MANUFACTURERS AND ENTREPRENEURS URGE GOVERNMENT TO SECURE STRONG DEAL WITH EU

July 1, 2020 1 Comment

On the day that the opportunity for an extension to the transition period expires, I have joined businesses associations, entrepreneurs and small to medium sized businesses representing over 20,000 people, in this open letter sent to the Prime Minister.

This call is for needing a close relationship and deal with the EU. It is not to reopen old divisions about remaining or leaving. What we now need is a common sense approach to our relationship with the EU. The Government must now deliver for us all, and deliver on their promise to get a good deal, not a bad deal and definitely not a no deal.

For those that argue this call is undemocratic, I believe you are wrong, all we are asking for is what we have been promised numerous times, right back to the promises made in the original referendum leave campaign; “full access to the single market” and an “ambitious, wide-ranging & balanced economic partnership” that entails “no tariffs, fees, charges or quantitative restrictions across all sectors”. That can only be delivered through a closely aligned deal with the EU.

The business alliance now calls for the government to deliver on these new trading arrangements with full transparency.

The letter also featured in the Financial Times on the 1st July here

The letter in full and 110 signature of entrepreneurs, business organisations and small to medium sized manufacturers is here:

Dear Prime Minister,

Today marks the point of no return for needing to agree an EU trade deal and prepare the country for that by the end of this year. That focuses the mind, and we assume that is your hope, to put pressure on such a deal being found.

It is however also a huge gamble. With the coronavirus pandemic having created an enormous economic shock across the UK and around the world. With just six months to go, to the end of the Brexit transition period in December, a no-deal outcome would be hugely damaging to the UK economy. Resulting in more people out of work and lower living standards.

The Government’s own analysis suggests that the downside of a no-deal exit, compared to continuing with our current arrangements, would be approximately 8% of GDP in 15 years’ time – perhaps more. We are now witnessing increasing global trade tensions, and a sharp focus on localising of supply chains, that will make promised trade with the USA, China and others more difficult. This will make even the most optimistic upside from global trade of 0.7% of GDP in 15 years less likely.

To minimise the downsides, it is vital that the UK achieves the best possible trading arrangements with the EU and other countries. We are calling for these trading arrangements to uphold the common high standards currently applicable on both sides in the areas of state aid, social and employment standards, environment, climate change and tax.

Continued alignment with the key EU regulatory bodies that allow free flow of products in such areas as pharmaceutical, medical, and chemical supplies is also essential to keep non-tariff barriers to a minimum. The UK’s financial services businesses also urgently need assurance of an equivalence agreement with the EU that is broader than the traditional arrangements and gives them much greater certainty.

In addition, businesses simply do not have time or capacity to prepare for big changes in trading rules by the end of the year – especially given that we are already grappling with the upheaval caused by coronavirus. Securing deals that match the current arrangements as closely as possible is therefore even more essential to make those adjustments easier.

We are therefore calling on you to ensure full transparency over the substance of these negotiations and these deals, to enable proper assessment of the potential economic consequences and through that assure us that the economic downside on our businesses can be minimised.

If, despite the warnings from business and others, the Government pushes ahead with no-deal or a bad deal at the end this year, it will create a further economic shock and cost people’s jobs, which we desperately want to avoid, especially at this point when our businesses  need to be focused on recovering from the coronavirus crisis.

Yours sincerely,

Signed by 110 mainly small to medium sized businesses and with significant experience of trading with the EU. We are all proud to create significant value for the UK economy and our interest is to continue doing so:

