Interesting analogy from ex-Liar Fox aide:
Ex-Liam Fox aide: Leaving EU is like swapping three-course dinner for crisps
Martin Donnelly says there’s ‘no evidence of untapped global markets waiting to welcome UK companies.’
Sir Martin Donnelly, ex-Head of Liam Fox's International Trade Department on Brexit, share his thoughts on the Government's current vision of Brexit:
Martin Donnelly … on Global Britain: “There is a marked lack of evidence that leaving the EU customs union and single market will lead to greater U.K. trade with third countries.”
On cutting trade deals: “The EU as a trade negotiator has the economic weight to deal with China and the U.S. as trade equals. The U.K. does not.”
On the impact of Brexit: “For the U.K. to give up existing access both to the EU single market, and to the preferential trade agreements which the EU has in place with over 50 countries, in exchange for its own bilateral trade deals at some future date, is rather like rejecting a three course meal now in favor of the promise of a packet of crisps later.”
On ‘smart’ border checks: “Technology cannot offer a frictionless solution to border controls.”
On leaving the single market: “Having our cake and eating it is not an option in the real world; ‘frictionless trade’ is a phrase without legal content.”
On the task ahead: “To provide U.K. business with guarantees of full and equal access to the single market, without equal acceptance of EU regulatory structures would require not so much a skilled negotiating team, as a fairy godmother specialized in trade law.”
On the future: “Given the negative consequences of leaving, and the lack of any significant offsetting advantages, I believe it is likely the U.K. will seek to return to full membership of the EU single market in due course. But significant damage to employment, the structure of the economy and the competitiveness of U.K. firms can be expected in the meantime.”
Are we now seeing the reason why Donnelly resigned or is it just bitchiness?
Tom
