In my blog yesterday I said it was too early to judge how damaging Brexit has been to UK trade with the EU. The trade figures are too muddled at the moment to know for sure, but the doleful influence of Brexit will be clear soon enough.
The idea that a long trumpeted but not delivered US deal can make up for this is rubbish, people who think so simply can’t count. They also don’t realise what the Washington government is thinking about the UK’s actions. Trust is in short supply.
So the UK desperately needs to improve its trade with the EU, go back and negotiate all those things it was too stupid, vain and ideologically blinded to see, let alone ask for, the first time. But that isn’t going to happen, the latest tone deaf comments from Lord Frost make it clear; he and the rest of the Brexiteers don’t care, or think it is a price worth paying or even more amazingly can’t count.
Lord Frost is actually in charge while the friction and disputes with the EU increase daily, the latest over fish. The EU threatened to walk out of talks as they believed the UK was deliberately trying to scupper them.
Someone wrote recently that the UK needs an open, friendly and cooperative relationship with the EU; based on trust, goodwill and the legally binding agreements it has signed and without a change in tone, words and actions that future relationship would be at risk.
It is, I am afraid, too late. The EU and many of its member states are looking on aghast and wouldn’t trust the UK and especially this government as far as they could throw it. The Brexiteers are blatantly and openly burning their boats but they are the ones living on an island.
https://jonty.substack.com/
"Desperately" is a strong word and I'm not sure the case is made yet. It may be one day I accept.
"Brexiteers are blatantly and openly burning their boats but they are the ones living on an island." Thank goodness we have a moat. We are not going to be dictated to by a club we are no longer part of. We left the EU after a referendum get over it my friend and if that is burning boats so be it we have already proved we can survive after Brexit albeit with less trade. Taxation can be expected to be higher but that is the prices of retaining sovereignty. And if trade with other nations does increase we will have an opportunity to reduce deficits and increase economic security. We have set a new course with our boat and far from burnt it in my book.