Many questions concern me about Brexit
I have been giving thought to the negotiations for the UK to leave the European Union. I am not giving personal views, merely listing the questions that concern me.
Between 40% and 50% of our exports go to members of the EU. These exports support jobs, incomes, tax revenue, peoples’ wellbeing etc.
It must be problematic to take any step that endangers these. Access to the single market is obviously vital. Negotiations may or may not guarantee this.
Does an association of 28 countries have a larger clout than a single one in international negotiations over (say) North Korea, Iran, or the Bombardier and Boeing disputes? Which is more likely to achieve a successful outcome?
The costs: I am not getting involved in the rights or wrongs of the divorce settlement. Clearly, if governments have signed up to programmes in the past they are responsible for their share of the continuing costs.
The present governrnent initially offered £20 billion and allegedly the gov- ernment is prepared to go higher.
I can think of many useful things the cash could be spent. It works out at around £333 per head of population.
There is a possibility that businesses will leave the UK with an impact on jobs, incomes, tax revenues, job security etc. There is already some evidence that this is happening and some companies (Honda, Toyota etc) are concerned about access to an EU without the UK.
Several major banks have announced moves to Dublin.
After leaving the EU British industry will still have to comply with EU conditions to sell there.
But the UK will have no say in the negotiations and conditions nor any right to argue for or against the outcomes of the decisions of the EU parliament. This will create not independence but dependence
All the EU legislation that applies to Britain now becomes invalid in March 2019. In the meantime the government plans to reintroduce all that legislation into UK Law. Leaving aside government time will be taken up to pass that legislation instead of getting on with other major national concerns, what is the difference if all the UK legislation is identical to the EU laws? Where is the independence in this?
At present the UK receives substantial funds from the Common Agricultural Policy and very substantial funds from the Regional Development Fund.
Cornwall, for example, is a prime beneficiary. Will the UK Government be able to continue these from its own resources or will both have to adjust to much lower resources? What will be the consequence if they do?
We are a small island with a large population. So we import between 50% and 68% of our food.
This strategic weakness was exploited in the Second World War by Hitler who planned to starve the country rather than invade. We need an arrangement which will allow extensive food imports to continue without the post-Referendum sterling fall which has already increased the cost of imported food.
Michael A Handford