Spite won’t stop others leaving EU

LIKE many, I am not surprised to learn of the very bitter opposition to Brexit from other members of the EU, but some of the comments that have been made demonstrate an inability to accept the will of the British electorate. It also shows that politicians have little idea how commerce really works.

Joseph Muscat, Prime Minister of Malta, and currently assuming EU Council presidency for the first time, has stated that it is essential Britain must not be better off after completion of Brexit negotiations. Fascinating when one takes into consideration that a substantial number of British holidaymakers choose his island as their destination.

If they are made poorer, then Malta is likely to suffer. He also fails to take into account that Brits might take umbrage at his comments, and choose other hotspots.

Then there are the witterings of Cecilia Malmstrom, the EU trade commissioner, who is on record as saying that the UK would have to quit all current trade agreements on implementing Article 50, going to the back of the queue for any negotiations to replace those agreements.

She indicates that this would take some years.

Now here is a highly-paid official, who is fully aware that Europe exports to the UK more goods than we sell to the continent, saying that she is very happy to see this volume of two-way trade disrupted.

A clear indication of yet another politician and bureaucrat who should know better with very little understanding of the real world of commerce.

Yet both of these officials are paid for in part by the British tax-payer. It is all to do with spite, for with the UK leaving the EU, 15 per cent of the European budget will vanish as our payments cease. Similarly minded politicians and bureaucrats would be well advised to reflect on the fact that if they had not been so unhelpful to David Cameron when he visited, cap in hand, they would not be in the mess that they are today.

Of one thing that I am certain – the UK will not be the only Brexiteers. It is just a question of time. Russell Luckock is chairman of Birmingham pressings

firm AE Harris