Who, exactly, is taking back control?

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Brexit was sold to the British public, partly, on the promise that the UK would take back control of its borders, trade policies, laws and immigration, with no side effects or cost whatsoever. This always looked highly suspect, not least because of open conflicts between ultra Free Trade campaigners like Daniel Hannan who want no immigration controls, and Farage & co who want draconian border restrictions.

The Brexit contradictions are becoming increasingly obvious as the “easiest trade deal of all time” fails to materialise, the cost-free EU exit has vanished and other aspects of the Brexit case are unravelling. Ministers tried their utmost to prevent the public, and MPs, seeing internal government assessments of the impact of brexit, all negative.

Now we have more evidence that all is not as promised for Brexit. A fine piece of investigative journalism in the Guardian/ Observer has uncovered a series of meetings between Brexit Trade Ministers and officials with the shadowy Legatum institute while UK trade representative bodies like the CBI, IOD and EEF struggle to gain a hearing in Downing St. The full article can be read at the link below.

If ministers have nothing to hide then they should tell the public, businesses and investors what they are planning and allow for proper debate on the various options. In fact, they are working under a cloak of secrecy with unprecedented non-disclosure agreements to force business to keep quiet about HMG’s Brexit plans. This secrecy does not indicate a set of policies likely to find favour with the public, or business. The Tory party which was, until recently, the party of UK business has become a co-conspirator with obscure international lobbyists and is openly antagonistic towards organisations like the CBI, EEF and IOD who represent the concerns of British industry.

If there is nothing to hide then the Prime Minster and Trade ministers should make a full disclosure of their discussions and their emerging trade policies. There is no negotiating benefit with the EU, in keeping silent about Britain's future trade with other countries. The government are refusing to disclose what they are planning and the little evidence that has been extracted, through sources like the Guardian, is not encouraging.

Link to the Observer/ Guardian article;
//www.theguardian.com/politics/2018/mar/31/legatum-libertarian-free-trade-brexit-government-liam-fox-doward-whitehall

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