Rachel Reeves has told the FT that “I don’t think anyone voted Leave because they were not happy that chemicals regulations were the same across Europe,” and suddenly the sun is shining a little brighter.
The Reach chemical rules of the EU are complicated, expensive and a howling success, the idea that we should have a parallel but slightly worse system of our own which would cost an extra £2 billion is for the birds. It is a sign that a Labour government would be pragmatic and realistic and will as Ms Reeves says try to improve the trade relationship with the EU.
This will not be easy, Brussels is not keen to re-open talks, it hates cherry picking, there is a very limited amount that can be done outside the Single Market, but the longest journey starts with just a single step.
Plant and vet standards could be locked together, the CE mark is already being kept, doing anything to halt the cliff edge of biometric passport controls would help, paying to join some sensible EU schemes is just common sense.
But above all a party that is not beholden to the far right, xenophobic, delusional ultras would at least be able to talk to the EC and member countries in a grown up way.
It is not much but it is a start.
Economics, trade and Brexit, not necessarily in that order but the dog always comes first.
By Jonty Bloom Media
I agree with that. My concern is that there are some new 'ultras', this time among rejoiners, who will not vote Labour because Labour does not signal an immediate intent to rejoin, and these new ultras are influencing as many as they can via social media etc to do likewise.