When I voted for Brexit I voted for change.   I saw how far the EU was lagging behind the USA, and behind Switzerland, Norway and Iceland, three small countries not in the EU in income per head. The latest IMF figures show that the USA now has twice the level of GDP per head, at $80,000, than the EU average at $41,000. The UK at $49,000 is usefully above the EU average but well below the US.
I have watched with concern at EU performance as the US has founded, grown and developed the world’s large digital companies, pioneering on line shopping, social media, search, software applications and now artificial intelligence. The EU has looked on, sought to regulate these activities but had to buy the goods and services for what is a US led digital revolution. All 10 of the largest companies in the world by market value are US and 7 of them are in the digital sector.
Remain was so wrong about what would happen after Brexit. The opposite happened to their forecast of fewer jobs, early recession, falling house prices. They now tell us our way to faster growth is to rejoin the EU, or align ourselves more fully with the vast array of rules and regulations  that the EU specialises in. Many of these rules prescribe how products must be designed and made. This often adds to costs and can stifle innovation.  A flourishing single market just needs a simple rule that if a product is of merchandisable quality in one country it should be permitted to offer it for sale in another that is part of the same market. If there is to be supranational regulation then require good safety standards, require proper labelling but do not tell people how to design and make any given product.
The US has a common law system. We used to depend on our common law system, then had to see superior code law from the EU bolted on top of that more flexible system.   The battle over the Northern Ireland Protocol is partly a battle over the UK’s right to diverge. Ministers now say we can. So then, get on with it. We have plenty of historical evidence that the EU model means slow growth, high costs and Europe slipping further and further behind the world leaders in living standards. Why want to tie ourselves back into a system which can thwart enterprise, be hard on entrepreneurs, promotes high taxes and costs and fails to encourage innovation?
February 2, 2024
Good morning.
Many of the regulations and laws that emanate from the EU are rebadged agreements and standards from international bodies etc. So divergence is not the issue. The issue is enforcement. Whereas the UK can adopt those regulations it wishes and not those that it thinks are not in its interests, in the EU one has to adopt them irrespective. Failure to comply will result in a fine.
The UK has NOT left the EU. I argue this because we have made agreements to keep lockstep with EU legislation especially when it comes to the environment so, we cannot diverge.
Nut Zero and all the other harmful post Blair rubbish was not imposed on the UK due to the EU, they were by the most part self inflicted. MASS IMMIGRATION from outside the EU was always under UK control and ran far higher, than EU immigration even whilst we were in the EU. Now that we have supposedly left we can see that the EU was not the villain of the piece but the UK Government and the Establishment.
I voted to LEAVE the EU not because I am anti-EU but because I do not believe that it was in the UK’s interests to REMAIN, and I would do so again. The damage that has been caused to BREXIT is the result of traitors, nothing less. Some 600 MP’s, Lords, media and Civil Sepants all conspired to deny the people’s will.
The huge levels of MASS IMMIGRATION is deliberately designed to undermine our national identity. The constripts question raised by the General was I believe designed to test our patriotism. We failed ! No one wants to fight to defend something they do not recognise. And who here recognises this country say from 20 or 30 years ago ? Certainly not London.
We have been tied to a rotting carcass by pygmies whilst at the same time trying to jump over the cliff.
February 2, 2024
@Mark B Agree with all you say!
February 2, 2024
JR knows he is spinning. We voted to take back control of borders laws and money. None has been achieved after 8 years!!
The ECJ fined the whole of the UK ÂŁ34 million for red diesel violation of EU regs. How is that possible if we left to be fined by a foreign court for breaching foreign laws!
He knows Sunak signed up to EU Horizon, to EU energy interdependence, gave away fishing rights and territorial waters to EU- how come French trawlers have not helped distressed dinghyâs? Because it is a collection service where France hands over dinghyâs to England.
Level playing fields nothing of the sort, it means lockstep to EU without a say- vassal state. NI vassal state. Hitchens yesterday made the point this is the first occasion since WWII where territory was given up to another.
VAT still in force. 4,000 EU laws being retained. ECHR decides policy for our country without a say from insipid UK govt. Moreover Sunak stated UK will not be more competitive than neighbours!! There is no divergence just deceit, lies and spin. We voted leave Tory party will not accept our mandate.
February 2, 2024
Problem is it’s bureaucratic thinking to think Brexit will just take care of itself.
Brexit needs leadership.
Problem with UK government is not enough talented politicians to implement Brexit properly.
Therefore, Tories have to figure out how to attract higher quality MPs into the Party, MPs with proper business experience etc
That’s it. Not easy. But no other solution.
PS. Ryanair is only the success story it is because of one person – it’s LEADER!
It’s all about strong leadership. Tories have to attract that into the Party. End of.
February 2, 2024
And I sharon! We must destroy the puppets of the WEF!
February 2, 2024
Mark B,
I have not posted for quite some time, but, from Australia I regularly look forward to your early comments, always with interest. You routinely express sound views. Today is no exception. Thank you for your continuing contribution to the true Conservative voice, along with Sir John, that the UK so desperately needs.
February 3, 2024
Many thanks. But I am not alone here and each everyone if us, whether we agree or disagree, have some thing to contribute to the debate.
Freedom only works when people are prepared to stand up and use it.
February 3, 2024
Mark B
And it needs more and more ‘ordinary’ folk, who usually stay silent, to make their voices heard. The global thinking elite believe they can control the masses. It is vital that they are shown they can’t. Sadly, many of those in political office at the highest level around the western world have allegiance (and subservience) to their Davos masters. Hopefully 2024, in the USA, Canada, Argentina and, with a miracle (Reform, if the Conservatives fail to be Conservative) the UK, can cause the pendulum to swing in the ‘Right’ direction. Without it soon, the world is doomed!
February 2, 2024
“Now that we have supposedly left we can see that the EU was not the villain of the piece but the UK Government and the Establishment”
I’ve always believed that one of the key advantages of leaving the EU, is that our (often craven) politicians & cilvil servants could no longer hide behind the excuse that “It’s beyond our control”. In other words, it’s all Brussel’s fault. Well, they cannot blame Brussels for the current level of legal migration can they and folk are beginning to catch on.
