Business bodies come together in call for softer Brexit

[Chippy_Tea]

Business has spoken and i have a horrible feeling those that voted out (meaning out not some half arsed version of it) are about to be dumped on by Mrs May and her cronies.

Five major UK business bodies have come together to call for continued access to the European single market until a final Brexit deal is made with the EU.

In a letter to Business Secretary Greg Clark, they also ask the government to "put the economy first".

The letter is from the British Chambers of Commerce, Confederation of British Industry, EEF, Federation of Small Businesses and Institute of Directors.

Formal Brexit negotiations between the EU and the UK begin on Monday.

'Flexible'

The signatories say the "economic benefits" of the European Union single market, which allows free movement of goods, services, capital and people, and the customs union, which enables tariff-free trading within the EU, should be maintained until a final settlement between the UK and the EU is "agreed and implemented".

They have also called for a final trade deal that will allow tariff-free goods to be traded between the UK and the EU.

In addition, they want that deal to include "minimal customs formalities", mutual recognition of standards and regulation, and a "flexible system" for the movement of labour and skills.

"We have come together to urge the government to put the economy first as it prepares to start formal negotiations," says the letter to Mr Clark.

"This is a deal that when finally agreed will matter fundamentally for the UK economy, for UK companies and for citizens of the UK."

Monday's talks between Brexit Secretary David Davis and EU negotiator Michel Barnier follow preliminary negotiations in Brussels between officials.

 

[Gunge]

I don't know why we bothered with the referendum - these ***** are doing exactly what they want under the guise of it being better for us. I foresee terrible trouble ahead if brexit as voted for doesn't happen. Good.

 

[MyQul]

I read in the paper today (The Telegraph, so hardly a bastion of left wing agit prop) that if TM doesnt do exactly as she stated (basically a hard brexit. No membership of the customs union or single market) then eurosceptics will field a stalking horse to oust her.
However this presents the Conservatives with a problem. A leadership challenge could precipitate another election (the Telegraph didn't explain exactly why this would happen) which, at the moment the Conservatives would probably lose. So either keep May until it's safe to knife her and risk a 'soft' brexit or Get rid of her and possibly/probably lose an election. Hobson's choice for some people

 

[Byron]

The thing is, had she not called a pointless election all those that wanted it would've got a hard Brexit.

 

[MyQul]

I don't know why we bothered with the referendum - these ***** are doing exactly what they want under the guise of it being better for us. I foresee terrible trouble ahead if brexit as voted for doesn't happen. Good.

I dont, and I'll tell you why. There are many members of the population who voted for a brexit and voted in the full knowledge that they wanted what's now known as a hard brexit. I percieve you as one of these people Gunge? But there are some commentators (and I agree with them) who have suggested that many people voted for brexit as a vote against elites, in a similar way that the vote for Trump's presidency has been seen as an anti-elite vote, rather than a particularly strongly held anti-EU feeling.
I think these anti-elites brexit voters can be persuaded that that a soft brexit is still a brexit by these business leader and from what I read, cross part europhiles. I haven't had the feeling that their has been much outrage against this softening of brexit. I percieve (and it may be just me) that any outrage may be mostly coming from the sections of the media that are particularly 'hard' brexit. I dont get the the feeling (at the moment anyway) that it's coming from the general population

 

[MyQul]

The thing is, had she not called a pointless election all those that wanted it would've got a hard Brexit.

True Dat. It was hubis on her part because she thought she was going to get a huge majority. Instead she ended up with a Labour/Left wing insugency and Anti/Pro European Chaos within her own party and a coming leadership challenge

 

[Gunge]

I haven't had the feeling that their has been much outrage against this softening of brexit. I percieve (and it may be just me) that any outrage may be mostly coming from the sections of the media that are particularly 'hard' brexit. I dont get the the feeling (at the moment anyway) that it's coming from the general population

I reckon that's cos nobody knows what is actually happening. I certainly don't - just keep hearing snippets here and there of 'soft' brexit. I'd guess most folk are the same, not being 'that' interested until things start to happen. It's been all talk and whispers for a year now and the common man has lost interest... for the time being at least.

 

[JFB]

I don't know why we bothered with the referendum - these ***** are doing exactly what they want under the guise of it being better for us. I foresee terrible trouble ahead if brexit as voted for doesn't happen. Good.

I hear more and more people who voted leave wishing they had gone the other way(myself included). Its just to much trouble and an insult to all my European work mates who have put so much into this country.
Like you say we really shouldn't have bothered with the vote in the first place.

