You probably heard about that recent Daily Telegraph article, which claimed that the UK government would avoid new laws which would increase the trading differences between Britain and NEI. OK, the Windsor Framework ensures there’s a sizeable gap already – NEI has access to the EU Single Market, the UK does not. But there won’t be any increasing divergence. Think of it as A and B, with Britain as A and NEI as B. A promises not to increase the A-B gap.
However, there’s one major matter that appears to have been overlooked – the EU. As the years roll on, the EU will pass new laws and rules. Since NEI is part of the EU Single Market, changes in EU law will carry NEI along with it. Maybe think of the EU as C. The gap between Britain and NEI/ A -B – will not increase due to any new British trading laws. But the EU almost certainly will change laws, regulations, rules, over the coming years. And since NEI is tied to the EU Single Market, it too will move further and further away from Britain’s trading rules.
The gap between A and B won’t increase – A has promised that, and we all have total faith in the Tories, right? But if C diverges further from A, it’ll bring B with it. Right now it’s A—B. But with new EU trading rules over time, it’ll become A———–B.
Brexit: sometimes, you need to be careful what you wish/work for.
When I first heard this information I wondered how April 1 could have arrived so soon!
Now I know why I voted Remain, I would much rather be ruled by C than by A. If what Jim and Jamie and Ben and Kate say is actually true, the gap between A and B will have to grow. Good.