February 2, 2024
@Mark B +1
As always, unlike our political class and bureaucrats you are in tune with those that pay the bills pick up the tab and have been handed the debt mountain
February 2, 2024
+1
The reasons why we are doing so badly relative to the USA etc. is too much tax, too much government, largely incompetent government much of it doing active harm, rip off net zero energy, too much red tape, rip of housing due to over restrictive planning & open door immigration, OTT employment laws…
I see Car Insurance is up hugely. The current average premium is 34% higher compared to the final quarter of 2022, when it was ÂŁ470 according to Which. Once again this is largely government’s doing not least the 12% IPT tax on top. People are forced to pay for uninsured people, crime out of control (with police inaction) the cars are newer and more complex as people are forced to change older cars for new ones and the complexity is forced on new cars by OTT – CO2, health and safely & emissions rules. When I was 18 a new wing mirror was ÂŁ10 and just bolted on now if can be ÂŁ1,500+ with adjusters, de-icers, colour matching, indicator lights…
February 2, 2024
It’s not so much over restrictive planning as completely incompetent planning and building control, with some straightforward corruption thrown in for good measure.
February 3, 2024
Indeed and the OTT, green crap, net zero religion building regs.
February 2, 2024
â The battle over the Northern Ireland Protocol is partly a battle over the UKâs right to diverge. Ministers now say we can. So then, get on with it. â
Ministers once said we would scrap most of the legislation imposed by the EU.
That never happened. Ministers say what suits at the time.
February 2, 2024
We can’t diverge much from the EU because of the Northern Ireland protocol. A useful device for Civil Serpents to block any diversity.
You’re being a bit dishonest John because Northern Ireland is why we can’t abolish vat on energy, we need Brussels permission. Tell me I’m wrong.
Reply The Minister said in tge Commons we can change it when I put this to him
February 2, 2024
Reply to reply. Make a point of order that he misled the house. Get him sacked.
February 2, 2024
Reply to reply
He was probably lying then
Why is it not removed.
February 2, 2024
‘The Minister said….’ Well there we are then – they never tell lies do they? Or get taken in. Should never have done it anyway. Should have just left completely and let the EU look after its own ‘market’ and put a border up if they wanted to or had the nerve. We should not be doing it for them. Unless of course it was required to leave the door open to go back in. With all the political shenanigans I am inclined to believe the latter. I just don’t trust any of them anymore, been let down too many times.
February 2, 2024
Reply – Its always dry toaste today and jam tomorrow ….how many times have I heard MPs say it can be fixed later
Ian Wragg is correct, we can’t alter VAT without EU permission – prove me wrong and try it
February 2, 2024
Yes, we can. But only by scrapping the “Deal” and reneging on the Windsor Treachery. Which the Not-a-Conservative-Party refuses to do.
February 2, 2024
It’s the regulation in Europe that is the killer. Ever expanding fairly pointless rules and regulations, and an army of bureaucrats to enforce them. But is the UK any better? We seem to be very creative when it comes to inventing new regulation.
I can’t help thinking that, EU or no EU, our bureaucrats would still be expanding their fiefdoms and our useless politicians would cheer them on (our kind host not included, of course).
February 2, 2024
Propounder of Lateral Thinking Edward de Bono demonstrated that adding pieces to a design increasingly reduces functional efficiency. Reorganisation from scratch or exclusion is needed.
The EU is functionally inefficient.
The UK is similar.
February 2, 2024
@DOM +1
That highlights the situation, do we vote for Democracy or just allow the Dictatorship continue.
The EU way as inferred previously by Sir John is based on Napoleonic Law, nothing is permitted unless it has been allowed by the bureaucrats, so everything is illegal unless prescribed by unelected bureaucrats. Whereas, in the free World Common/English Law is created through democracy and nothing is banned unless the people decide, even then it can be amended or repealed through the will of the people – not the ‘Blob’
In the UK we don’t have a formal constitution, but an evolving one. It changes, as the things around us change.
Then think ECHR or even the UN contrived doctrines, they might have been all well intentioned at inception but as time and the World has moved on they have just become ‘Blob’ style out of touch concepts that have no purpose other than keep the unelected on as Dictators and the only ones it protects is the legal profession and the bureaucrat
February 2, 2024
It’s all irrelevant. When Labour achieve power through complicity with repugnant Tory Remainer wets and the nobbling of Brexit by Europhile British Civil Servants and direct EU interference the UK will be back in the EU, fact.
Tory Brexiteers must inform the British electorate that Starmer is a bare-faced, shameless liar and fully intends to take us back into the EU. He’s this country’s most vehement Remainer no doubt in daily contact with odious Blair, Campbell, Brown etc etc…
With a united Ireland to the west of GB and to the east the EU empire, GB will be surrounded
Democracy’s been sold out by a powerful alliance of pro-EU snakes who will have the final say.
February 2, 2024
+++
AGREE!
Why arenât they screaming our unfortunate future from the rooftops?
Helicopters with banners?
Like âThe Sunâ and Kinnock?
Only one explanationâŠthe tories donât want to even pretend to put up a fight.
Everything is âpriced inâ at this point.
Tories fragmentedâŠferrets in a sack.
Europe has shot through the tories and now they are in chaos.
Broad Church stretched to breaking point and now snapped.
Unity and leadership a distant dream!
Labour keeping its huge divisions under wraps at the moment..good party management. PR
Shape shifting is the leaderâs great talent.
At this point Iâd join Reform.
February 2, 2024
@DOM +1 – While you are 100% correct, Labour would be an abject disaster. The problem is that you can’t say the this Sunak/Hunt version of Government is that much different – they are all snakes in the grass that hate the UK and the idea of a Sovereign Democracy. Even if the Conservatives could squeak through in the GE, they would still be at war with themselves until the found a Conservative lead Government.
February 2, 2024
Starmer a liar? Well he is a trained lawyer and they will say that black is white if paid enough money. They wouldn’t know the truth if it hit the in the face.
