JAMES Cleverly, Foreign Office minister and not the brightest in the UK Government, stated that countries can trade very well – in fact, “successfully” – with the EU without a formal trade deal. He obviously was picking up on Johnson’s wish for, in Boris-speech, an Australian-style deal with the EU. In fact, Australia has no deal with the EU.
The EU comprises 11% of Australian goods trade and 19% of its services trade. In contrast, the EU is by far the UK’s most important trading partner. Exports to the EU made up 43% of the UK’s total exports (goods and services) in 2019. The EU was the source 51% of UK imports in 2019.
READ MORE: Brexit: Michel Barnier gives ‘gloomy’ assessment of progress of talks with UK
The EU is our nearest neighbour, and a great deal of imports are just-in-time frictionless delivery!
James Cleverly is making a false comparison and trying to sooth the worried and unthinking red-white-and-blue sections of the country.
The Brexiteers were never very competent at comparative analysis and drawing cogent conclusions, falling back on slogans, punchlines and sophistry!
John Edgar
Kilmaurs
Why are you making commenting on The National only available to subscribers?
We know there are thousands of National readers who want to debate, argue and go back and forth in the comments section of our stories. We’ve got the most informed readers in Scotland, asking each other the big questions about the future of our country.
Unfortunately, though, these important debates are being spoiled by a vocal minority of trolls who aren’t really interested in the issues, try to derail the conversations, register under fake names, and post vile abuse.
So that’s why we’ve decided to make the ability to comment only available to our paying subscribers. That way, all the trolls who post abuse on our website will have to pay if they want to join the debate – and risk a permanent ban from the account that they subscribe with.
The conversation will go back to what it should be about – people who care passionately about the issues, but disagree constructively on what we should do about them. Let’s get that debate started!
Callum Baird, Editor of The National
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel