Another day in the life of a Brexit Observer
The Prime Minister goes to the CBI (19th
November). The CBI says it wants certainty for business (don't we all
like a quiet life!). The Director General, one Carolyn Fairbairn,
says that immigration restrictions would be bad for business. Now is
it not the case that the members of this organisation have for years
failed to invest in their workforce such that immigration of skilled
artisans, professionals as well as unskilled and/or seasonal workers
in the millions have come to the UK. They also complain at the lack
of increased productivity also over many years. However this has not
prevented stratospheric growth of CEO’s salaries, increased
profits and depressed wages. The stench of stinking fish is
overwhelming.
The Prime Minister says the UK can have a Customs
Territory with the EU and the ability to have Free Trade Agreements
around the world. The Withdrawal Agreement (14th November)
at page 302 and the Protocol on Northern Ireland say that this (a
Customs Territory) would be a framework for the future. Moreover the
document also states that such customs arrangements would be built
upon for the future. This means the application of EU rules and
payments to the EU budget. Yet the referendum result meant leaving
the Single Market and the Customs Union (clearly stated innumerable
times in the pre-vote debates). Clearly the Prime Minister is as
deluded as many think.
Jacob Rees-Mogg says that it only takes 6 seconds
for a Customs Transit of Containers exiting or entering the UK for
non EU destinations. What he does not tell you is that clearance
takes place off site with the use of Customs Brokers. So it only
takes 6 seconds to drive through the Dock Gates but a small number of
minutes off site for documentation and electronic registration. This,
of course, does not help non containerised goods.
UK Treasury forecasts on Brexit do not disclose
the assumptions on which they are based. As such (any statistician
will tell) they are both meaningless and worthless. Moreover they
cannot be facts as often quoted as they have not occurred!
It’s pretty obvious to me that that all these
people are living in a post truth world. I do not wish to do so!
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