February 2, 2024
Agree – and we can’t diverge as we haven’t remove any laws (the new, to be elected, tory PM stopped their repeal)
February 2, 2024
Ministers now say we can diverge. So then, you say, get on with it. Where, when, how? As ever, Brexiters have no concrete ideas. As ever, you cannot evade the basic truth that if the UK sets rules differently from the EU, all it does is impose extra costs on exporters with zero benefit to anyone.
Reply Typical negative and false Remain nonsense. I hav3 set out many areas where we can do better if we move away from EU. Lets rebuild our fishing industry by taking control of our own fish. Legs go for cheaper energy by shedding emissions trading
February 2, 2024
“Our own fish”. Really? Do they have blue passports too? Actually, fishing is the perfect example of the folly of Brexit. Fish caught in British waters tended to be species liked elsewhere in Europe, so we exported them, while we imported species we like (cod, haddock). Win win! Now, thanks to Brexit, there are checks, red tape, paperwork etc. Lose lose
February 2, 2024
Indeed, we replaced red tape from Brussels by our own red, white and blue regulations.
Have you read ipsos.com 31/01/2024 â7 in 10 Britons think Brexit has had a negative impact on the UK economyâ?
February 3, 2024
That’s our choice.
Nothing to do with Brexit
Our politicians have failed to use Brexit as the benefit it should be.
No wonder 7 out of 10 feel the way they do.
February 2, 2024
@Lemming
Compared to JR, your arguments are trivial and childish
February 2, 2024
I thought we bought lots of fish from Iceland that is outside the EU? And cod from China also outside the EU. We also imported from Russia; not sure if that’s still the case. We do import around 20% of the value of seafood imports in the form of salmon from Sweden, yet I think we export a lot of Salmon, odd.
“Most of the seafood exported from the UK to the EU goes to France, Spain and the Republic of Ireland. Most of the value of exports comes from salmon, Nethrops (better known as langoustine) and scallops. Over 25% of the value of exports comes from salmon going to France. “
February 3, 2024
I think some Russian fish still comes to the UK labelled as Norwegian because it might be processed there.But Russian fish is mostly going east now:-
Fishfocus.com,27/9/23:”Russia and China continue to increase trade in fish products”
“Total ytd volume of trade turnover in fish products by 18/9/23 reached 811,000t,worth $1.71 billion.Growth was 81% in physical terms,86% in monetary terms……..The figure of $1.71bn is the total of $1.49bn Russian exports to China(+86%) and $0.22bn Chinese exports to Russia(+18%).”
February 2, 2024
Fish don’t need passports. They are in or waters so are ours. Why do the EU make such a song and dance about it and require us to licence their obscene factory ships to kill our fishing grounds if it is all EU property? We should use the fish to demand France stops all the small boats or we will withdraw the licences. Then we’d see fishermen demonstrations to make the tractor blockade look like a tea party. Of course our jelly fish politicians would never do anything to advantage this country. Too many looking for nice bolt holes for when they are sacked.
February 2, 2024
No. We lost our fishing industry to the EU.
Our treacherous leaders were either totally cr*p at negotiation or foresaw rewards on their plates other than a nicely cooked cod fillet.
February 2, 2024
Reply to reply.
While I agree with you on the fishing industry, the UKs taste buds do not react possitively to fish and shellfish. Present the average Brit with a plate of Percebes and he/she would run a mile, whereas a Spaniard’s eyes would light in anticipation. It is a much larger, enviromentally sensitive, export fishing industry you are advocating, in which endeavour I totally support you.
Sad but the Brits don’t know what healthwise they are missing. My home town of 100,000 does not have a wet fish shop.
Reply We import a lot of fish including fish taken from our waters
February 2, 2024
They could sort all this out Agricola by putting more fish in the free school meals they’re now providing, and they will in the future.
February 2, 2024
That’s no reason to let our fishing grounds be killed by the EU. We killed our fishing industry to get in to the ‘Common Market’ on lies that it would not affect sovereignty. We don’t eat horses either, although they did try to make out it was prime beef a few years ago. Do you think we should eat horses? Or dogs, because some like to do that? The EU has no care about our fishing grounds being sustainable, they just hoover up everything and anything and we watch them do it all for nothing.
February 2, 2024
Graham
You are just guessing as usual with no real factual evidence
February 3, 2024
Hello Bill, Your posts still don’t make any sense. Grocer Heath said exactly that to get us in. Factory ships do hoover up our fish and use electricity to kill everything around the ship. The EU sent us horsemeat supposed to be beef. The French east horses and some Asians eat dogs. What’s a guess about that? You are so deluded and lacking knowledge.
February 3, 2024
Bill which part are you saying there is no real factual evidence of?
EU meat sold in the UK as beef when it was horse meat? The Swedish firms meat balls or perhaps the ready meals imported from the EU?
The large EU fishing vessels hoovering up and wasting fish that Hugh Wittingstall so eloquently told us about?
February 2, 2024
What a silly thing to say.
In the U.K. our food choices have been legislated away from us.
Of course people used to eat barnaclesâŠincluding gooseneck.
And the whelks that prey on them.
Why wouldnât they?
Free food on a shipâs hull or rock or washed up by the sea.
February 2, 2024
reply to reply ……yes ‘lets’ but being able to is different to doing. Why are we waiting as the chant goes?
February 2, 2024
Whether or not the British people have a keen enough appreciation of the great favour they did themselves by unshacking from the failing Evil Empire through Brexit must be doubted but the British establishment cannot be relied upon to “get on with it” when it comes to exploiting the freedoms and opportunities we now enjoy.
To mirror American entrepreneurial prowess is going to take much more of course than shrugging off Evil Empire constraints which is one reason why BEIS needs to be led by a second Ludwig Erhard.
February 2, 2024
Did you see this yesterday by Kemi Badenoch? Her department, she writes, has published the story of our successes:
https://twitter.com/KemiBadenoch?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor
February 2, 2024
Excellent article.
February 2, 2024
Yesterday, I learned that the per capita of GDP of Australia has been in recession for the past three quarters, even though the GDP shows no recession. In unrelated news, Australia took in more immigrants last year than the population of Tasmania.