 

[MyQul]

I reckon that's cos nobody knows what is actually happening. I certainly don't - just keep hearing snippets here and there of 'soft' brexit. I'd guess most folk are the same, not being 'that' interested until things start to happen. It's been all talk and whispers for a year now and the common man has lost interest... for the time being at least.

The Grenfell fire has taken over the media interest at the moment and you have to be particularly interested in politics to be following all the hard/soft brexit shennigans that are going on at the moment.
I dont think the politicians themselves truly know whats going on at the moment. The Conservatives seem to be in chaos at the moment and Labour sniff blood in the water and are trying to take every advantage. So it's hardly surprising that you averge punters isnt sure either

 

[Druncan]

I get the feeling that those bits of the UK (eg, up here?) that benefit from the plethora of EC grants (CAP/Rural grants/Biodiversity funding/MAFF/RSPB) are starting to get an uncomfortable feeling that the golden tap that delivered pots of EC money may finally be shut off,,, they will be properly fooked.

As far as I know, We get nothing in my current trade but pain. I was tied with the EC working in Trading Standards for 25years,,, until I got sick of the endless red tape *ollicks.

It went to far. The idea was good but like my Hop plants, you attract to many parasites.

 

[trueblue]

Mrs Mayhem's new bedfellows, the DUP, while advocating brexit do not want a hard brexit or even worse for them no deal and full withdrawal as that would mean solid borders with Ireland. So the Germans and French must be rubbing their hands together with glee as their hands are somewhat strengthened. Between them all they have got her by the short and curly's, sorry for the mental picture.

 

[Chippy_Tea]

I thought the ones that voted out wanted to get rid of the leeching MEP's, control our own boarders, use the millions we pay to be in to sort out the problems we have in our own country and numerous other things, I imagine they are not going to be happy with a watered down version of it.

 

[GhostShip]

I really don't get this 'hard Brexit', 'soft Brexit' nonsense.

We're either in or we're out, and out means out of the free market and out of the customs union.

The bulk of the enormous sum we hand over to the EU every year is in order to belong to the free market. If we stay within that, then we continue to pay and nothing has changed.

 

[Chippy_Tea]

Exactly I don't remember a "soft brexit" being discussed until the remainers found out they had lost.

 

[Gunge]

Its just to much trouble and an insult to all my European work mates who have put so much into this country.
Like you say we really shouldn't have bothered with the vote in the first place.

Lol you should live at some of the places I have and see how much the buggers have taken out! Those who have contributed have benefited too - even shelf-stacking has got to be better than digging turnips in some Romanian field for 20p a week. They ought to make our native workshy take the crappy jobs and stop dole money. So simple.

 

[druid]

From someone who sits across the pond and watches...I have a question/ or perhaps observation. My understanding is that England is not part of the EU proper...you are much like Norway and a couple other countries. ( you have an association ) so what if you leave something you aren't part of???? Yes you guys control a great deal of the banking....but that should put you in the drivers seat. Take back control of your borders and stop paying for the sick cousins of the union ..... You guys stood up to the global elites and said no....we are all so proud of what you have done...

 

[GhostShip]

From someone who sits across the pond and watches...I have a question/ or perhaps observation. My understanding is that England is not part of the EU proper...you are much like Norway and a couple other countries. ( you have an association ) so what if you leave something you aren't part of???? Yes you guys control a great deal of the banking....but that should put you in the drivers seat. Take back control of your borders and stop paying for the sick cousins of the union ..... You guys stood up to the global elites and said no....we are all so proud of what you have done...

We are a full member of the EU. The only thing we didn't do was adopt the currency (the Euro). That has turned out to be one of the best decisions this country has ever made.

 

[Gunge]

We are a full member of the EU. The only thing we didn't do was adopt the currency

Or let us have 50g of bacca for £4 instead of the near £20 we have to pay here. Horrible,robbing bleeders. And they genuinely wonder why so much smuggling goes on and where the tax revenue is going lol.

 

[IainM]

Exactly I don't remember a "soft brexit" being discussed until the remainers found out they had lost.

Perhaps not in those terms, but I remember it. There were plenty of articles and videos about the different ways we could leave - Swiss model, Norwegian model, out with a trade deal, the complete severance of ties, and so on (e.g. this one). After the vote there was lots of speculation about which of those routes were best, and the brexit supporting Tory MP Stephen Phillips even quit because of the lack of parliamentary oversight of which type of brexit should, because the brexit he voted for was not the one that Theresa was planning to appease the hard brexit wing of her party. It was only when May made her Lancaster House speech that we had any real idea what her vision was. I find it disingenuous to suggest that everyone voted for the plan she laid out seven months after the referendum.

 

[Chippy_Tea]

I didnt vote but imagine the majority who did did not vote for the half arsed version of brexit the remainers want.