Comments by "peabase" (@peabase) on "Johnson says ‘no need’ for UK to follow EU rules" video.

pinkie perky Actually, we'd be scared if the UK suddenly managed a huge boost in productivity, which has been your sore point. But no, if BoJo is to believed, the UK is going on the cheap, ditching regulations and lowering taxes and become more competitive that way. The EU member states will consider that an unfair trade practice and call for tariffs on British products. Not that I expect this to happen -- you'd have a Labour PM in no time.
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pinkie perky Regulations exist for a reason. Besides, the UK has been actively involved in shaping said EU regulations. Sure, going forward, nothing prevents you from deregulating or lowering taxes as you please, but don't act surprised if your products don't sell abroad. Also, don't think you're suddenly exempt from conforming to US regulations, for instance, just because you're newly single and Trump wants to grab you between the legs. There may be a trade imbalance, but the UK is much more exposed to disruptions in trade than the EU member states individually. For instance, if bilateral trade were to grind to a complete halt on January 2021, we'd suffer a 4.4% hit to our overall exports. In your case, that would be 45%. Do the math.
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pinkie perky Once again, if the UK gives tax breaks to British exporters that are deemed unfair by the EU member states, they'll push for tariffs on British products. Have you not paid any attention to Trump imposing tariffs on Chinese goods, claiming unfair trade practices? The negative effect on Chinese exports was immediate. Similarly, Trump nearly put Bombardier out of business by imposing exorbitant tariffs on Canada's newest jetliner, and in the process, threatened thousands of jobs at their Belfast subsidiary. You can scream blue murder that the EU is not playing fair, but then who is? It goes without saying that the UK's non-EU exports will have to grow rapidly if you're going to make up for the inevitable drop in EU exports. I'm just wondering how you'll fare, pitting yourself against low-cost producers worldwide.
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pinkie perky Right, it's none of our business, but as always, you have to live with the consequences of your actions. As to a tariff war, who do you think is going to win that one? In the EU, the hurt is spread over 27 countries, but you'll have to bear it all by yourselves. In case you are dreaming, services aren't tax-exempt. Has it escaped your attention that France is now controversially imposing a tax on Internet services as well? Try to keep up with the news. Silly you: the US aren't your biggest export market -- the EU is. In fact, you export three times as much to the EU as to the US. On the other hand, the US are the EU's biggest export market. Be afraid, be very afraid.
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pinkie perky Everyone loses in a tariff war, but there are relative winners and relative losers, especially in such a lopsided trade war as one between the UK and the EU. So, which individual EU member states stand to lose as much as the UK, 45% of all exports (goods and services) in the event of a complete halt in trade between the EU and the UK? The EU may not be a country, but it is a single market, just like the US. BRICS is an entirely different kettle of fish. It's a good intention, just like the Commonwealth, but no more. If you don't understand the difference, you'd better stop before you really embarrass yourself.
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pinkie perky "Relative" doesn't appear in your vocabulary? You seem to struggle with a lot of basic concepts. It is indeed unlikely that all trade between the EU and the UK would cease overnight, but the figures are indicative of the UK's exposure in a trade war. To put it in terms you can understand, you have your knickers around your ankles, while we're just showing some skin. OK, now you really are embarrassing yourself. You don't understand the very concept of a single market -- the EU's very reason for being. If you can't understand why the UK joined, you can't possibly understand what it means to be out. If anything, Brexit has shown how unified the EU is. Who would've thought the EU-27 would be so unanimous about the matter -- not me, that's for sure. It all proves you were the odd one out, the malcontent.
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