February 2, 2024
You look at Switzerland, Norway and Iceland, but you forget your nearest neighbour, Ireland, which in your IMF list is still higher ranked. 10 EU member countries all perform better than the UK in GDP per capita.
The return of Stormont should help efforts to attract investors to Northern Ireland, US trade envoy Joe Kennedy III has said. That should be good news for the UK
February 2, 2024
Ireland had money pumped into it by the EU for decades (now it is having to contribute) and it has been allowed a free pass on Corp Tax …. 12.5% (for the time being) under-cutting the UK by almost 50% and the rest of the EU.
Sunak and Hunt stupidly raised our Corp Tax to align more closely with “our friends” in the EU. Because we mustn’t compete with “friends.”
February 2, 2024
Irish GDP figures are known to be nonsense as a number of large global corporations base there for tax purposes boosting nominal GDP across a small population. Nevertheless Ireland has done very well with 2 policies: 1) setting a low and competitive rate of corporation tax; and 2) (like many EU countries but worse) being a total free rider on defence spending, where they are I think even under 1% of GDP.
Important to check the facts.
February 2, 2024
Thatâs called âa politicianâs perfectly sampled information to feed his dumbed-down readersâ.
February 3, 2024
Yet Richard is correct.
Or are you irritated to hear the argument
None from you hefner.
February 2, 2024
Ireland the home of the lowest Corporation tax rate, artificial success?
February 2, 2024
Peter, the Irish economy is part illusion.
Large corporates (many American) base themselves in charming places like Galway and set-up ‘Distribution’ centres, from which they ‘ship’ their goods (often software and services) to other parts of Europe, including the UK. These ‘cost centres’ are very expensive to run apparently, because the transfer price charged to the local subsidary means that the sub operates at just above break even (so virtually no tax is paid in the country the goods are actually sold in). Meanwhile, the Irish distribution centre sees a large sales throughput on paper and pays a fee to the Irish Government (in the form of Corportion tax which is much lower than anywhere else in Europe).
Want to attract business to your country? Then lower corporate taxes, it’s simple. Want to scare them away, also simple, just them stick them up. Perhaps Mr Hunt should have been talking to Astra Zeneca before they decided to move their new ÂŁ320M facilities to Dublin from the NW of England? My point being that should the UK decide to sharply lower it’s Corporate Taxes (or the EU insists that Ireland raises theirs) then the Irish economic miracle could vanish very quickly. Do you think a European Distribution Centre on the far edge of the Atlantic makes any good economic sense otherwise?
February 2, 2024
I always look to Ireland and what they get away with.
February 2, 2024
We will never get our GDP per capita up whilst we take in millions of immigrants on low wages. Ireland’s prosperity relies a great deal on low business taxes and free entry to the UK. We could do that, but they don’t want us to succeed so we align ourselves with EU regs. the better to go back in when the time comes.
February 2, 2024
Graham
More guessing and no facts.
If we don’t invest in infrastructure and education much more than today, we will remain with no growth in the future
February 3, 2024
I agree for once. Maybe one day you may put up an actual argument, rather than make dismissive nonsense. Do you like to embarrass yourself?
February 3, 2024
Bill, we did invest a lot into education, I sometimes think that is the problem as we used to be able to train our own nurses up from 16 to become very able senior nurses, we used to be able to train people to be engineers on apprenticeships rather than forcing them to spend a further two years in school/college and now a new suggestion to force them to take maths to 18. This extra two years cost a fortune from 2015 and is rarely acknowledged as a success for this government for all that extra spending.
The number of people going into universities has also increased considerably, is this also an overwhelming success or not, you donât seem to think so yet the experiment has been going on for decades, where are the results we were told there were of education, education, education, it seem the bit missing was entrepreneurialism, wealth creation and growth.
How much more do you want, people in education until theyâre 30? There are 30 hours free child-care coming soon from 9 months old, do you want them educated from the day they are born?
February 2, 2024
Probably not a fair comparison given the EU includes many former communist countries which are in the happy process of recovering from decades of socialism to converge on western living standards. I suspect if you took Germany, France, Austria, Netherlands, Nordics etc, the U.K. would have a lower GDP per head.
Nevertheless the argument is reasonable – thereâs no point leaving the EU and taking the undoubted costs and disruption of that unless you are going to do things differently. It will be interesting to see what Labour do, I doubt there will be much divergence. After 2 terms or even 1 of Labour the argument wonât be so much âlook how project fear turned out to be nonsenseâ, but more âwhat was the point of it all?â I assume we will at least end up in a Norway-style relationship.
Reply UK higher figure than France, Italy, Spain as well as
Poland with only Germany higher of the large countries. Ireland thanks to very low business tax and Luxembourg thanks to favourable banking/ investment tax and rules have high GDP per head.
February 2, 2024
Benelux, Nordics, Austria? I think we are in the middle of the pack for western countries which have had (sort of) market economies since WW2. Polandâs performance is impressive indeed – at the moment they are on track to overtake the U.K. and Germany we should remember did absorb the bankrupt GDR.
February 2, 2024
If we keep on importing ‘new’ heads – particularly low-skilled unproductive ones, then we will rapidly dilute our per capita productivity and that is what is happening of course. When it finally dawns of the Powers-That-Be that this is a massive vote loser (as hopefully one day it will) I think there will suddenly be a lot of vacencies at the Treasury…
February 2, 2024
What does that mean for Ireland, John, if they have a higher GDP per head? Do they now have to contribute to NATO’s peacekeeping missions 2% of GDP, or are they still exempt? How much more does this mean they have to pay the EU in 2023 compared to 2016? How much have they been asked to contribute to the Ukraine? Do they pay more than 7.5% to foreign aid?
February 2, 2024
It’s too early to decide whether leaving the EU has been a success or not.
The EU’s CE product mark is a product safety standard. Before we left the single market, our manufacturers adhered to it. It will be difficult to export manufactured goods to the EU unless they continue to do so. The deep pools of liquidity that attracted firms to the City for financing have moved to Frankfurt and Paris. Very few global companies choose to list their shares on the FTSE now.
