Thread by @uk_domain_names

MYTH: "Other countries do just fine outside the EU"

Since countries such as Japan and Canada thrive outside the EU, why are we so afraid to join them? 1/9

The logical flaw in this question is that the countries being held up as examples of successful non-EU states have never been in the EU. 2/9

They’ve had years and years to build up their relationships with other countries, layer after layer, like geological sediment: bilateral free trade deals, participation in regional trade associations, industry partnerships, knowledge transfers and so on. 3/9

It is these complex networks of arrangements which have allowed them to thrive without the EU.

We can, too, provided we have the kind of agreements in place that they already do – the real issue to focus on is the need to develop those agreements, which will take decades. 4/9

So yes, we can eventually end up with the same kind of trade agreements etc. as other non-EU countries. 5/9

But we’re starting 40 years behind them, so we will have to endure an intervening period of poor trading conditions and all the other chaos that comes with Brexit until we get into a reasonable position. 6/9

We’ll all be running the same race, but the EU will be miles ahead and the other countries will all have massive head starts on us. 7/9

Someone born blind can live a full life, albeit with minor restrictions. But a person struck by sudden blindness in old age will find it almost impossible to adapt, and may never recover their autonomy. 8/9

If we were a new country taking our first steps in the world, we might decide that EU membership was not for us. But we’re not. We have that relationship already. It’s no good pretending it doesn’t exist. 9/9

This is just one of the two dozen myths I bust in my book "Slaying Brexit Unicorns", which also takes a cold, pragmatic look at the reality of no deal & trade on WTO terms. It's available on Kindle and in paperback from Amazon. Please take a look!
amazon.co.uk/Slaying-Brexit…