Roger Kendrick, surely one of the great deluded non-entities of our time, made a fool of himself at the CBI conference yesterday (HERE) by telling the PM to "tear up" the Withdrawal Agreement. You may have seen him on the news. He is described in The Daily Mail as a businessman but it's hard to find out what business he's actually in. Mr Kendrick writes occasional fantasy pieces for Brexit Central - presumably after he's been drinking, and quite heavily, judging by his efforts.
He referred yesterday to the CBI as the Confederation of European Industry as if they were a bunch of industrial fifth columnists - and was roundly jeered for it.
He is another one who can't face up to the fact that the EU single market is nothing if not a level playing field with legal redress against anyone trying to steal an advantage.
An article he penned last November (HERE) which I have referred to before had the title: The EU’s negotiating position is weak so the Government must avoid making unnecessary concessions. It was whatever the opposite of prescient is, Kendrick is not so much a sage as a half-wit. Listen to these extracts for an idea of what went on in his mind:
He referred yesterday to the CBI as the Confederation of European Industry as if they were a bunch of industrial fifth columnists - and was roundly jeered for it.
"He said: 'Prime Minister, on Sunday you
proposed to sign a withdrawal agreement, and that agreement is going to
lock us into the EU regulations on a permanent basis unless the EU
agrees otherwise. Now this is to
ensure we have frictionless trade with the EU, which is about 43 per
cent of our goods trade, and we lose £95billion a year on that deal.
"Whereas the alternative is a rapidly growing market outside the EU where we have huge opportunities. But those opportunities will be lost if you sign that agreement and you lock us into the EU regulatory framework. Because
the EU has made it absolutely clear they don't want us to be more
competitive, and that means we can't improve our productivity and that
means we can't improve our prosperity".
He is another one who can't face up to the fact that the EU single market is nothing if not a level playing field with legal redress against anyone trying to steal an advantage.
An article he penned last November (HERE) which I have referred to before had the title: The EU’s negotiating position is weak so the Government must avoid making unnecessary concessions. It was whatever the opposite of prescient is, Kendrick is not so much a sage as a half-wit. Listen to these extracts for an idea of what went on in his mind:
"It also demonstrates that, in trading
terms, the EU has a very weak negotiating position – and the same point
applies to the exit money where the EU has no real cards at all".
"That is why Ireland and the EU are so desperate to avoid a hard border with the UK and their demands are clear evidence of their weak negotiating position and Ireland’s desperate attempts to keep the UK in the Customs Union by using the Irish border as a lever.
"On the Irish border issue and on the exit bill, the EU actually has few cards to play, so they have sensibly adopted the ploy that they will not move onto trade negotiations until the UK irrevocably concedes ground on these issues.
"The UK actually has a far stronger negotiating hand and that strength is at is maximum point right now. It merely requires courage on the part of Theresa May and the Cabinet to face the EU down".
"On the Irish border issue and on the exit bill, the EU actually has few cards to play, so they have sensibly adopted the ploy that they will not move onto trade negotiations until the UK irrevocably concedes ground on these issues.
"The UK actually has a far stronger negotiating hand and that strength is at is maximum point right now. It merely requires courage on the part of Theresa May and the Cabinet to face the EU down".
I was curious who this delusional twerp was, rubbing shoulders with the captains of British industry during their Annual Conference held at The Intercontinental Hotel in London and forcing his way onto the front pages of national newspapers as well as the BBC. He looks a bit like Daniel Quilp, the malign, slum landlord from a televised version of The Old Curiosity Shop but described mysteriously by Brexit Central as a "serial entrepreneur" whatever that is.
It turns out he is an non-executive director of a company called Game Account Network (GAN) and his bio is HERE on their website. It all looks very impressive. They are involved in what they call Real Money Gaming otherwise known as separating weak minded suckers from their money. Daniel Quilp may not be far off the truth. GAN is hardly what I would personally think of as a socially useful or desirable business.
It describes itself as "an innovator in platform design and deployment in markets world-wide" - so now you know - or maybe not?
GAN's accounts for 2015 showed revenues of £6.0 million (down from £7.5 million the year before) and an amazing loss of £5.6 million before tax (HERE). The suckers it seems were not just the users but also the investors!
By 2017 revenues (HERE) had gone up to £9.1 million with another loss before tax of £4.2 million (down from a loss of £5.2 million in 2016). So, it seems Roger Kendrick is not so much of a serial entrepreneur as a serial loser. These are the sort of people behind Brexit. They have no idea about the real world of making and growing things or providing services that make the lives of ordinary people better. It is all a get rich quick thing for them (or perhaps in Kendrick's case a get poor quick - I do hope so).
By 2017 revenues (HERE) had gone up to £9.1 million with another loss before tax of £4.2 million (down from a loss of £5.2 million in 2016). So, it seems Roger Kendrick is not so much of a serial entrepreneur as a serial loser. These are the sort of people behind Brexit. They have no idea about the real world of making and growing things or providing services that make the lives of ordinary people better. It is all a get rich quick thing for them (or perhaps in Kendrick's case a get poor quick - I do hope so).
Going back to last November, Kendrick said:
"Sooner or later the UK either will have to
say “No” or submit to the EU ransom demands and accept a very bad deal.
The sooner the UK says “No”, the sooner we may move on to a more
balanced negotiation and get a reasonable deal".
Looking at his record as an entrepreneur, I think Theresa May, bad as she is, would be well advised to ignore his advice.
The Mail also reveals his wife (until recently) was Anne Marie Morris, Conservative MP for Newton Abbot and another Brexiteer who has sworn to vote against the deal:
If the leaked information on the proposed Brexit deal is accurate, I cannot support it. A NI solution which divides the UK and a non-regression clause to ensure the UK cannot out compete the EU are completely unacceptable. The PM is not delivering the Brexit people voted for.— Anne Marie Morris MP (@AnneMarieMorris) November 14, 2018
Note carefully how Mrs Morris would like to "out compete" the EU. She also wants to lower standards and objects to the non-regression clause that would prevent the UK becoming a sweat shop. If we can't compete on a level playing field let's try and tilt it in our favour - and chide the opposition for not wanting to allow it. How could they be so unreasonable?
Kendrick and Morris may be separated but they are so alike aren't they?
Kendrick and Morris may be separated but they are so alike aren't they?
