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Jacob Rees-Mogg and the Brexit Multiverse of Madness

[ February 22, 2022   //   ]

Claims by new Brexit opportunities minister, Jacob Rees-Mogg, says that the UK’s departure from the EU is already a success and that there is little evidence that it has caused trade to fall are wide of the mark, says ParcelHero.

ParcelHero’s Head of Consumer Research, David Jinks said that Mogg “appears to be living in an alternate reality”, adding: “The latest Office for National Statistics (ONS) Government figures showed UK exports of goods to the EU have fallen by a record £20bn – 20% – compared to the last stable period of trading with Europe in 2018.”

Nor has Brexit encouraged trade with non-EU countries, as originally promised by Brexiteers, Jinks said. Total annual imports are £23.4 billion (4.8%) lower than in 2018 and total exports are £36.8 billion (10.5%) lower than in 2018.

He added: “Obviously, Mr Rees-Mogg is hoping for the reality-bending powers of Marvel’s Dr Strange. That way, he could ensure UK businesses experience collective amnesia and forget that the ONS also says 67% of them are still experiencing challenges when exporting and 72% when importing. Supply chain disruption, new trade barriers and additional red tape caused by Brexit were cited as the main reasons.

“Mr Rees-Mogg would do well to learn the lesson of tampering with multiverses – with great power comes great responsibility. If the Brexit Opportunities Minister wishes to retain credibility with the business leaders he is supposed to serve, he should inform himself of the realities of UK-EU trade. Last November, an Institute of Directors survey revealed almost half of British businesses that traded with the EU pre-Brexit are now doing less trade with the bloc or have stopped entirely.

‘If Mr Rees-Mogg still thinks that evidence Brexit has caused trade drops is “few and far between”, then perhaps struggling SME exporters deserve a Brexit Opportunities Minister who remains in our own dimension. He might want to read ParcelHero’s in-depth analysis of the ongoing UK-EU trade problems and, in particular, the Northern Ireland Protocol agreement at:  https://www.parcelhero.com/research/brexit-study

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