LETTER from TOM SMITH, Newport West Labour member
I have not read the Brexit agreement in detail, but there is enough from various sources to make valid assumptions. Although there is trade in goods, firms will have additional costs with the filling in of paperwork to export to any part of the European Union. This non-tariff barrier to trade must be completed to export to Germany, for example, and again for Italy, and again to Spain, etc. The automatic right to export to France and then from there on to the rest of Europe will be gone.
The service sector has hardly a mention, but there is no doubt that banks will have to open offices in Europe to get the advantages of business in the EU. There will be job losses in London. Those with qualifications in the UK may find them useless in Europe. My friend is an electrician. He went to Australia and found all his qualifications had no value in that country and he had to spend a year taking the courses in Australia that eventually allowed him to get employment. This will be the situation in Europe now.
Some lorry drivers in the UK are now fearing for their jobs. When in the EU, a driver might deliver to France, then travel to Spain with goods from France and pick up another load to deliver to Britain. Multiple stops are no longer allowed, so these routes will go to drivers from the EU.
Economists have calculated that at least 4% growth will be lost by leaving the EU. Personally, I think Boris has hopes for the UK to become a European ‘Singapore’ with some investments from firms that might be attracted by very low corporation tax, as if the EU would calmly accept this without retaliation. As was said many times, inside or outside the EU there will be a world recession; inside or outside the EU global warming will go on. We will face a future of whole-scale attacks on the living standards of both British and EU workers.
In short, Britain will become a low wage economy with expansion of poverty beyond the 20% that presently exists. The young will have no future and women will bear the brunt of the burden as the economy, at best, limps along with feeble growth rates.
Starmer, if he were a socialist, would have no confidence in this government. He should have been campaigning with a socialist analysis and programme. He should be advocating a no vote for this deal. He should be warning workers of the nightmare that is awakening in the UK under this corrupt government.
