I don’t in general disagree with the points you’re making. I did vote remain. I just believe for democratic integrity and the need for people to see their vote does mean something and because of the referendum vote that we have to leave regardless of the economic issues that will arise. If we don’t leave what do you say to the voting majority that voted to leave? Why should anyone vote at the next general election?Fair point that I used emotive language. I should have stopped using football forum idiom when speaking about politics.
That said, the proposal is to negotiate a trade deal with the US when we will have lost our trade deal with our biggest trading partner and when we will have no trade deal giving us access to any major market. We will be in a singularly weak bargaining position. I would be very surprised if the US failed to exploit that weakness to the full. Use a less emotive synonym by all means but the outcome will be one in which they are the dominant, and we are the dominated, party.
With respect to the EU, there are two concepts that must be kept separate: the budget of the EU administration and the economies of the EU countries. We contribute a net £9.5 billion or so annually to the budget of the administration. We will be paying a £39 billion exit fee. Perhaps the lack of our contribution will bite in 4 years or so. Perhaps not.
What I was principally referring to, though, was the effect on national economies. Roughly 45% of our trade is with EU countries. Roughly 8% of the EU countries' trade is with us. The trade both ways will be reduced. if it were reduced by 50% in both directions (a figure picked simply for illustrative purposes) our economy would take a 22.5% hit. Theirs would take a 4% hit. A 4% hit isn't nothing by any means but is minor in comparison to the effect on our economy.
it was, therefore, incorrect of me to say that the EU will be glad to be rid of us. I am sure they will be pleased to be spared the endless spats that Brexit has thrown up. They will, however, not enjoy the moderate downturn in their economies it will cause.
It’s extremely patronising of a minority to say ignore the majority as we know better. I have no problem with a second referendum but only once we have actioned the result of the first one. If we don’t action it then that will be the first time ever, as far as I am aware, that the UK has failed to honour a vote. That is dangerous ground for any democracy. At the minute politicians are essentially saying to the voting majority that they know better. They have IMO democracy back to front. They are there to serve the people, not tell the people they got it wrong and that they the politicians know better.
I’m not sure that the £39 Billion still stands. I may be wrong but I believe that was on the basis of leaving in March 2019. The budgetary period only runs to 2020. We didn’t leave in March 2019. I would have expected (but don’t know) that we would have been making further contributions as and when these have fallen due since then which would then reduce the amount payable. Also there is some suggestion although I accept this is from the current regime in power that the “legal” amount payable is significantly less and more in the region of about £9 Billion.
Also some EU countries will be hit more than others. Eire for one has an economy more inter linked with the UK than the rest of Europe. Also, using a football analogy, if Man City (UK) had a reduced income of 22,5% the impact on them is much less in real terms than if Bolton (Poland, Greece or Romania) had a 4% reduction in income.
All round it’s not good but the economic affects will be felt by the people and not the politicians (all sides) and it’s the politicians (all sides) who are currently playing politics and not thinking of the people. But then again, what’s new?
