Forum Topic

Warning from ex Australian Prime Minister

Apologies if this is a repetition, but my first attempt to post this did not work..... Brexit: Malcolm Turnbull tells UK 'be careful what you wish for' over EU trade https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-55272377 "Australia is negotiating a free trade deal with the EU, but does not currently have one. It largely does business with the EU on World Trade Organisation rules, but has a few specific arrangements in place, such as co-operation on science and trade on wine - something that would not be the case for the UK if it leaves EU rules without a deal." Very clear indeed!

Ivonne Holliday ● 1937d6 Comments

Michael it's all a distraction. Germany exports more to Canada and China than the UK. Germany has always been about long term investment but the low value of the Euro has helped. The UK was and still in control of it's own currency. Exports before were picking up following several devaluation of the pound.I do not believe the UK  is ready for free trade with for example Australia. I could be wrong. If the UK were like the Germans it would be unthinkable for production of Landrover to move to France. Buy British is a good slogan but will it hold up when doing the the weekly shop on increasingly tight national household budgets? Will UK buyers of Landrovers care where it is built?

Ed Robinson ● 1936d

Turnbull put in a nutshell the situation and highlighted what nonsense Johnson is talking.As Johnathan said the best deal was the one we had in the EU where we participated in making rules as well as following them. Sovereignty is an illustration in these days of inernational trade; even under WTO rules if we don't follow them we can be subject to sanctions (as was pointed out on BBC TV news just now, quoting the US Boeing/Airbus dispute). Let's be honest, Johnson doesn't really care about Brexit , it's just a means for him to further his personal ambition, which is why he keeps making such a mess of everything (lying to the Queen, negotiating a WA he wants to dishonor a year later, burning his oven ready deal ...); if he could have seen a way to use remain to become PM, he'd have published the other article. He's just an opportunist who lies and cheats for his own purposes ...  ok, not the only one, but one doing a lot of damage ..

Michael Ixer ● 1936d

Equally important was him welcoming an UK Australia free trade deal. But he said the Australian high scale low cost agricultural production would not be good for UK farmers who would not be able to compete.He came across being very well as someone that could explain the benefits of both free trade and protectionism.

Ed Robinson ● 1936d

Sadly the best deal we will ever have from the EU is the one we’re leaving behind.  I sense that the EU’s position has hardened thanks to Johnson’s personal intervention. Apparently he started the dinner by telling Ursula von der Leyen to get rid of Barnier as he was blocking a deal. Then suggested that as he was French he had a secret pro-France agenda and that as a German she should recognise how difficult the French are to deal with. Needless to say she was unimpressed. Of course that whole story is secondhand from a “source in the commission” so we can immediately discount it.  But it does have more than a ring of truth to it, such embarrassing nonsense coming from an ex journalist who spent years rubbishing the Eurocrats.I am sure Johnson would like to come home with a deal but he’s painted himself into an untenable position with his rhetoric that there’s no way he can climb down. A no deal Brexit will harm the UK hugely, harm Ireland too, not to mention such former natural allies as the Dutch, that relationships will have been damaged for years. Trust levels are low - another reason why the EU took a tough stance on the FTA - and we will still need an FTA so new negotiations will be needed, probably ones dragging out over years.

Jonathan Callaway ● 1937d

Australia has free trade agreements with most if its geographical neighbours and does not do nearly as much trade with the EU as the UK does.Even clearer!

Ivonne Holliday ● 1937d

"But Australians would not regard our trade relationship with Europe as being a satisfactory one."There are very big barriers to Australian exports of agriculture products in particular and a lot of friction in the system in terms of services"Very clear indeed!

Sue Hammond ● 1937d