Financial services were a big earner for the City before Brexit. We should endeavour to regain the lost business as soon as we can
Reply Share listings and big capital went to New York not to EU
February 2, 2024
The latest data show London again the leading financial capital of the world, contrary to the forecasts of project fear. The EU is attempting to force business within its borders through regulation, never a tactic which has worked in the past and never a strategy for prosperity. Labour will no doubt make things much worse here as they always do. The winners will be New York, Singapore, Dubai etc.
February 2, 2024
SK, how many UK manufacturers export to the EU? Why would those businesses not produce to the regs CE product mark they always have?
Gov.uk suggests estimates “This gives an estimate that 8% of UK SMEs export to the EU and a further 15% are in the supply chains of other businesses that export to the EU.”
“As of the third quarter of 2023, the value of goods exported to the European Union from the United Kingdom was 46.3 billion British pounds, compared with 77.8 billion pounds of goods imported, resulting in a negative goods trade balance with the EU of around 31.6 billion pounds.” Statista. We had a peak Q3 2022 52,443 bn.
Weren’t some people who stopped exporting to the EU only middlemen who imported from a foreign supplier and re-exported? We seem to have been fined a rather large figure ÂŁ1.7bn by the EU for imports that they said the importers hadn’t paid EU tax on, so how much did our exchequer lose from these smugglers? https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/mar/08/uk-faces-fine-eu-chinese-imports
So, normal taxpayers in the UK paid a fine for these illegal operators.
February 2, 2024
CE mark – the Chinese put that on any old trash. We used to abide by it – still do.
February 2, 2024
Reply to reply: And is that a Brexit benefit?
February 2, 2024
Sir John
Actually quite a bit went to Amsterdam
February 2, 2024
The “deal” with the EU which the Not-a-Conservative-Party has imposed on us means we haven’t LEFT the EU – we are only semi-detached. Huge policy areas are controlled (or effectively controlled) by the EU.
The vote to LEAVE the EU was to regain control of our country, particularly our borders, and for change in the way the country was governed. Nothing significant has happened because the Establishment doesn’t want it to.
Sunak specifically said that the UK would not compete with its friends on the continent; he would rather the UK go down with the EU ship than “risk” launching the lifeboat.
February 2, 2024
+1
February 2, 2024
A semi-detached home benefits from a common wall, gaining heat from the neighbourâs hearth. However, it may experience noise and nuisance from how the neighbour behaves.
A 7-year old child asked if Siamese Twins were semi-detached. Her parents were surprised at the expression, but agreed that they were. One âpairâ was imprisoned for the offence of one even though the other was innocent.
Being separate from the EU in freedom is better than being semi-detached.
February 2, 2024
@Donna – Sunak this so-called Conservative Party is fighting the People it is fighting Democracy. If Democracy existed Sunak would never have made it to be an unelected PM, Cameron would not be an unelected unaccountable Government Minister.
What are our Politicians so afraid of, that they refuse the UK to be a Domocracy
February 2, 2024
If true – for that alone I could never vote for him.
February 2, 2024
All you say is true and now the farming communities of Germany, the Netherlands and France are protesting in their respective countries and Brussels that over regulation and the ill considered flight to Nett Zero are making the production of food impossible for them. In general much of this regulation for all industry is protectionist. An Offas Dyke built by big operators and compliant bureaucrats to block competition from smaller entrepreneurial businesses within the EU and competition from outside. Witness the EU’s incapability to strike trade agreements with more efficient producing countries around the World.
The pandemic infection of regulation has spread beyond EU shores and continues to contaminate our farming community, such that our associated quangos continue to press for rewilding and nett zero objectives with incentive payments , rather than encourage food production and self sufficiency as a main objective. I see these hangover quangos as the active arm of the movement desperate to keep us shackled to the EU even if politically they cannot return us to membership.
The EU is at a crossroad. Either continued relative decline, or a return to democracy. You are witnessing the early skirmishes in Poland, Hungary, Italy, Germany, France and the Netherlands. Initially for different reasons, but all in basic defiance of top down, anti democratic, bureaucratic Brussels. History will make interesting reading if the lessons of Napoleon are ignored. I leave out Germany’s national socialism because its lessons are all too raw and have too many current day proponents of its ends now living throughout Europe.
February 2, 2024
The EU is quite simply a protectionist regime constantly tied down by a few dictators in sheep’s clothing.
February 2, 2024
Well put Mickey. We need politicians who are will to sack the civil Serpents who do not do as they are told
February 2, 2024
Mickey
A lot of unsubstantiated nonsense
February 3, 2024
My goodness. What a paucity of knowledge you display with every post.
February 3, 2024
Some real-world examples of protectionism are the EU Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) for protecting domestic farmers in the EU âFarmers have said they face falling sale prices, rising costs, heavy regulation, powerful and domineering retailers, debt, climate change and cheap foreign imports, all within an EU agricultural system based on the premise that âbigger is betterâ.Guardian With the EU still spending a third of its long-term budget of 1,100 billion euros on the agricultural sector. With 80% of the budget going to 20% of the biggest land owners (source Brusselsreportseu).
Heavy regulation
All within an EU agriculture system.
Proposed tools such as a carbon border tax â EU tariffs on imported goods based on their CO2 footprint â could be seen as a protectionist .
February 2, 2024
Most voted Leave because they were told we could reduce immigration, set our own laws and grow faster. Turns out none of this was true and we are left isolated and without a voice with our major trading partner. Mr Redwood has been anti EU since day one and nothing will change his mind.
February 2, 2024
We COULD and SHOULD have done all that … so reflect….who disgracefully has refused to let any of the aims to take place.
February 2, 2024
@Paul E – but this Conservative Government and the HoC refused to let us leave, refused us democracy and have instead taken the position of fighting the People of this Country
February 2, 2024
Paul E,
Yes to your first sentence, but those meant to implement Brexit were remainers hell bent on sabotaging democracy. Immigration is a symptom of their sabotage. Incidently we are growing faster but not fast enough.
