To be honest the biggest problems have been labour shortages caused by the end of free movement. Certain sectors such as farming and hospitality have been hardest hit because of their reliance on cheap european labour. But really they'd known for 5 years that it was going to happen and they didnt do anything to mitigate it. Covid has made the situation worse with the limitations on movement, but they know the solution, pay more for staff, invest in machinery or go out of business. We had turned into a modern day version of Rome, with cheap EU labour being the equivalent of slave labour which made Rome work. Any recent unpopularity the government has experienced is more to do with having parties they had during lockdown than issues with Brexit.
I dont think the current government has really done much to take advantage of the new freedoms we have so far. In terms of cheaper food for instance, we've just struck a free trade deal with Australia, from where we could have expected to buy a lot of cheap food, but to protect farmers the lower prices are being phased in over 15 years. As the EU are reluctant to strike a deal on Financial services the City is in a position to get rid of a lot of the more onerous financial regulations that had been introduced such as MFID for example. We can lower taxes and deregulate markets more quickly and aggresively than we currently have. I think Covid has had a lot to do with the slower pace though. The debt aquired from the various employment subsidy and industry support schemes had made the government more reluctant to go hard on the tax cutting.
The problem with Brexit was that the leaders of the Campaign, Boris and Michael Gove werent really in favour of it, they just did it to bolster their support within the Conservative party, of which a majority was very hostile to the EU. They fully expected to lose, but they'd come out of it looking like they were the true defenders of the Eurosceptic faith.A the post referendum victory press conferenc, the pair of them looked absolutely devastated, like they'd accidently killed the family pet. They clearly didnt want to be there.
I dont think we'll ever go back though, I think knowing that we'd have to accept schengen and free movement of people, a single currency, any further centralisation of power, and the rulings of European Court would put too many people off. I think a few years from now the idea of going back in will become unthinkable. The only reason most people wanted to stay was the visa free travel, but if the cost was uncontrolled immigration then no.
Interestingly the EU seems to have become more unstable. The problems with Poland and Hungary their lack of respect for EU laws have shown how impotent the EU actually is in disciplining its own memebers. If they keep getting away with flouting the rules then other member states with dubious governments will try their luck. The finances are also become more contentious, the last budget barely got through. I cant see anyone leaving though whatever stories we may hear about a Polexit. The poorer countries have way to much to lose, in subsidies and trade to even think about it. The idea of free movement of people, which was what lost it for the remain camp, is now something that coming up for debate amongst the political classes. Michel Barnier in his failed run for candidacy for the French Presidential elections for the right made a freeze on free movement of Labour into France for 5 years one of his key pledges. So the sacred cows are starting to be questioned.
Im honestly just glad we're out of it now. We dont have to worry about anything daft they might come up with over there. Our destiny is now ours again, we can be as flexible as we need to be to get things done. Time to start looking out again.
I dont think the current government has really done much to take advantage of the new freedoms we have so far. In terms of cheaper food for instance, we've just struck a free trade deal with Australia, from where we could have expected to buy a lot of cheap food, but to protect farmers the lower prices are being phased in over 15 years. As the EU are reluctant to strike a deal on Financial services the City is in a position to get rid of a lot of the more onerous financial regulations that had been introduced such as MFID for example. We can lower taxes and deregulate markets more quickly and aggresively than we currently have. I think Covid has had a lot to do with the slower pace though. The debt aquired from the various employment subsidy and industry support schemes had made the government more reluctant to go hard on the tax cutting.
The problem with Brexit was that the leaders of the Campaign, Boris and Michael Gove werent really in favour of it, they just did it to bolster their support within the Conservative party, of which a majority was very hostile to the EU. They fully expected to lose, but they'd come out of it looking like they were the true defenders of the Eurosceptic faith.A the post referendum victory press conferenc, the pair of them looked absolutely devastated, like they'd accidently killed the family pet. They clearly didnt want to be there.
I dont think we'll ever go back though, I think knowing that we'd have to accept schengen and free movement of people, a single currency, any further centralisation of power, and the rulings of European Court would put too many people off. I think a few years from now the idea of going back in will become unthinkable. The only reason most people wanted to stay was the visa free travel, but if the cost was uncontrolled immigration then no.
Interestingly the EU seems to have become more unstable. The problems with Poland and Hungary their lack of respect for EU laws have shown how impotent the EU actually is in disciplining its own memebers. If they keep getting away with flouting the rules then other member states with dubious governments will try their luck. The finances are also become more contentious, the last budget barely got through. I cant see anyone leaving though whatever stories we may hear about a Polexit. The poorer countries have way to much to lose, in subsidies and trade to even think about it. The idea of free movement of people, which was what lost it for the remain camp, is now something that coming up for debate amongst the political classes. Michel Barnier in his failed run for candidacy for the French Presidential elections for the right made a freeze on free movement of Labour into France for 5 years one of his key pledges. So the sacred cows are starting to be questioned.
Im honestly just glad we're out of it now. We dont have to worry about anything daft they might come up with over there. Our destiny is now ours again, we can be as flexible as we need to be to get things done. Time to start looking out again.