LET me pick up on some aspects of Ros Snowdon’s recent “Toys out of the pram” column (Yorkshire Post, January 29). The UK’s trade with the EU, in surplus before 1973, has been in deficit in all subsequent years. In the last six years the UK’s cumulated deficit with the EU was £190bn, but it had a £21bn surplus with the rest of the world.
The UK’s trade with non-EU countries is 59 per cent and rising. The EU’s
share of global GDP was 25 per cent a decade ago, it has fallen every year
since. It is economically and demographically in decline.
Some 13 per cent of our GDP is dependent on exports to the EU, but 100 per cent is subject to EU regulations.
Any small businessmen or women reading this will understand this mad phenomenon. We now have no direct say on our international trade as we no longer have a seat on the WTO. We are bound by the Common External Tariff and our fishing, energy, agricultural and employment policy, all disastrous, come from Brussels.
The cost to the UK in membership fees alone is £1bn per month and growing. Thirty eight countries across the globe have completely free trade with the EU and a free trade agreement has been offered by Jacques Delors and Lord Kinnock, both Europhiles to the core (and ex-commissioners). Turkey enjoys such an agreement.
Tariffs are declining worldwide, customs unions are out of date apart from crucifying third world countries’ exports.
So let’s move on. A free trade agreement with the EU, and maybe North America the Commonwealth and the Pacific Rim where they are growing and not declining.
Throw off the shackles of the moribund rotting corpse and look to a wider future.
Nowhere fast on blue badges
Some 13 per cent of our GDP is dependent on exports to the EU, but 100 per cent is subject to EU regulations.
Any small businessmen or women reading this will understand this mad phenomenon. We now have no direct say on our international trade as we no longer have a seat on the WTO. We are bound by the Common External Tariff and our fishing, energy, agricultural and employment policy, all disastrous, come from Brussels.
The cost to the UK in membership fees alone is £1bn per month and growing. Thirty eight countries across the globe have completely free trade with the EU and a free trade agreement has been offered by Jacques Delors and Lord Kinnock, both Europhiles to the core (and ex-commissioners). Turkey enjoys such an agreement.
Tariffs are declining worldwide, customs unions are out of date apart from crucifying third world countries’ exports.
So let’s move on. A free trade agreement with the EU, and maybe North America the Commonwealth and the Pacific Rim where they are growing and not declining.
Throw off the shackles of the moribund rotting corpse and look to a wider future.
Nowhere fast on blue badges