If you are honest you would accept that in fact our isolation was within the EU. We were a one in twentyseven member with a 1/27 voice, totally out of phase with our 2nd place financial contribution. He who paid the piper did not dictate the tune. Incidentally the most effective voice in trade is to offer customers goods they want at competitive prices dlivered on time. Big UK business had a voice to the detriment of SMEs which explains their reluctance to leave the cartel. Our voice, if we cared to use it, is that the EU is the nett beneficiary of EU/UK trade. We only need to apply pressure to their cohones when they get out of line. The weakness is that we have leadership unwilling to apply pressure or to think in terms of an independent sovereign UK.
I suspect our host would have little difficulty with a european free trade area open to the world , trading in goods parties wanted. It is the undemocratic forced political union that sticks in his throat. However he can answer in detail for himself.
As an ardent leaver who has lived in Europe for 15 years, I can confirm I loved it. It was the EU I found unpalatable. There is a big difference between the EU and Europe.
February 2, 2024
Paul, you didn’t understand Brexit voters then and still don’t.
February 2, 2024
And so am I Paul E i detest them and boycott all eu products and farm produce
February 2, 2024
We need to re-evaluate every illegal immigrate /refugee /asylum seeker that has declared a change of religion to be accepted into UK
February 2, 2024
Abdul Shokoor Ezedi is a disaster for the Tory party in election year.
Your problem is mass immigration, Sir John.
The Immigration Emergency is going to lead to the extinction of your party.
February 2, 2024
The suspected alkali thrower appeared to splash his own face with what rebounded. That is instant justice in part and a constant memory of wrongdoing, but much needs to follow. Refusing to allow entry at the outset would have prevented the immense suffering caused.
February 2, 2024
Absolutely. And thoroughly deserved.
February 2, 2024
hope you had a good meal last night with all your fellow Conservative MP’s, listening to Nick Ferrari giving you some home truths. probably the last time you will all see each other now while still in government eh?
I see your Caroline Nokes stepped out from the fun gathering to appear on the BBC to tell the nation how micro aggressions are a far bigger problem than out of control immigration, fighting age men running riot, priests certifying Afghan nationals as Christian which apparently makes it too dangerous to send them back to their home country, and women and children being attacked with corrosive substances. You may as well just hand out stickers telling people not to vote for you.
February 2, 2024
There is plenty of business to be had beyond the EU especially in N America, and Asia for those businesses with the gumption to pursue it. These are growing markets, unlike the EU which faces the same demographic time bomb as the UK as well high energy costs which are making much of its industry uncompetitive The blinkered stupidity of the UK establishment in trying to undo or undermine the opportunities offered by the Brexit vote is an outrage.
February 2, 2024
âWhen I voted for Brexit I voted for change.â
In essence the vote was to just leave the EU Nothing else.
The UK needed to find a way back to democracy, put the Country back in the hands of the People. Remove control by unelected unaccountable bureaucrats.
So what, âweâ would make mistakes! But they would be our mistakes and as a democracy we would have had the means to correct them.
This Conservative Government, this HoC, the âBlobâ have fought against democracy and are still fighting against democracy
February 2, 2024
Our MPs are happy that nothing has changed
February 2, 2024
Yes, a total ban on foreign super trawlers with immediate effect. Systematic plunder and destruction of our marine habitats. Says it all, really…
February 2, 2024
Yes the British fishing communities have been let down spectacularly.
February 2, 2024
âWhy want to tie ourselves back into a system which can thwart enterprise, be hard on entrepreneurs, promotes high taxes and costs and fails to encourage innovation?â
This is precisely what all the current Parliamentary parties and a majority of MPs seek for the UK and this is why they are all so keen to rejoin the EU. Rejoining gives them the result they want whilst spinning to the electorate it is not their fault or concern.
This aim also explains the economy and military capability destroying Net Zero Strategy. No-one who has come across and understood the calculations of Professors Happer and Wijngaarden, which show that doubling atmospheric CO2 has only a negligible GHG effect because of IR saturation, can possibly still believe in CAGW and hence the necessity of the Net Zero âsolutionâ.
February 2, 2024
Is the USA actually counting all the illegals though working in their black economy, how accurate are their population figures to arrive at their GDP? I doubt they know the true figures.
We in the UK seem to be counting everyone with estimates. Our population is up to around 68m (why do we need estimates? Don’t we know who is here?), like those missing 3m of 6m applicants that asked for permanent settlement passes your government weren’t expecting? How many are registered with UK GPs, how many are receiving benefits, how many are paying tax and NI?
How will this not become another windrush as many of those with settled status live in the EU, can they just say they were here and then claim pension credits at a later date?
February 3, 2024
a-tracy:
Freedom has high value, yet knowing who is in our mother country is as vital as mother knowing where her children are and being safe.
February 3, 2024
Absolutely.
February 2, 2024
I agree with all you say, and so I suspect do a huge number of people in this country (England). The thing I find very disapointing is the seeming inability of Leave protagonists to get their view across in the corridors of power. Remainers are in control and seem to be winning on every front.
February 2, 2024
We are being led down the path of rejoining in all but name by a civil service and big business that have never accepted us leaving. They are backed up by Bailey and his chums at the Bank and the OBR, not to mention the many wet Tory and Woke Labour MPs that will do anything to keep us fully aligned.
What other reasons can there be for dropping JM-Ms bill to remove EU laws and the abject failure to diverge so we could take full advantage of having left ?
February 2, 2024
I suppose in theory we could diverge to some extent from the EU but that would require a government that wanted to – Sunak and Hunt don’t want to. For example there was no good argument at all for not removing VAT on domestic fuel (in preference to the price cap direct subsidies) but they won’t do it because it might cause problems with the EU in NI.
One example of stifling EU regulations is their latest decree that all mobile phones of all makes must have USB-C type charger ports – Apple are complying and switching to these. On the face of it it looks good for consumers but it totally shuts down all future innovation – there is now no incentive at all for anyone to develop an improved higher-specification charging port because it would be illegal in the EU with no route to overturn that law which wouldn’t take years. It’s exactly why the old Soviet Union lagged so far behind the west across all technology.
