At last some frank admissions by a Brexit-supporting Tory Minister about the downside of the UK leaving the EU.
The Independent reports that conservative minister Andrea Leadsom has dismissed the concerns of business chiefs over the costly new checks imposed on imports from the EU as the “price you pay” for Brexit.
The paper says that this leading Brexiteer defended the “friction” in the new system for physical checks at the border – describing it as “the costs of doing business”:
Ms Leadsom said British firms must “adapt” and could even consider “changing their trading arrangements with the EU” if they wanted to bring down their costs.
Rishi Sunak’s health minister, a senior figure in the Leave campaign, telling Sky News: “Leaving the single market was always going to have implications.”
“I’ve had many constituency cases over the years of people who have changed their trading arrangements with the European Union as a result of different frictions, whether it’s postal cost changing, whether it’s border control,” said Ms Leadsom.
Asked if she was suggesting that UK businesses stop buying from Europe, she said: “No, I’m not saying that. I’m just saying that businesses need to adapt to meet the changing environment. There are huge opportunities from the rest of the world.”
The former business secretary added: “Obviously, what some businesses will do is continue to trade with the EU and absorb those costs, and others will choose to find access from elsewhere.”
Her comments come after business chiefs warned the new checks could significantly reduce the shelf life of fresh food imported from the EU, and could see some European suppliers quit the UK.
And business groups say some suppliers of specialist products – like French cheeses and Italian meats – will give up on Britain because of the extra expense and “huge hassle” involved.
She also claimed that it was very clear that we would be leaving the single market, which is not what we were told during the referendum campaign. Still, at least people now know who to blame for the rising cost of living.
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