After months of dodging the B-word, Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds finally admitted that Brexit is to thank for securing a better trade deal with the US than the EU. Over the weekend Trump agreed 15% tariffs on EU goods, still higher than the UK’s 10%…
Appearing on Good Morning Britain, Reynolds conceded this was a Brexit benefit. He said:
“I’m absolutely clear, this is a benefit of being out of the European Union, having our independent trade policy, absolutely no doubt about that.”
Reynolds makes an eloquent argument for an independent Britain breaking free into global markets. Shame his government is returning the UK to the bloc by the back door…
Back in April David Lammy refused to admit the deal had anything to do with Brexit, while and Reynolds could only bring himself to say that the UK was in a “better position than a lot of other countries.” Will Starmer thank Brexit voters yet?
Andy Haldane, Burnham’s recent adviser on the economy who has not taken up a No10 job, told Andrew Marr on LBC:
“The market now suspects that this is a traditional tax-and-spend socialist government with better TikTok videos…
imposing windfall taxes on oil & gas or on banks or upping capital gains tax would […] repeat the mistake that Rachel made […] The Achilles heel, the fiscal Achilles heel of this government thus far has been its unwillingness and/or inability to cut public spending.”