Re:UK Prime Minister Theresa May announces intention to hold...
by makomk on Tuesday April 18, 2017 @09:08AM
(#14138484)
Probably because the EU 27's rhetorical tactic is to claim all the ways they come up with to punish Britain over Brexit are simply inevitable consequences of Brexit, regardless how obvious it is that they're just things they've pulled out their ass for naked political reasons. For example, their bizarre interpretation of a rule forbidding countries from negotiating trade agreements unilaterally to mean the EU couldn't negotiate its post-exit trade agreements with the UK until the UK actually exited (hurting members with close trading ties to the UK), or cynical insistence Spain must get a veto on the deal because of the Gibraltar border but Ireland doesn't get one.
This will force Britain to largely keep regulations for products that are being exported in line with the EU's (as its biggest export market), while still adding costs [2].
Nobody seriously believes that the British economy will implode as a result; what it will do is retard economic growth somewhat (economists argue how much) and possibly create structural problems in sectors that are heavily reliant on exports.
P.S.: I would also not rely on the Daily Express. It's probably one of the worst British tabloids.
[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Non-tariff_barriers_to_trade
[2] https://www.ft.com/content/69202760-c3a2-11e6-9bca-2b93a6856...