• The post you are reporting:
   
  We used to trade with the rest of the world and at one time, a long time ago, were the world's workshop.
  
  We turned our back on all that when we elected to join the EEC, whereupon we ditched the worldwide tapestry of nations for whom we were the focal point as a legacy of Empire. Countries such as Australia and New Zealand had perforce to turn to Japan as their major economic partner.
  
  It was crystal clear before we joined the EEC that we were on a hiding to nothing economically. We were making the same stuff as the French and Germans, and the latter in particular had always been our principal competitor in the global markets. This was recognised but regarded as a price worth paying to achieve political integration and an end to the prospect of yet another war.
  
  The great majority of our trade is now with Europe. Needless to say, it is mainly one way with a high percentage of the trucks on the ferries from Dover going back empty to load up with more imports.

Report Post

Your Name

Reason