Western Morning News (Saturday)
Time to champion home-grown goods
A ‘Buy British’ campaign would aid economic recovery, believes Ian L Handford
THE Exchequer missed an opportunity to help the UK economy in his Budget announcement to Parliament recently, as he could have asked the House to endorse a national campaign to ask that consumers prioritise “Buy British” goods, materials or food once the third lockdown ends.
It is known that households have been saving money during the past year as the daily costs of travel, visiting, no holidays and even eating out have been greatly reduced since the pandemic struck. The knock-on effects of Covid-19 to the UK economy have been enormous and HM Treasury have recently confirmed that public sector borrowing has ballooned to a staggering £240 billion while our national debt is said to exceed £2trillion, an amount unmatched for over sixty years.
The Chancellor and Treasury officials are also aware that with the exception of items purchased via the internet, consumer spending overall has been minimal, which is why more than 10,000 high-street and retail park stores have closed. According to Price-Waterhouse accountants more than 17,500 large shop/stores (independent small traders not included) have closed permanently during the last year, while just 7,655 new shops (or renamed premises) have opened – a net loss of 10,000 units and all the jobs they created, in one year.
Having just passed the first anniversary of ‘lockdown’ which was announced by Prime Minister Boris Johnson on March 23rd 2020 (not law) when we were told “stay at home”, this became the day that tens of thousands of business proprietors, including myself, realised there was a likelihood their business would not permanently survive. One year on and after three lockdowns we have witnessed this net loss of 10,000 units in addition to an unknown number of smaller traders, all taking away part-time or full time jobs they previously provided.
In 1968 following Devaluation of the British pound, Labour Prime Minister Harold Wilson launched his “I’m Backing Britain Campaign” following which UK manufacturers of materials and produce and food items all started to sport the Union Flag. Millions of carrier bags, sportswear, coats and hat badges, and food items carried the Union Flag so that everyone saw it every day on every street. Even the Duke of Edinburgh lent his support to that campaign while song-writers Tony Hatch and Jackie Trent penned a ditty including the words “Yes, I’m Backing Britain” written specially for the singer/comedian Bruce Forsyth.
Today we need a similar campaign, a “Buy British” or “Made in the Britain” or as The Daily Express recently suggested a “Brilliantly British Campaign” in order to encourage everyone to support the British Economy as consumers. Labour was at odds with the EU over Devaluation and today our resignation from the EU seems to put us similarly at odds with the EU, although having jointly agreed the Brexit exit terms. EU officials seem determined to make life extra difficult through “red-tape” and “customs procedures”.
Our own exports to the EU, as confirmed recently by the National Audit Office, have fallen by 40.7% since the Brexit transitional period ended, proving without any doubt now is the time for Government to act.
My view is the Prime Minister should initiate a formal national campaign to persuade consumers (once released from lockdown) to Buy British, as only in this way can individuals do their bit to Back Britain and help our ailing economy. The timing would be brilliant for a Buy British campaign, as only last December the Daily Express found that 97% voted YES to a “Lets Back Britain” campaign, when answering an electronic poll held for one day, yet involving 8996 replies.
One word of caution – there would need to be a clear country of origin stated on goods and materials which is clear, transparent and truthful.
The Chancellor did not see fit to introduce some form of import tax and online sales tax in the Budget, maybe another missed opportunity.
Like the changes in the high street, things are going to be very different in the future, although “Buying British” would certainly help the economy.
Monday: Judi Spiers gives her slant on life in her popular column to start the week