Before Christmas, on December 19th the British Chambers of Commerce (HERE) published a despairing statement prompted by talk, said to be from senior cabinet ministers, that we could leave the EU on some sort of 'managed glide path' (courtesy Penny Mordaunt our empty headed International Development Secretary HERE) as if Brexit was an aeroplane in which all power had been lost. The analogy is half right, Brexit is a bit like voluntarily switching off all the engines on your 747 because some of the passengers persuaded you it was a good idea, following a democratic vote.
However, that the 'managed glide path' is even a remote last gasp attempt to land safely without turning at least some of the engines back on is a fantasy, as the BCC say:
“With just 100 days to go, the suggestion that
‘no-deal’ can be ‘managed’ is not a credible proposition. Businesses
would face massive new customs costs and tariffs. Disruption at ports
could destroy carefully built supply chains. From broadcasters, to
insurance brokers, to our financial services - the UK’s world-leading
services sector will be needlessly disadvantaged, and many professional
qualifications will be unrecognised across the EU. UK and EU nationals
working abroad will be left in deep uncertainty about their future. As a
result of the lack of progress, the Government is understandably now in
a place where it must step up no-deal planning, but it is clear there
is simply not enough time to prevent severe dislocation and disruption
in just 100 days.
"This is not where we should be".
If we continue with the jumbo jet analogy, imagine the conversation in the cockpit. The fuel tanks are half full, the engines although idling are all perfectly serviceable but the discussion involves looking for ways to land safely somewhere without any power. At some point, one would hope, the pilots or the cabin crew might hit upon the idea of re-starting the engines and continuing the journey we started 45 years ago. Some of the passengers might be angry that their democratic vote is being overuled but looking out of the windows as the ground silently rushes up to meet them will, I hope persuade many to think again or to ask if democracy is a really a good way to resolve these things.
The BCC by the way represents 75,000 businesses employing 5 million UK workers so its opinions are not to be dismissed lightly.
The day before, (18th December) the BCC joined the CBI, the EEF, the Institute of Directors and the Federation of Small Businesses (HERE) in releasing the same statement, expressing dismay that MPs had descended into factional in-fighting as the risk of exiting the EU without a deal rises.
So, as the old year ends and the new one begins, ignore all the talk of no deal, managed or otherwise, because it isn't going to happen. Relax back into your over the wings seat, stop worrying and just ponder thankfully on what a powerful force self-preservation can be under these circumstances.
