Ronald Stewart-Brown is Director of the Trade Policy Research Centre and he writes a lengthy article on Conservative Home berating UKIP for their policy of withdrawal from the EU and setting up a trading agreement. He also complains that UKIP failed to persuade leading business opinion formers such as the CBI, the Institute of Directors, the Financial Times and The Economist to take them seriously. When were the CBI, IoD, FT or The Economist elected as part of the ruling body of our country? Yes, their views can be taken into consideration, but they are not part of 'government'. In any event businessmen are just that and if they wish to survive then they can go find new markets - is not that what businessmen are supposed to do?
Yet only in September 2006 this same man gave a presentation in Strasbourg presenting figures from the Trade Policy Research Centre (TPRC) which showed that the EU's trade policy, and particularly its extensive network of Free Trade Agreements (FTAs), is radically biased against Britain and British trade interests. Does Ronald Stewart-Brown now dispute the findings of Open Europe, the TaxPayers Alliance or the Bruges Group?
Ronald Stewart-Brown is being a tad disengeneous in this article because as Autonomous Mind states in the comments, no one in the EU will want to make it more expensive to buy British goods and services. If Britain stated its desire to leave there would be nothing stopping a trade agreement being put in place, particularly the free movement of goods. One doesn't have to be in the political club to strike such a trade deal. Likewise, British Watcher is also correct in stating that the British parliament remains supreme and can withdraw us from the EU and all international obligations in a day if that is really the wish of the parliament.
Stewart-Brown's article can hardly be described as 'straight-talking', something the Conservative Party also seem unable to do.
2 comments:
The lack of UKIP airtime on TV and manifesto information in the papers is so telling of the panic that UKIP are causing between the main "three".
I don't even think the polls are correct.
I was surprised that Marr gave Lord Pearson such an easy time today, Sue. Perhaps it's because he knows that UKIP will erode the Tory majority.
The big boys don't have to go out and find markets, WfW - it's probably cheaper for them to purchase the government than to advertise and network.
Lobbyists know that the surest way to obtain a 'market' is to legislate to bring it to you. By this means, they can also cut out the small businesses and reduce their competition. They are society's leeches.
Without the shackles of EU red tape and taxes, our businesses are likely to be more nimble than those in the EU, which should make our goods and services cheaper. I can't see EU organisations refusing to purchase cheaper services just because we're not in the EU. Should we remain as trading partners, I doubt they can even slap tariffs on our wares.
Stewart-Brown is not a stupid man; he's showing his pro-EU credentials.
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