Boris
Johnson has laid out his
vision for Britain's departure from t.he Britain will spend
£350million a week on the NHS
“Once
we have settled our accounts, we will take back control of roughly £350m per
week. It would be a fine thing as many of us have pointed out if a lot of that
money went on the NHS, provided we use that cash injection to modernise and make
the most of new technology...
"One
of the advantages of investing in the NHS – if we combine that investment with
reform – is that we can turbo charge the role of our health service in driving
bioscience."
The UK will not pay to access the EU single market
“We
would not expect to pay for access to their markets any more than they would
expect to pay for access to ours.”
The door will not be slammed on migrants
“We
will have an immigration [system] that suits the UK, not slamming the door – but
welcoming the talent we need, from the EU and around the world. Of course we
will make sure that business gets the skills it needs, but business will no
longer be able to use immigration as an excuse not to invest in the young people
of this country.”
Taxes will be reformed – and the ‘tampon tax’ axed
“We
should seize the opportunity of Brexit to reform our tax system. Andy Haldane
the Bank of England's chief economist argued in 2015 that our system is
currently skewed so as to discourage investment.
"He
believes that reform could raise output by around 20 per cent.
“Outside
the EU there are obvious opportunities – in agriculture, fisheries, in the
setting of indirect taxation.
"At
the stroke of a pen, the Chancellor will be able to cut VAT on tampons; often
demanded by parliament but – absurdly – legally impossible to
deliver.”
Britain will be able to become a “champion” for free trade
“We
will be able to get on and do free trade deals, to campaign for free trade that
has lifted billions out of poverty and that so badly needs a new
champion.”
Old friendships with Commonwealth countries will be renewed
“We
will be able to intensify old friendships around the world, not least with
fast-growing commonwealth economies, and to build a truly Global
Britain.”
Brexit will be a success
“This
country will succeed in our new national enterprise, and will succeed
mightily.”
Foreigners could be prevented from buying homes in Britain
“It
is often pointed out that the price of housing in certain parts of London may be
increased by buyers from overseas. But there is no point in putting any kind of
tax on foreign buyers, because the inhabitants of 27 other countries cannot
legally be treated as foreign.”
Britain will borrow more to pay for the “infrastructure it deserves”
“We
should use the opportunities afforded by historically low interest rates to give
this country the infrastructure it deserves – and especially in London, the most
dynamic and productive urban economy in Europe, where things seem frankly to
have gone a bit quiet since the departure of the last Mayor.”
Work on gene therapy will be accelerated
“We
will be able to accelerate our work on gene therapy – an infant science, now
taking its first faltering steps, whose potential is
gigantic.”
