| Topic: | Re:Re:Re:Happy Brexit | |
| Posted by: | Mark Evans | |
| Date/Time: | 04/01/21 09:16:00 |
| The chances are many of the most vocal remainers will start to find the issue of Brexit less interesting and harder to understand now it has become mainly about arcane administrative issues rather than broad principles. The idea of the pseudo-ECJ becoming weaponised by the EU is one that will not surprise anyone who trades in Europe but we cannot reasonably expect them to do anything other than act in the best interests of their own members. It is likely to be death by a thousand cuts rather than any sudden undermining of the UK's competitiveness. The firm I currently work for has in the last few days discovered two extra unanticipated administrative burdens which in themselves are not highly material but combined with other extra hassles will add significantly to expenses. The EU now effectively has the power to introduce a range of individually insignificant but collectively crippling trade barriers on products or services they don't wish UK firms to supply to Europe. The vast majority of people who voted for Brexit weren't actively employed in a private sector firm with a big proportion them living off a pension and it was to them Boris Johnson was speaking when he said 'F^^k Business'. Brexit was never about trade it was about ending Freedom of Movement. The irony is that it may well fail in that regard as well. It has already resulted in a loss of control of our borders because we no longer have access to a key database to check the criminal records of those entering the country and every EU citizen can still come here as freely as they did before - it is just them working that has become more difficult. In the event EU citizens may retain significant rights to live and work here. Reports of the negotiations suggest that the UK side wanted to have bipartisan arrangements with EU member states so that for instance it would be easier for French and German citizens to come here than Poles and Romanians. The EU slapped them down on this. Now demands are growing from British citizens in the EU to protect their rights. Anything that we ask for from the EU on their behalf will have to be reciprocal which raises the possibiluity we will end up with de facto Freedom of Movement as well as a de facto ECJ. If you add in the extra people we will be required to allow into the country due to the obligations signed up to in new trade deals, Brexit could end up increasing immigration. |