Has Brexit really strengthened Britain’s hand when it comes to trade? - Yorkshire Post Letters

I write in response to the letter from David Boyes of Spennithorne which you published in The Yorkshire Post on December 21. I'd like to explore in particular one detail.

He writes that we (the UK) "endeavour to trade worldwide" now that we are no longer a member-state of the EU. Could I ask him whether he thinks the rules of the single market (which he accuses of being protectionist) actually prevented British businesses (and businesses in other EU states) from trading worldwide with businesses outside the EU?

Does he think there was some sort of complete import and export barrier around the EU?

This seems to be a common misconception. And what does he understand by the word protectionism?

Does he imagine that, now that they are outside the EU, British businesses are allowed to buy whatever they want from any business worldwide without paying import taxes (tariffs)?

Does he imagine that every government around the world lets their businesses buy from British businesses without paying tariffs?

If that were true it would indeed mean there was no protectionism - but it's very far from true.

And has it occurred to him that for many of those who voted for Brexit, a central motivation was in fact a protectionists' clamour for preventing British businesses being under-cut by imports?

The rest of the world now knows we are desperate for export markets, having lost much of our local EU export trade.

Australians laugh at the embarrassingly one-sided trade deal they have won - whilst our farmers are gnashing their teeth. What a brilliant way to strengthen our hand in foreign trade negotiations.