Archive link for those of us in the customs union.

Uh oh 😳. It’s Wes Streeting whom we all hate because of NHS. But he wants us to rejoin the Custom’s Union. Fuck! How do we choose? Will it be a path to rejoining or will it be in fighting and dogma? 🫠😜.

  • ModCen@feddit.uk
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    13 days ago

    I linked to the OBR and I find their statements interesting because they’re saying the UK’s productivity will be 4% lower than if the UK remained in the EU. You say the UK had productivity problems while the UK was in the EU. Let’s assume for a second that’s true. Then what the OBR is saying is that there is an additional factor negatively affecting British productivity; that factor is Brexit.

    Also I think closer ties with Europe would be good because a united Europe can more effectively stand up to big global powers like the US, Russia, and China. I don’t want to see the UK bending over backwards to accommodate Trump and his illiberal colleagues. Europe together has real weight to push back against the US. E.g. if the UK alone were to tariff American goods then it wouldn’t affect the US too much, but if all of Europe did the same thing together, it would affect the US much more.

    • deHaga@feddit.uk
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      13 days ago

      It’s a negative forecast based on a loss of comparative advantage in polluting, carbon heavy, low margin goods trade. They factor no increase of competitive advantage in low carbon, low polluting, high margin services exports.

      Services exports are up 75% since 2016.

      They are not great forecasters.

      • ModCen@feddit.uk
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        13 days ago

        I don’t know how they came up with their numbers but media outlets seem to be confident quoting their figures. Also I found this written by a Tory who was an MP and is now in the House of Lords:

        The latest estimates are that Brexit reduced GDP by 6 to 8 per cent by 2025, with business investment down 12 to 18 per cent.

        If I were to see news articles saying that Brexit is having a fantastically positive effect on the British economy then maybe I’ll look at Brexit as being somewhat beneficial. But I haven’t seen that. Also like I said, I think having close ties with Europe can have some benefits beyond just easing international trade. It means Europe together can stand up against big countries who dislike Europe and want to harm Europe.

        Maybe we won’t agree though. I guess you think Brexit is going to be a good thing for the UK in the long-term? I guess I’m not so convinced about that.

        • deHaga@feddit.uk
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          13 days ago

          Yes, another bullshit doppleganger model commissioned by a politician. Maybe investigate this crap before posting it as fact. Meanwhile the UK is still performing exactly the same as its real dopplegangers, France and Germany.

          The benefit of leaving the EU is being out of the environmental disasters that are the common agriculture and fishing policies, not whether Doris from Devon can still sell 4 pieces of cheese a week.

          0.29% of UK companies stopped exporting. Big deal.