Isn't the UK second only to Germany in terms of the amount contributed to the EU? We are good customers to the German car industry. We buy more good from the EU than we sell.
We are only one of 27, I agree, but we are only one of a handful which actually contribute, and we contribute a great deal by comparison to other EU nations.
The post which you made that I disagreed with dismissed the UK as being almost irrelevant to the EU. That isn't correct.
I'm not saying that we are indispensable within the EU and that they will be forced to give us a good exit deal. What I am saying is that the UK's membership is not as irrelevant, as you suggest. I believe that we, the U.K, have a negotiating position and that the EU will not dismiss us in a, couldn't care less, manner. I think you are wrong with that assumption and that is why I disagree with you.
ok, I agree that our contribution will be missed, but we are leaving - so there no room for negotiation on that point.
However yes we're good customers of the German car industry now, just like we are the european bike brands. But post Brexit, we still will be, that won't change and we have no bargaining power on that point. I don't drive a German car, I've got a shiny new Mondeo, I bought it because I like to support companies that support cycling and Ford sponsor the SKY team. So when I bought it I told them why.
The Mondeo was made in Spain. Would it being 10% more stop me buying it, no because pretty much all the alternatives are sourced from outside the UK, so in a post Brexit world, they'll all be more.
I don't think I said our membership is irrelevant, but I'd link it to any of our customers, even the big ones. If we have 28 customers, the number 2 customer is important... but we won't fail without them, we'd adjust. Any club / business or anything that can't survive after a single member / customer leaves isn't sustainable. So if we leave and it collapses then I'll take your point, and you'll have been right. But I'd suggest we'll leave and the EU continues but all the members are a bit worse off as club, but possibly have companies within the countries will benefit.
Certainly us as a component part of the club, don't have much of a negotiating position, when we've already said we'll leave and if we don't get a good deal we'll just walk away. Surely anyone can see that the EU will just say bye.