Critics counter that increasing friction with the European Union has high costs. No other partner comes close to matching the scale of UK trade with the EU. Even with fast growth, the critics say, new deals cannot compensate for weakening trade with the EU.
Many are, nonetheless, mesmerised by the prospect of global trade. The ‘European Research Group’ of Conservative MPs are among Global Britain’s chief proponents.
The ERG seems willing to sacrifice other priorities – such as ardent advocacy of the UK’s ‘precious Union’ and their relationship with Northern Ireland’s Democratic Unionists – to this goal. So does Prime Minister Johnson.
Like the Brexit Party, Conservative Global Britain advocates see the UK as economically enchained by the EU. It is unresponsive to UK economic needs. [...]
Brexit also offers opportunities for deregulation. In 2012 Conservative MPs Kwasi Kwarteng, Priti Patel, Dominic Raab, Chris Skidmore and Liz Truss published Britannia Unchained. Now, they are in Johnson’s government. [...]
Both ‘remainers’ and ‘anti-no deal leavers’ see things differently. They prefer to remain in or close to the EU’s single market and/or customs union. Of course, either would limit the scope of other post-Brexit trade deals.
Caught up in endless fast-moving Brexit debates, Britain has not yet faced its longer-term realities and hard choices. Many are horrified to find that the EU future relationship negotiations have not yet begun. [...]
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