Shop window on Brexit and the world
I SPENT a couple of days last week on a stand at the NEC, giving me the opportunity to talk to visitors from all over this country and from abroad on the subject of Brexit.
The views expressed were fascinating and stretched from ardent Brexiteers through to a gentleman from Dublin who assured me at considerable length that there would never be any agreement other than the UK abandoning any thought of leaving the EU.
He told me that the Irish government would veto any proposal that meant that there would be, in effect, any system of customs regulation and inspection, whether the border was on a trading estate or in the middle of the Irish Sea.
There was however, a real desire to see this matter resolved, echoed by both Leavers and Remainers. There was universal condemnation of our politicians who had talked around the subject for so long without charting the way forward.
There were strong views held about the way in which politicians and the media seemed to think that British business was not capable of dealing with whatever new regulations had to be complied with.
Yes, there may be difficulties, and, yes, there may be added costs, especially in the early days, but without exception, all said that we would cope once it was known just what had to be done to comply with inspection and tariff demands.
However, there was a burning desire to see Brexit put to bed, and although I listened to some fairly harsh comments about our Prime Minister, most accepted the fact that if we were going to leave, then Boris was the man to get the job done. Nobody had a real answer as to how this would be achieved in view of the Benn Act, though most suggested Boris write the required letter, but then get our representative in Brussels to veto any extension.
Finally, I was impressed by the substantial distances people had travelled to the NEC to visit various shows. There is no doubt that here in the Midlands we have one of the best shop-windows in the world.
Something to be proud of. Russell Luckock is chairman of Birmingham pressings firm
AE Harris