The Light Was Yellow Sir
Well-Known Member
The ‘minimal effects’ are only because we still haven’t properly done it yet..Please don't think I'm saying there were no negatives or that I'm trying to say there were loads of positives, just that there has been minimal effect upon the (general) population. That's not to say there have not been more localised effects on specific industries and trade relationships - your example of car manufacturers being one of course.
The UK seems to have decided on trading preferences although these seem to alter depending on who the current PM is!
As far as trading with the EU, we seem to have decided that regulatory freedom is preferable to market access which, given our proximity to Europe, still makes absolutely no sense.
On the other side of the coin, we went to do as many ‘deals’ as possible, regardless of regulatory freedom or, and this is the really unforgivable bit, not worrying about the impact on UK businesses.
Problem with regulatory freedom is that nobody has a clue what it means, how to do it and, most pertinently, who will do it? The EU might regulate that plastic bottles can’t have removable tops, done by one department and applicable to all. We then have to decide if we want the same, can we be an ‘exception’, will it benefit us to go against that policy and a whole host of other things.
The one thing Brexit was supposed to give us, above all other things, politically at least, was a nimbleness of foot. Decisions could be made quickly, funding replacement would be swift and targeted. Power and funding out to the regions would be a start but we are still obsessed with centralisation.
Sadly, none of that has happened, and the 7 year EU funding settlements for the various regions looks like Usain Bolt compared to our fat 60 year old running the marathon in 8 hours!
What we have never managed to do is to highlight clear objectives for trading with the EU and, indeed, the wider world and, until we do, this doom loop will only get worse, all the while making us less competitive, poorer and losing influence.
