Brief thread on the current deal: 👇👇👇Apologies that I am late to the party on this one but I've been helping out HQ & I have been consulting with members & govt & trying to get my head around what new deal actually means as we had no prior notice or consultation soooooo.... 1/
so firstly this deal is better than no deal for our members and it does guarantee access to the Irish and EU markets for NI business which is hugely important...... but and this is a huge but............. 2/
We have always said that there was a need for unfettered access to both the EU market & the GB market for us not just to thrive but to survive after Brexit. It is not an either or equation, we need both. This should not be news we have said this since day one 3/
Removing the threat of a disastrous no-deal is welcome as is unfettered trade with Ireland and the EU. Unfortunately that unfettered access is not the same for goods that enter Northern Ireland from Great Britain and that is a problem 4/
If this deal passes in the future we need the Government to work with us to mitigate the need for costly checks, declarations and to make any administration as light touch as possible so we can continue to provide Northern Ireland shoppers with choice and affordability. 5/
NI households already have 1/2 of the discretionary income of GB households so any cost rises will squeeze them & it will squeeze retailers who operate on very small profit margins. The UK Govt, EU & joint Committee are going to have to work very hard to mitigate against costs 6/
For the record I did say this on Sunday Inside Business with @wendytalksbizz. Since then I have been working with members to look at how exactly this deal will affect them & raise issues to govt at all levels. The fact remains we need both markets! 7/
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