Brexit: A Triumph for Britain, Despite Labour’s Naysayers

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Brexit has proven to be a significant success, defying the dire predictions made by Remain supporters. They warned that leaving the European Union would cause our trade to plummet. However, the current figures tell a different story, and Labour's claims that reducing frictions with the single market would spur growth are questionable, given our existing comprehensive free trade deal.

 

Government statistics reveal a substantial increase in our service exports, which continue to thrive globally. Following Brexit, the UK has ascended to become the second largest global exporter of services, trailing only the United States. This impressive achievement has gone largely uncelebrated by those who were convinced that we would lose export orders.

 

Between 2016 and 2023, British exports surged by 50%, according to official data. While the COVID-19 lockdowns caused a temporary dip in international sales, overall performance has been robust, outstripping inflation. The services sector, in particular, has been a powerhouse, consistently accounting for more than half of our total exports.

 

Our trade with the rest of the world grew faster than our trade with the EU even while we were still a member. This trend has persisted post-Brexit, with non-EU countries now representing 59% of our exports. We are actively signing trade agreements with non-EU nations, which include provisions for freer trade in services—often absent from EU deals.

 

Despite maintaining substantial imports from the EU, we continue to run a significant trade deficit with them. The EU accounts for 52% of our imports, a situation exacerbated by the UK's net zero policies. These policies have priced us out of fossil fuel-dependent industries, increasing our reliance on EU energy and industrial products. Our domestic oil and gas production has been scaled down in favor of more CO2-intensive LNG imports.

 

The UK has also climbed the ranks in attracting foreign investment, particularly in new activities and greenfield sites. In 2021 and 2022, the UK was the second most successful destination for foreign direct investment, trailing only the US and surpassing China. We attracted three times as much investment as Germany and more than four times as much as France.

 

Contrary to the notion that Brexit would diminish our global standing, the latest Brand Finance Soft Power survey places the UK second only to the US, ahead of China, Japan, Germany, and France. Post-Brexit, the UK has reclaimed its independent seat and vote at the World Trade Organisation, reduced tariffs, formed the AUKUS alliance with the US and Australia, and emerged as a NATO leader alongside the US.

 

It is time for commentators and lobby groups to abandon their pessimistic outlook on our trade. Their forecasts, based on outdated models that favored trade with nearby neighbors, failed to account for the robust trade relationships that nations like China have with Europe and America.

 

Our membership in the Trans-Pacific Partnership underscores our shift toward trading more with non-European nations. This move connects us to a rapidly growing and vital part of the world. British services are in high demand globally, fostering deeper international relationships and showcasing our skills. Post-Brexit Britain is held in higher regard, wields more influence, and enjoys more robust trade than during our EU membership. We are also avoiding a share of the EU's mounting debts and saving on significant annual contributions, which is particularly beneficial given our domestic budgetary pressures.

 

John Redwood Opinion

 

Credit: Daily Telegraph 2024-07-03

 

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[goldenbrwn1]

Cue lots of Brits who don’t even live in the UK to lose their minds…. 🍿 time

[Red Forever]

Jeez, I struggled through this load of right wing drivel thinking that this load of BS is too much even for the Torygraph. 

On seeing swivel eyed loon Redwood's name credited I realised that I should scroll to the end of these posts in order to save minutes of my life. 

[bradiston]

What in heaven's name is this article doing here?

[JayClay]

13 minutes ago, bradiston said:

What in heaven's name is this article doing here?

 

Lying

[JayClay]

Publishing an article on the "success of Brexit" on the eve of an event in which the electorate have the option to severely punish the party that imposed it on is... is.... brave.

[nong38]

It all depends which aspects you choose to look at, I am glad we left but has Brexit delivered all that I expected? Well no and how they fix the Northern situation is anybody's guess. We need to leave the ECHR as well that a millstone round our necks.

[Chomper Higgot]

3 minutes ago, JayClay said:

Publishing an article on the "success of Brexit" on the eve of an event in which the electorate have the option to severely punish the party that imposed it on is... is.... brave.

No, it’s not brave, it’s desperate.

 

[Chomper Higgot]

2 minutes ago, nong38 said:

It all depends which aspects you choose to look at, I am glad we left but has Brexit delivered all that I expected? Well no and how they fix the Northern situation is anybody's guess. We need to leave the ECHR as well that a millstone round our necks.

The UK is not leaving the ECHR. 
 

You can put that particular extreme rightwing wet dream out of your head.

 

It ain’t going to happen.

[Nick Carter icp]

8 minutes ago, JayClay said:

Publishing an article on the "success of Brexit" on the eve of an event in which the electorate have the option to severely punish the party that imposed it on is... is.... brave.

