THE Covid pandemic is rather masking what could be a big problem in the not too distant future; Brexit. British exports to the European Union have dropped by about 60 percent. I have talked to some local business people who say that they are unable to send Mallorcan products to the United Kingdom because of the mountain of paperwork and additional taxes...and it is both sides who are to blame. Even Marks & Spencers in Paris was having problems receiving British food products. There is no excuse for this. The main argument for Brexit was that Britain would become a major trading nation again....at the moment, because of red tape, Britain can’t even get cheese and pickle sandwiches to Paris! Don’t forget that Britain and the European Union have had years to think about how they would deal with the various problems which would arise from Brexit and these problems have not been sorted.
British businesses are having a very difficult time at the moment and the last thing they need is difficulty in exporting to Europe, one of their key markets. I know that the government is heavily involved in the fight against the coronavirus and at the moment and they can’t even decide whether we can go on holiday or not, but surely someone is watching the Brexit situation. The great British trading nation appears to be sinking at the starting post at the moment. British food products are one of Britain’s key exports and the government should ensure that exports are going ahead as normal. I do believe that Britain should have placed Brexit on hold until the coronavirus situation was resolved. Covid and Brexit are big issues and the government can’t fight on two fronts.