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A glib and meaningless soundbite of the type we're becoming accustomed to in the Brexit 'debate' - is there a size of economy that is just right for being in a Customs Union?
It appears from multiple sources that the looking glass world of Brexit has managed to produce a 'compromise' between front benches that is merely a restatement of the fact the Withdrawal Agreement means indeterminate Customs Union bloomberg.com/news/articles/…
Remember a 'Customs Union' is just a framework that still has to be negotiated that as base only means common external tariffs / no internal tariffs. Saying no means you rule out shaping this in a way acceptable to us, which doesn't sound like the confidence of a large economy
If the main reasoning against a Customs Union is the loss of trade policy flexibility where is the evidence that we will benefit from such flexibility? Bear in mind the Government has not shown the detail in a Green or White Paper in 3 years
It has been suggested that the UK needs full tariff control to get good deals for the services in which we are strong. Farmers for financial services as rather a long time ago @SamuelMarcLowe suggested. Might there be a domestic problem there? medium.com/@SamuelMarcLow…
And remember the reason a Customs Union has been suggested is as the closest possible economic partnership with the EU consistent with ending freedom of movement. With the right design it can also mean more or less frictionless trade i.e. no Irish border infrastructure
Just as its wrong to rule out a Customs Union on scant evidence, it would also be wrong to overlook the issues. The point being we'll never get out of the Brexit mess with facile soundbites and 'compromise' that avoids the main issues. /end
