IF the UK leaves the European Union British businesses will continue to trade freely with all the other countries in the EU. That is a simple fact and for all the hours of debate it is a simple truth that is frequently overlooked.
Countries around the World trade with the EU without accepting the supremacy of EU law or having to allow 500 million EU citizens into their country.
Britain is the EU’s largest export market and they £68 billion more in goods to us each year than we do to them.
Over the last decade the EU has become less important anyway for UK exporters as economies in the developing parts of the World grow at a much faster rate than the EU. There is already a free trade zone stretching from Iceland to Turkey. There is no reason to accept that if we leave the EU the UK as the 5th biggest economy in the World will not be able to continue to trade with the rest of Europe as we always have, without tariffs and with the minimum of bureaucracy.
David Nuttall 
Thank you – and with respect when it comes to a matter of the price we pay for goods in our shops and supermarkets i prefer the advice of people who work in that industry and lead one of our success stories.
Quite honestly it staggers me that a politician can ignore the experience, knowledge and judgement of such experts.
The experts are saying that the latest recovery in the pound and stock market is because of a little more confidence that remain could prevail. But of course who believes an expert – I take a politicians advice all the time. I might just hesitate if I wanted to build a bridge, or needed radiotherapy and even if I wanted to convey some land. A solicitor might come in useful then I suppose. Just like a retailer, including all shopkeepers know pretty much what is likely to affect their business.
It is NOT a single market/free trade zone – it IS a single regulatory zone, zealots in Brussels who are going out of their way (on behalf of big business, who pay for their large booze fueled lunches) to regulate EVERYTHING. e.g very shortly out toasters and kettles will be power restricted. Ever wondered why no electric kettles in the US – try boiling anything at 110 volts!!
Asda, Tesco etc., would do better to look at why Aldi/Lidol are tacking chunks of their market (and paying better). It’s a given that on Friday a pundit will have made millions on the currency markets. I remember my University economics professor discussing Alpha/Beta etc stocks and shares, brilliant stuff – we asked him who he had bought – answer NIL. Within 2 years – recession. There are dozens of times more paper money moving around the world than actually exist. That’s how they make ‘money’.
‘We are experienced retailers from Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Marks & Spencer, Asda, Waitrose, Morrisons and B&Q and with USDAW, who represent hundreds of thousands of trade union members, believe that if we leave the European Union prices will rise.
There are two key reasons for this.
Firstly, supply chains. We’ve spent the last few decades building very strong supply chains with the EU, which are fully integrated in order to deliver better quality, choice and value for the UK consumer. The single market and free trade are critically important to the strength of the consumer economy. Food is always one of the battle grounds for trade negotiations and the idea that we can reshape supply chains which have taken 45 years to build, in two to three years, is delusional.
Secondly, the value of the pound. In the past two weeks alone, as worries over leaving Europe have increased, the pound has fallen dramatically. This will push up prices. A ‘Leave’ vote will very likely make this worse and lead to a further rise in prices – such as the cost of filling a petrol tank, and the price of a weekly shop. We strongly believe that a Brexit will see less money in people’s pockets and be catastrophic for millions of ordinary families. That is why we believe that Britain should remain in the EU on 23rd June’.
Do you accept this ?
Will Brexit mean prices will rise ? And living standards consequently fall ?
No, I do not accept it for two reasons. 1. The leave side is not suggesting that these supply chains should be disrupted in any way. The EU and their threat tactics may be threatening that but that seems to be their way.
2. The value of the pound against euro is dependant on how strong the UK’s economy is perceived to be. The exchange rate fluctuates all the time and if one considers what the rate was say about three years ago 24th June 2013 it was 1.17 24th June 2014 1.25 24th June 2015 1.41. Today it is trading at about 1.30. I would not call that a ‘dramatic fall’ The pound is broadly trading within its usual ranges.