 

   It was the will of the people , its what the British people wanted . 

Constatives just delivered what the British people voted for 

[Chomper Higgot]

4 minutes ago, Nick Carter icp said:

 

   It was the will of the people , its what the British people wanted . 

Constatives just delivered what the British people voted for 

Well the Tories delivered something, and will be rewarded for it this week.

[Dogmatix]

It doesn’t say where this junk came from but it is highly selective in the data it cites. Exports of services may be largely tourism income which is positively affected by the weak pound partly caused by Brexit. But exports of financial services, London’s key industry, were totally trashed by Brexit as banks shut down entire departments and moved them to the Continent. London’s residential and commercial property markets are still suffering. 
 

As for exports of goods, these are totally ravished by Brexit due the costs and procedures added which have booted smaller British companies out of exporting to EU markers and out of business in many cases. EU customers no longer want to deal with British exporters who don’t have European warehouses because it is too much trouble for them.

 

Some victory and neither of the two main parties dare acknowledge the 400 pound Brexit gorilla smirking at them.

[JonnyF]

Great article. At last someone has the minerals to say it. Brexit has been a success. We are outperforming the EU's powerhouse Germany, signed many, many trade deals and no longer have to pay the failing federalist project that is the EU for the privilige of being told what to do by them.

 

Well done Boris. 

 

Can't wait to see the EU crumble when France leave under Le Pen. 

[JayClay]

32 minutes ago, Nick Carter icp said:

Constatives just delivered what the British people voted for 

 

Whether it was what they voted for or not is an endless debate.

 

Regardless of if they voted for it or not, the majority of the 52% who voted for it are unhappy that it's either too extreme or not extreme enough.

 

And tomorrow, the Tories will be punished for what they did by the electorate, regardless of whether it was them who asked them to "deliver" it or not.

[JayClay]

42 minutes ago, Chomper Higgot said:

No, it’s not brave, it’s desperate.

 

 

well duh

[steve187]

1 hour ago, Chomper Higgot said:

Well the Tories delivered something, and will be rewarded for it this week.

I very much disagree that they will be voted out because of Brexit, they will be voted out because they have failed to keep everyone happy, Labour will get in not because they will do any better, but because of the 2 party politics of the UK, they are the only competition

[steve187]

55 minutes ago, JayClay said:

 

Whether it was what they voted for or not is an endless debate.

 

Regardless of if they voted for it or not, the majority of the 52% who voted for it are unhappy that it's either too extreme or not extreme enough.

 

And tomorrow, the Tories will be punished for what they did by the electorate, regardless of whether it was them who asked them to "deliver" it or not.

I am not sure the majority of the 52% are unhappy, but some are, but then maybe some of the 48% are happy we left

[JonnyF]

1 hour ago, Dogmatix said:

It doesn’t say where this junk came from but it is highly selective in the data it cites. Exports of services may be largely tourism income which is positively affected by the weak pound partly caused by Brexit. But exports of financial services, London’s key industry, were totally trashed by Brexit as banks shut down entire departments and moved them to the Continent. London’s residential and commercial property markets are still suffering. 
 

 

Nonsense.

 

As the adults in the room noted at the time, there would be some short term issues to sort out and then it would be business as usual. And look what happened. Just as we said. 

 

https://www.reuters.com/world/uk/city-london-remains-top-global-financial-centre-own-survey-2024-01-24/

 

 

[Chomper Higgot]

11 minutes ago, JonnyF said:

 

Nonsense.

 

As the adults in the room noted at the time, there would be some short term issues to sort out and then it would be business as usual. And look what happened. Just as we said. 

 

https://www.reuters.com/world/uk/city-london-remains-top-global-financial-centre-own-survey-2024-01-24/

 

 

Seen any warm sunlit uplands?

[JonnyF]

11 minutes ago, Chomper Higgot said:

Seen any warm sunlit uplands?

 

I don't believe that was an option on the ballot paper, so it's a bit of a trolly question. 

[Chomper Higgot]

3 minutes ago, JonnyF said:

 

I don't believe that was an option on the ballot paper, so it's a bit of a trolly question. 

It was certainly a statement made by leaders of the Leave Campaign.

 

Perhaps unaware that there is nothing more dangerous in politics than to promise better times then fail to deliver them.

[JonnyF]

1 minute ago, Chomper Higgot said:

It was certainly a statement made by leaders of the Leave Campaign.

 

 

 

Could you provide a link to somewhere they promised "warm sunlit uplands" please. 

 

Otherwise, stop trolling. It's boring. 

[Chomper Higgot]

9 minutes ago, JonnyF said:

 

Could you provide a link to somewhere they promised "warm sunlit uplands" please. 

