Well the company i work for is a well known British company based in London. It is the best in the World at what it does and every country comes to us for our fantastic product. Never in a million years or all the sand in the Sahara would it pick up sticks and move to somewhere like Spain /Greece/ or wherever, if we left the EU. To say these countries would go elsewhere for our product is ridiculous.
lets be honest would you rather have banking in Britain or Greece? Would my company trust the Latvia/Bulgaria/Romania's or whoever to produce their product or supply the specialists, the answer is no. in fact, never in a million years.
The Euro is having a nightmare at the moment and we could actually see Greece leave.
I am not anti Europe, in fact i think if it was run properly it would be a good thing, however it isn't and something needs to change. All i can say is thank god we were not in the Euro because many who support it wouldn't be now.
It's future investment decisions by companies that are most at risk, they are not going to rip up existing infrastructure and supply/distribution networks overnight. But if a company aim is to sell in the EU, it will always be easier to do that from within the EU than sitting on its edge.
Would I rather have banking in Britain or Greece? Unfair question the alternative is Germany, and it wouldn't bother me either way, except costs are higher in Germany. The reason we are a financial hub is that transactions are taxed relatively lightly here.
Agree re the Euro - I am fully behind the concept (it makes perfect sense if your aim is a single market, takes out a chunk of transaction cost and uncertainty around exchange rates. My company is selling 10% more year on year in Japan but earning less due to the devaluation in the Yen, which is infuriating), but it's design and implementation have been incredibly cack handed. Too much too soon.
Let's be absolutely clear what would happen in the event of an exit. The first trade treaty we would negotiate is with the EU, because it is by far our biggest market. Our aim would be free access to the market, on similar grounds to what we have now. Just like Norway in fact. And if we had the same arrangement as Norway the terms would be acceptance of EU regulations and a contribution to the EU budget - it is estimated that our EU budget contribution would drop by a massive 9% compared to the current full membership cost (and, for example, we would lose the subsidies that make agriculture in Wales and Northern Ireland viable). The other thing we would lose is of course our ability to influence and shape the regulations.
Let's say we decline this kind of arrangement. Then your company's product would be subject to tariffs on export to the EU, pushing up the price. This creates an opportunity for entrepreneurs in the EU to produce the same stuff (probably not as good) and sell it cheaper. May take them some time, but your competitive position has changed hugely.
I really don't get the economic argument for Brexit at all.
The immigration argument is stronger in terms of the impact of EU immigration on UK infrastructure, but these immigrants are net contributors to our economy through tax.
Col's position of principle, not wanting to be governed from afar/cede sovereignty to others, is the one that is most understandable, though I don't agree with it personally.
