Since the days of Thatcher, the UK has successfully marketed itself as the "gateway to Europe" for thousands of foreign firms. English language business environment, highly educated workforce, and no barriers of any kind between us & the EU so they can just pop stuff on lorries.
On Brexit Day, we're walling up that gateway.
We may keep a temporary door open for a little while (transition period) but every single firm will know that the days of frictionless trade and just-in-time production are coming to an end.
What do you think they'll do?
We may keep a temporary door open for a little while (transition period) but every single firm will know that the days of frictionless trade and just-in-time production are coming to an end.
What do you think they'll do?
If they stay here, they will potentially face tariff and non-tariff barriers, a different regulatory environment, additional costs (dual certification: UK & EU, two sets of trademark registrations, etc. etc.) and for what? What do they actually *gain* by staying here?
Nothing, that's what. Not if they already have plants elsewhere in the EU or in other countries that have good trade deals with the EU that could take up the slack. So watch out for the steady exodus of firms to become a flood.
