until seven days ago. Three days later, on 25th May, it became law.

Stautory Instrument No 1367 states that ’1. This Order may be cited as the Trading with the Enemy (Transfer of Negotiable Instruments, etc.) (Revocation) Order 2012 and comes into force on 25th May 2012. 2. The instruments specified in the Schedule are revoked.’

And it is signed by two obviously very senior Treasury bods.

h/t James Delingpole

4 Comments

mauser98 | May 30, 2012 1:15 PM | Reply

25/10/2004 UK Guardian article re. trading with the enemy includes....

"George Bush's grandfather, the late US senator Prescott Bush, was a director and shareholder of companies that profited from their involvement with the financial backers of Nazi Germany."

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2004/sep/25/usa.secondworldwar

peterj | May 30, 2012 1:42 PM | Reply

Just tying up all the loose ends while waiting for the big crash.

Fred2 | May 30, 2012 9:05 PM | Reply

Hey Mauser

He's not the only one. It takes a while to unwind serious business dealings in the face of such triviata as a global war. And even enemies can have serious common trading grounds.

(e.g. Israel seems never to lack for oil.)

I much prefer medieval warfare myself, where it often took strenuous efforts by kings to slow even blatant trading across front lines, never-mind discreet ship loads of what not.

OMMAG | May 30, 2012 9:55 PM | Reply

Nope ... the Brits are sidestepping the EU ... which is a good thing. They do not want the EU to determine who gets the financial aid.

Instead the Brits can support WHO they wish to support and tell Bruxels to forkoff.

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