February 2, 2024
True Sir John. Now you have the challenge of convincing your ‘One Nation’ bloc to see the error of their ways in wanting to be run by the EU again…
February 2, 2024
I have always considered the EU a defunct political body and , as the years have passed nothing has happened for me to change my mind . One rule in Europe cannot suit all – there are too many different ideologies and ethnic existing matters . Today our way forward is bound by an essential democracy and it must continue this way . The dictat from Brussels should not have any leeway in how we face and manage our affairs ; being allies with all of the nations in Europe is one thing but the buck stops there .
February 2, 2024
Thanks the details, Sir John. The fact that EU ‘leaders’ are pretty short on ‘business minds’ is only obvious. As in most governing systems, it is rife with the sort of ‘jobsworths’ whose grasp on what stimulates people to work and economies to thrive is underwhelming. ‘Control’ (x3) is very much the letter of the law to these EU-running people: the one thing they are good at, very little else. A common sense approach to matters is beyond them and it shows increasingly…
February 2, 2024
Can you provide an example of something which, presumably, could be made cheaper without having to comply with these rules?
February 3, 2024
For One British Industry, Brexit’s Red Tape Is Just Beginning. Chemical companies, facing costly new regulations and extra tariffs, Source New York Times.
February 3, 2024
We were supposed to have less red tape. Yet we still seem to adopt everything and still gold plate things originating on instructions from the EU. We have to match the corporation tax, yet Ireland a member doesnât. We are told we paid for a costly free trade agreement with the EU plus a rather large divorce bill that only started to reduce in 2024 why if all the red tape still applies?
We were told weâd have control of our fishing grounds, now weâre told we havenât, why?
We still receive large fines for the 80% of EU import taxes from the rest of the world they said we avoided paying whilst in the EU, how much are we saving from no longer paying any EU import taxes if more than ÂŁ1bn was just the estimated figure of none payment a tiny fraction of what was paid.
If chemicals are made and used within the UK and sold to the rest of the world why do they have to comply with the EU, I agree for EU use you have to use their rules but they flood our market with risky goods all the time, food riddled with salmonella, chemical products we later find out are dangerous, our animal standards were better than theirs, yet our politicians are not challenging or are they just not reporting when they do challenge and win.
February 2, 2024
The comparison with âthe EUâ is misleading. Some countries in the EU are well above us and some, like Greece to take just one example, are well below. So the average for the EU is basically meaningless. It clearly isnât membership of the EU that causes the high GDP of some members and the low GDP of other members.
As for our GDP, one of the main reasons for our lack of productivity is the high cost of energy and the high cost of everything else – from taxes to housing to food. All because your government is obsessed with importing everything.
February 2, 2024
Just get on with it. We wanted freedom and are still shackled up in an unwanted marriage. We need to cut loose before another war starts. We need to be on our own like in 1939 to sort ourselves out into what we want to be. It is going to be difficult with the type of people we have in power at present, all caused by our tie up with the EU (my opinion). New aspiration needs to be educated into the younger element so that we can, hopefully, get back to the generation that was born after the last War and wanted to make this country moral, fair and wealthy to the indigenous population first and foremost before handing everything to people who had not worked to build up the manufacturing wealth experienced in the early 20thC. We do not want a service industry to cover everything. We need manufacturing and be rid of net zero Marxist zealots. Get real young people and see what a certain type of person has done to your thoughts and aspirations before it is too late.
February 2, 2024
We haven’t left the EU because those in power have no intention of carrying out the Will of the People.
See also mass uncontrolled immigration and net zero.
February 2, 2024
Sir John,
As long as we do not invest enough in infrastructure and education we will remain in the slow lane no matter we are members of the EU or not.
On Brexit I think the UK population has spoken 57% believe Brexit is a failure and 13% believe it is a success according to IPSOS.
Do you need a different reply to your article?
February 3, 2024
John, it would be interesting for you to tell us how much more your government since 2015 have spent on education and infrastructure than before 2015, specifically how much it cost to add an extra two years on to the school leaving age, its now 10 years since that policy change so what advantages to our country have been delivered from that?
Have you spent any extra in âreal termsâ on infrastructure since 2015. No one seems to mention how much Home England is spending on affordable housing, how much was that investment as it also seems no one noticed it? 26% of homes where I live are built with subsidies for affordable housing. Where has the Tory party gone? Most other than you seem to be absent.
February 2, 2024
Have the tories finally jellyfished us into a place where MPs need bodyguards?
I believe they have.
Shameful beyond contemplation.
February 3, 2024
The way MPs have been betraying the people of this country, they should all feel they need bodyguards.
February 2, 2024
We should have learned from Germany post WW2 that rules and regulations stifle growth. Ludwig Erhard as German Economics Minister introduced his Social Market System, which swept away debilitating rules and laws and created the free market for German producers. Consequently, production soared, as did the German economy, so much so that Germany dropped rationing some four years before us in GB. The Labour socialists were in charge here at that time. However, it was not until Mrs Thatcher introduced her own policies, some mirroring those of Herr Erhard, that things changed here for the better. After she was rejected by the Europhiles within her own Cabinet, her sound economic policies were chipped away to the current stage where we now wallow in massive debts.
Until and unless those good old economic polices are re-instated, we shall not recover. Based on the history, surely, it must be blindingly obvious to Downing Street that they are not following the correct practises to ensure we have proper growth? Or do they all wear blinkers these days?
We desperately need change – for the better of Britain.
February 2, 2024
Sir John, See page 17 of the new government document ‘Safeguarding the Union’ to which the DUP have agreed. You and your colleagues need to brace for the law that will slink in as part of the NI sea-border stitch-up: a solemn undertaking that is virtually constitutional in its breadth, viz: “A legal requirement that new legislation is assessed as to whether it impacts on trade between Northern Ireland and Great Britain and, if so, for ministers to make a statement considering any impacts on the operation of Northern Irelandâs place in the UKâs internal market.”
Ponder the enormity of such a measure – applied to every future law and applied in silent secrecy by zealous civil servants.