DanAherneNew England Seafood InternationalCEO
RobArnotCavagna Group UK LtdManaging Director
TonyBannanPrecision Technologies Group (PTG) LimitedCEO
ShaunBennettParagon Inks (Holdings) Ltd.Managing Director
MikeBerryBGS International LimitedManaging Director
AdrianBinksArgus Media GroupChairman & Chief Executive
BobBischofGerman British ForumChairman
MichaelBischofPentagon Sports (Cheshire) ltdManaging Director
TomBowtellBritish Coatings FederationCEO
AlanBreezeBreeze & Associates LtdDirector
NickBrooks4CM LtdManaging Director
PeterBrownNeill & Brown Global Logistics Group LtdCEO
DavidBrownNeida LtdCEO
StephenBulmerBiesse Group UK Limited.CEO
MarcusBurton MBEYamazaki Mazak UK LtdNon-Executive Director
RoyButlerButlers of KentDirector
AlanCarradiceThe White Sea & Baltic Company LtdManaging Director
SandyChenGraphene CompositesCEO
AlexChestermanCazooFounder & CEO
Martin FCicognaniRichard Baker Harrison LtdManaging Director
AndrewClarkeCentre Colours LtdDirector
Sir Cary L.Coopersigning in personal capacity
TimCotterillJames Lister and Sons LimitedChairman
TimCowenAntitrust PracticeChair
BarryCromptonAbrasive Finishing Systems LtdManaging Director
SimonCurtisHaynes and Boone LLP LondonSenior Counsel
EllenDanielsBritish Compressed Gases Association (BCGA)CEO
TimDarchQuick Grind LimitedCommercial Manager
Yvesde ContadesThe Excellence GroupManaging Director
EmmaDeggNorth West Business Leadership TeamCEO
DineshDhamijaEbookersFounder and former CEO
AndrewDixonARC InterCapitalCEO
RichardDuncalfHervia GroupChairman
GeoffEatonButcher’s Pet Care LtdChairman
StephenFosterVickers Laboratories LtdManaging Director
JamesFudgeMTAHd of Events & Members Services
Tim MGibbonsSPARKFORD Chemicals LtdManaging Director
KevinGilbertMills CNC LtdManaging Director
RichardGilkesStort Chemicals LtdManaging Director
StephenGoslingAdams Aviation Supply Co LtdFormer CEO
KeithGouldGelpke & Bate LtdDirector
CarolHaghOld Game New RulesFounder
PeterHardingAdvanced Grinding Supplies LimitedManaging Director
KimHicksSawcraft UK Ltd.Company Secretary
LisaHipgraveIFRAUK (Trade AssociationDirector
JasonHornsbyNavigator Terminals UK LimitedCEO
DermottHughesWestern AS LtdManaging Director
KateHumphreyTAMS UK LTDManaging Director
EdwardJamesCitizen Machinery UK LimitedManaging Director
SimonJordonSCHÜTZ (UK) LtdGeneral Manager
HiroshiKawaiFujichem Sonneborn LimitedCFO
DanielKayeHawks ChemicalDirector
JulianKearPhase 3 CNC / Spindle Revolution LtdManaging Director
TedKennedyPebble HotelsChairman
CarolineKenyonThe Food Awards CompanyDirector
MottieKessler2M Holdings LtdChairman & CEO
DonnaKiffordDakram Materials LtdSales & Quality Assurance
EwanKirkCantab Capital PartnersFounder and CIO
AlanLooneyNatchemco UK Ltd.Managing Director
MartynLyonsInter TerminalsCEO
JuergenMaier CBESiemens UKFormer CEO
TillyMcAuliffeThink Publishing and & Wanderlust PublicationsOwner
SarahMcCartney4160 Tuesdays LtdCEO
BecketMcGrathSolicitor
JimMercerBOC LimitedExecutive Director, Ops
MatthiasMeyerHeller Machine Tools UKManaging Director
BobMiltonTapfreight Ltd.Managing Director
KateMingayDakram Materials LtdManaging Director
Dr SimonMurdochEpisode 1 VenturesManaging Partner
MattNealeTessiantManaging Partner
PeterNewportChemical Business OrganisationChief Executive
MichaelO’MaraMichael O’Mara BooksChairman
RafeOfferSofar SoundsFounder and Chair
MarkPeersSupply Point Systems Ltd,President
MarkPettersonSigning in personal capacityCompany Founder and Director
NevillePriorCornelius Group plcChairman
VickyPryceFormer joint head of the government economic service
MartinRimmerMasterclass GroupCEO
HenryRitchotteRitMir VenturesFounder
Martyn JRoundH S Richards LtdManaging Director
BeateRuebigFronius UK LtdManaging Director
AlisterScottThe One Leadership ProjectCo-Founder
LeeScottStarrag UK Ltd.Director
IanSeagerSeager Publishing LtdOwner
KevinSeftonUntiedCEO
JamesSelkaManufacturing Technologies AssociationCEO
HowardSellerssigning in personal capacity
JonathanSellersA-Gas Electronic MaterialsManaging Director
GeetaSidhu-RobbNosh Detox Delivery LtdCEO
JanisSintonTasteTech LtdManaging Director
JamesSmithKalsec Europe Limited.Managing Director
JamesStansfieldFiltermist InternationalCEO
JohnStapletonNew Covent Garden Soup Co & Little DishCo-Founder
MartinSteeleSafapac Holdings LtdChairman
MikeSteinValo Therapeutics LtdCEO
PhilipTarletonMeade-King, Robinson & Co. LtdManaging Director
GrahamTattamSiegwerk (UK) LtdSales Manager UK & IRL
JessicaTaylorChantry Chemicals LtdBusiness Ops Director
AndyTomsTML LaserDirector
StephenTottyStar Micronics GB LimitedManaging Director
PeterTresadernINX International UK Ltd.Managing Director
ErnstWagnerKasto Limited UKManaging Director
YlvaWahlbergOstling Etchmark LtdDirector
KentonWardLIVE IT Group LtdCEO
PhilWedgewoodEngage SolutionsCEO
DavidWilkinsKaltenbach LtdManaging Director
JohnWillsTyrolit ltdManaging Director
MargaretWood MBEICW (UK) LTDChair
SteveWoollvenReliance Precision LtdManaging Director
IanWrigglesworthDurham GroupChairman

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