Preparing for what...
There has been a fair amount of criticism of British business for not preparing for Brexit. To be honest British business has become dependent on an endless supply of cheap labour and has not invested enough as a result, for decades. It helps explain the UK’s terrible productivity.
But how could they prepare for Brexit when until a week to go it was not clear what the deal would be, how bad it would be and how the Government had hung them out to dry?
You might say that after Theresa May’s red lines it was perfectly clear that there was only the weakest of trade deals available. But and it is a big but, the Government lied about the deal, what it would get, what it was trying to get and what would be the result.
The Government didn’t encourage investment and training or even allow for a proper period of transition to give business the chance to prepare. The customs checks have been delayed yet again because even the Government didn’t prepare for them and pointing at industry is therefore pure hypocrisy.
The biggest damage is doubtless being caused by the Home Office’s immigration scheme. Industry after industry knows it does not have enough staff and the Home Secretary refuses to help them. The system will doubtless lurch from crisis to crisis.
Being seen to be tough on immigration is more important that keeping the economy going, even when everyone knows the economy needs large levels of immigration.
The populist vote is more important to ministers than the wealth and health of the nation.
Economics, trade and Brexit, not necessarily in that order but the dog always comes first.