Britain once led the World in free trade, free markets and then embroiled itself with ‘Europe’ more precisely the European Economic Community which consisted of 6 nations, then 9 in 1973 when UK, Ireland & Denmark joined. Now it’s 26 nations. Up until that point the UK had traded globally particularly with Countries of former Empire and the USA. These Countries because of history, shared common business practices, common standards, common language and traded comparative advantage. Australia, for example, mostly agricultural with some industry, shipped agricultural products to the UK (mostly industrial with some agriculture) and UK traded manufactured goods in return. This stopped after 1973 as the UK was inside a protectionist Customs Union and free trade globally was heavily restricted by tariffs and non-tariffs. The UK was forced to trade predominantly within the EEC with different standards, language, business practice, and with fewer comparative advantages. We have never recovered after over 40 years. Protectionist economic practices are deeply entrenched, we still are far too dependent on Europe for trade and so have kept our tariffs and non-tariffs and regulatory framework aligned to the exclusion of more beneficial trade in the global economy. We have much more regulated labour market than the US, and bloated, inefficient, near useless public services - a drain down which the Government never tires of pouring money. Personal achievement is scorned - merit is frowned upon - being more successful than others isn’t ‘fair’. We have a much more extensive welfare state than the US. Illegal immigrants have been entering the UK by the hundreds of thousands annually over the last few years and probably now number about 5 million. They are all immediately entitled to free healthcare, free education for children, free accommodation, free food, clothing and necessities and spending money. We have the ludicrous situation where whole hotels are being booked by Government to house them - not slum hotels but 3 and 4 star hotels. The cost is enormous. The way out of the UK’s problem: 1) abolish the welfare state; 2) return to a free trade nation and trade globally again; 3) restore respect for personal enterprise and wealth creation; 4) stop all immigration from the World’s shitholes and send the illegals back to France whence most of them came to seek asylum allegedly fleeing from the French Government. Of course it won’t happen.
Britain once led the World in free trade, free markets and then embroiled itself with ‘Europe’ more precisely the European Economic Community which consisted of 6 nations, then 9 in 1973 when UK, Ireland & Denmark joined. Now it’s 26 nations. Up until that point the UK had traded globally particularly with Countries of former Empire and the USA. These Countries because of history, shared common business practices, common standards, common language and traded comparative advantage. Australia, for example, mostly agricultural with some industry, shipped agricultural products to the UK (mostly industrial with some agriculture) and UK traded manufactured goods in return. This stopped after 1973 as the UK was inside a protectionist Customs Union and free trade globally was heavily restricted by tariffs and non-tariffs. The UK was forced to trade predominantly within the EEC with different standards, language, business practice, and with fewer comparative advantages. We have never recovered after over 40 years. Protectionist economic practices are deeply entrenched, we still are far too dependent on Europe for trade and so have kept our tariffs and non-tariffs and regulatory framework aligned to the exclusion of more beneficial trade in the global economy. We have much more regulated labour market than the US, and bloated, inefficient, near useless public services - a drain down which the Government never tires of pouring money. Personal achievement is scorned - merit is frowned upon - being more successful than others isn’t ‘fair’. We have a much more extensive welfare state than the US. Illegal immigrants have been entering the UK by the hundreds of thousands annually over the last few years and probably now number about 5 million. They are all immediately entitled to free healthcare, free education for children, free accommodation, free food, clothing and necessities and spending money. We have the ludicrous situation where whole hotels are being booked by Government to house them - not slum hotels but 3 and 4 star hotels. The cost is enormous. The way out of the UK’s problem: 1) abolish the welfare state; 2) return to a free trade nation and trade globally again; 3) restore respect for personal enterprise and wealth creation; 4) stop all immigration from the World’s shitholes and send the illegals back to France whence most of them came to seek asylum allegedly fleeing from the French Government. Of course it won’t happen.