 

Otherwise, stop trolling. It's boring. 

https://www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-and-advice/brexit-travel-europe-sunlit-uplands-b1780492.html

[placeholder]

46 minutes ago, steve187 said:

I am not sure the majority of the 52% are unhappy, but some are, but then maybe some of the 48% are happy we left

Whatever the source of contentment or discontent may be, it's clear that currently, Brexit is not popular and hasn't been for some time

https://www.statista.com/statistics/987347/brexit-opinion-poll/#:~:text=As of late 2023%2C 31,EU or the single market.

[superal]

37 minutes ago, steve187 said:

I very much disagree that they will be voted out because of Brexit, they will be voted out because they have failed to keep everyone happy, Labour will get in not because they will do any better, but because of the 2 party politics of the UK, they are the only competition

Out of the controlling EU chains , is why the nation voted for Brexit . Unfortunately the BJ exit negotiations were not ideal . The EU hated the UK for leaving and even now they still bear resentments . Next thing to do is leave the ECHR because that still has a big say on how the UK controls immigration . Many of  my European friends here in Thailand admire Brexit and wish their countries would do the same . However the leaders of the EU see their dreams as the "United Europe " . They are control freaks , none more so than Macron who is so out of touch with his people and is now suffering the consequences . 

 Farage and the "Reform Party " have got my backing .  I was once a backer of the Tory Party but because of the uncontrolled immigration , the cost of living , lousy house building and planning laws , the collapse of the NHS etc , enough is enough .

[Thingamabob]

At the time of Britain's joining the EEC Heath's treatment of the former dominions and colonies was an utter disgrace. Many of us will not forget that irrespective of how things stand today.

[JonnyF]

47 minutes ago, Chomper Higgot said:

https://www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-and-advice/brexit-travel-europe-sunlit-uplands-b1780492.html

 

A travel article about tours to locations in Europe 😃.

 

 

 

 

Desperate stuff even by your standards 😄.

[Srikcir]

Fantasy. 

"Brexit’s Lasting Damage Is Looking Inescapable"

• By almost every economic and financial measure, parting ways with the EU almost eight years ago has been disastrous for the UK. Is there no end in sight?     March 19, 2024 - Bloomberg News

[RayC]

7 hours ago, JonnyF said:

Great article. At last someone has the minerals to say it. Brexit has been a success. We are outperforming the EU's powerhouse Germany, signed many, many trade deals and no longer have to pay the failing federalist project that is the EU for the privilige of being told what to do by them.

 

Well done Boris. 

 

Can't wait to see the EU crumble when France leave under Le Pen. 

 

Brexit has been a failure by most metrics. I have submitted numerous links on numerous occasions to support this contention.

 

It is disingenuous of Redwood to imply that leaving the EU has had a positive effect on service exports. Services did not form part of the TCA.

 

Leaving the EU has had a negative effect on the UK's trade deficit in goods: Trade with the EU is down and the promised trade deals with China, India and the US are nowhere to be seen. 95% of the "many, many trade deals" were simply legacies of the UK's membership of the EU which we subsequently carried over. The very few trade deals that the UK has struck since Brexit e.g. with Australia have generally been more favourable to our bi-lateral partners.

 

However, the provision of financial services was the one area where the Leavers refrain, "They need us more than we need them", had a ring of truth. The EU is still building the infrastructure necessary to support its' financial services industry. In addition, there has been little diversification of regulation since Brexit. When the EU is comfortable with it's ability to supply the necessary services and if the UK departs from EU regulation, the effect of leaving the EU will be clearer. I doubt that the outcome will be favourable for the UK.

 

Rather than compare the UK with only one EU member state over a short time scale, a better comparison would be with the EU bloc or Eurozone since the referendum. On most metrics, the UK has underperformed.

 

https://www.cnbc.com/2024/02/14/brexit-has-sliced-5percent-off-uk-economic-growth-goldman-sachs-says.html

 

Hopefully, National Rally won't win in the second round of the French election. Even if they do succeed, I'd make sure that you get the supplies in: You'll have a long wait for France leaving the EU.

[nong38]

It is  so easy to spot a remainer who still will not accept the result of the Brexit vote. Its history and you really do need to move on, there is no going back. I voted to leave  and am glad we did but if we had voted to stay in Europe then I would have accepted that. I travelled the country just before voting day and it was clear to me that it looked like we would be leaving. One of my reasons for leaving was the EU is unaccountable, the people have no say in which way the EU was going, it was decided in Brussels by unelected officials who were all doing ver nicely thank you and trying to turn Europe into one people when in reality it was a collection countries that all had their own customs and cultures and that's the way I wanted it to stay and the direction it was heading was not the way forward I liked the look of.

I am sure that there are some on this topic who will not see it that way but that does not make you right.