I was meant to vote Remain. But I was giving a speech to the EU in Vienna on Human Rights on June 23rd. And my late British Airways flight meant I couldn’t vote in time. But now I regret not being a Brexiter.
Having seen arrogant EU politicians (I prefer arrogant British ones) telling us in Britain that we better do this and better do that – forget the economic arguments about in and out – it’s now a point of principle -I don’t like how EU politicians speak to us.
You can make a million economic arguments either way. Doesn’t mean they are all equally good. There is just too much ‘confirmation bias’ where people believe what fits their bias rather than being objective. For me, I am not objective either. I am biased for being a patriotic Brit. I will no cap in hand go to the EU begging to be in the Customs Union or Single Market.
Yes I know it will be the end of the economic world if we are not. Oh, it will be a nuclear economic catastrophe, may as well jump off a cliff…hang on…wait…before you go down the suicide route…a falling pound means cheaper exports, means we are more competitive against the Europeans, means more foreign companies investing here.
So get a grip. Stop being afraid. For me it is now totally a matter of principle. I am way too proud to be British to negotiate in any other way. Anyway the British Government has an unofficial policy of weak pound. They want to talk down the Pound because it helps our competitiveness, our balance of payments deficit (ie we import too much and don’t buy enough from British companies), and brings in overseas capital into the UK.
Sure, I want everything to be quiet and the same. But we are here. You can’ negotiate by saying you want everything the other side has in its power. Now that we have said we don’t care about Single Market and Customs Union, let’s see the EU tell us what we will and will not get. Do your worst – bomb us with your rhetoric EU.
And for the Indian readers of this paper? Fewer EU people means more room for Indians. Sure we don’t have an open border with India, so don’t tell your family to get the plane right away. We haven’t even left yet.
By the way, UK-US-Russia – far bigger than EU.
