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Originally Posted by denphone
Indeed one does not need to be Einstein to realise we are going to be poorer as even most Brexit voters fully admit that as a clear consequence of Brexit but alas OB can't take off his rose tinted political glasses to realise that Dave.
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Indeed, Denphone. Whilst I thought Comical Ali was killed after the Iraq invasion, it appears he is still alive and living in Wokingham.
However, the economic impacts of Brexit are no laughing matter.
Losing frictionless access to the largest market in the world for goods and services and one that is on our doorstep together with all its free trade deals across the world with countries like Chile, Canada and South Korea does not mean that the rest of the world will want to step in and replace it. Indeed, it's countries outside the EU with big investments in the UK like India, Japan and Canada who are warning us about the follies of a hard Brexit, even if the backstop agreement were to permit such a thing!
There's an in-depth article today in the FT looking at customs processes, supply chains and just-in-time manufacturing in the car industry. It makes for sobering reading.
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If Britain were to leave the customs union, Honda estimates European parts will take a minimum of two to three days to reach the plant, and possibly as long as nine days. Delivery times of finished cars may also be just as unpredictable.
To a car industry famed for its clockwork tempo, the potential delays pose an existential challenge. A warehouse capable of holding nine days’ worth of Honda stock would need to be roughly 300,000 sq m — one of the largest buildings on earth. Its floorspace would be equivalent to 42 football pitches, almost three times Amazon’s main US distribution centre. And its cost to operate would be as eye-catching as its proportions.
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https://www.ft.com/content/8f46b0d4-...7-1e1a0846c475
Personally, I'm optimistic that common sense will prevail and that Britain will effectively remain in a customs and goods union with the EU.