BY ALEXIA JAMES
It seems that the diehard Remainers have already decided that Brexit was a waste of time and has resulted in abject failure – less than a month after the UK’s exit from the transition period. At the weekend Michel Barnier was busy painting a false picture of EU unity and pretending that now “we all see the cost of Brexit” – again, just a few weeks after the ink dried on the EU-UK trade deal. Expect the Michel Barnier Book of Negotiation soon – no doubt it will be lapped up by Sciences Po drones and others who have about as much real world nous as a convent girl. I suppose we should expect some of those who still worship at the FBPE altar to fight on after defeat like Japanese soldiers.
The nonsense of Barnier and the Remainers will continue even when Britain pulls away from the EU, smashing the growth figures of the French economy, and finding plenty of innovative ways to thrive. Brexit was always going to be a longer-term opportunity and even the most optimistic of Brexiteers expected the M20 to be full of lorries, which has hardly happened. Project Fear hasn’t materialised. But making any kind of judgement now – so soon after departure and against the backcloth of a global pandemic – is frankly bonkers. British businesspeople know how to be successful and were always going to rejig where necessary and exploit new opportunities as they developed.
So, when Brexiteers come under attack on social media, it’s been a while but do refresh yourself with the facts. No point losing an argument you’ve already won. The key arguments for leave were, and are still:
Foreign affairs
- Continued EU membership limited Britain’s international influence, ruling out an independent seat at the World Trade Organisation (WTO).
Sovereignty
- Britain now has more control of its laws and regulations, without the risk of having counterintuitive European policies forcefully imposed.
Security
- Britain’s domestic security can benefit from full border controls outside the EU.
Money
- EU membership fees – amounting to billions – can be repurposed and spent on issues that matter most to the British people, like funding for the NHS.
Trade
- Membership of the EU kept Britain from fully capitalising on trade with other major economies such as Japan and India.
Business
- The EU subjected Britain to slow and inflexible bureaucratic red tape, making it more prohibitive for smaller companies to do business.
Jobs
- Improved global trade agreements and more selective immigration will have a positive effect on the British job market.
Consumer goods
- EU VAT contributions and agricultural subsidies policies cost UK consumers hundreds of pounds each year.
Don’t expect the #FBPE / Rejoiner loons to relent anytime soon. It took many years before the anti-reunification crowd in West Germany quietened. But, as capital flows hit the safe haven of Britain in a less stable world and new markets are opened up, expect the James O’Briens and other EU moon worshippers of these times to have their faces covered in plenty of egg. Have faith. Brexit will be a roaring success – you watch.