February 2, 2024
And more importantly – the even more secretly inhibiting effect on legislation it will have, with Permanent Secretaries constantly warning ministers who plan to introduce Law X or Y diverging from the EU ‘I simply cannot allow you to do this, Minister, as it would endanger the Union.’ And one can imagine the smirk accompanying those words.
February 3, 2024
Thank you for reading this mancunius and educating us.
February 2, 2024
This week the EU has realised it has crises from its poor leadership coming home to roost, notably:-
1. “The natives are revolting” as they always do when things turn sour – Farmers in France, Belgium, Holland and Germany blockading motorways, setting fire to straw etc, leaving a nasty whiff of manure etc. Basically gumming up the works after years of deaf ears and frustration with EU business policies that impact them adversely. The French workers used to take it in daily turns to do this mass down-tool strikes and it has returned full circle with greater force.
2. Panic seems to have gripped top EU leaders realising Donald Trump may return as POTUS with an even more aggressive agenda not to keep “all talk and no action” EU countries freeloading on USA financial 2%+ support for NATO. Also the recent talk of WW3 “From Russia with Love” or rather revenge for supporting Ukraine, the final freedom frontier. The EU has no army and its debatable whether any of the EU countries are really equipped to defend themselves or can afford to do so having assumed incorrectly that keeping your enemies close and cosying up to them economically relying on Russian gas was a sane assumption.
Giving Ukraine âŹ50bn in aid this week is the first sign of panic IMHO to start the dawning of this realisation big time.
3. The rise of the populist parties across Europe keeps growing and will only get worse.
As for the UK we have to clear out the woolly thinking inertia that has prevailed in the political class by passenger Career MPs (excluding the minority like SJR) and the media still enthralled to the EU as though it is “the shining beacon of wishful thinking and false hope” but rather a modern version the the “Rise & Fall of the Roman Empire”.
Russia can see an opportunity as can China, Iran and NK. Our news is so blinkered that many in the UK fail to recognise that is the real cliff we should be aware of.
February 2, 2024
Off Piste but on Target.
I would commend you SJR to read Allison Pearson in the Daily Telegraph today. She clearly presents the evidence of Islamic Extremism of recent manifestation. Acid attacks on women and children, teachers in hiding for teaching religious tolerance, perpetual anti semitic hate marches in our capital, an esteemed headmistress facing threats of violence for expecting muslim children to respect the secularity of her school, a situation nobody else has any problem with, a conservative MP leaving Parliament at the next election following multi threats to his life because he represents and supports a largely jewish constituency. Be in no doubt, muslim extremists are a direct and active threat to the culture and norms of UK society and have absolutely no place in it, not even in our prisons.
The ONS predict that the population of the UK will soar to 70 million by 2026. 92% of the 6.6 million rise or 6.1 million people will come from immigration and they due to their origins will be largely muslim. There is no political consent from the British people for such a demographic change.
I am well aware that many of the muslims coming to the UK are escaping the medieval opprsssion that the extremists would impose. Many of those here are net contributors to our society and support what we see as our culture. That is why they came. Far too many by their actions do not.
In the current situation talk of reducing emmigration is totally inadequate. It needs to be stopped 99% completely. The 1% being reserved for true refugees. Appart from all I highlight above, our infrastructure cannot cope with the population we already have. Please cease giving us any more or see the UK disintegrate. My final step would be the deportation of convicted criminals of none British ethnicity, followed by the deportation of all on MI5’s watch list. Why suffer the cost of watching when deportation is a one way air fare. Those who markedly do not accept our culture and norms should be invited to leave for destinations and a lifestyle more to their liking.
Politicians need to realise that we are now in a state of emergency far beyond the allegorical situation that Enoch envisaged. Act now or leave the field.
February 2, 2024
They’ve chosen to leave the field. Well, be kicked off it this year.
It’s over.
The Tory Party is sunk. For good.
February 3, 2024
Agricola we know all this and are powerless.We voted Brexit in the last hope that we could take control of our borders.
The anti British element started all this in the 1980,s .Many businesses, families were illegally stripped of their wealth thereby taking and flipping any growing power.Reality was switched around and the ‘mirror image’ which views the world distortedly gained stolen acceptance.People without experience flooded the markets and competition became everything.At the centre of all this was the beginnings of those who allowed the distorted perception to see and act in the interest of seeing the world as one . Everything sinks to it’s lowest level which in a civil society means lies, cheating , negative competition, selfishness and arrogance.A society which has been allowed to grow here is lagging behind in ethical civilisation by hundreds of years and the savage modes of life grow.
February 2, 2024
As I have said before I am a business dunce and I don’t know where to read to assess how government business is faring and who supports or brings down it success,who has failed and blames the many.It may be a reason for so many bonnets with bees buzzing around.
February 2, 2024
Most businesses like to increase profit revenue while cutting costs (reduce debts and add value to assets) – our government likes to increase tax revenue while also increasing cost spend (increase debts and sell off assets) …there’s no real world comparsion to government business economics
February 2, 2024
A car theft insurance scheme could in equal bad faith be called âprogressiveâ and welfare because the lazy, stupid, unproductive people who have their car stolen take out of the scheme much more than they paid in premiums, and people who thanks to their thrift, sagacity and productivity donât get their car stolen get their premiums confiscated by them. The NHS and welfare state are insurance against being poor, Nobody on the “left” has explained to them that all state spending comes with a very expensive and enormously valuable form of insurance, that is insurance against the risk of being unable to pay the average cost of a state service.
Payment of taxes for state services is entirely voluntary in the UK and most other states: all you have to do is TAKE PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY and live in another State.
If you donât like the price that the UK State asks you to pay for its services, get out of the UK and buy services from a State that offers you a better bargain you are willing to take. Shop around! There is a market in State membership.
it is like with condo management: you donât like yearly fees for the condo? Shop around and buy an apartment in another condo. If you *choose* to stay in that condo but you refuse to pay the yearly fees, you are STEALING THEIR PROPERTY.
Living in a first-world state and paying whichever level of taxes are agreed for its services is purely a VOLUNTARY BARGAIN OF MUTUAL ADVANTAGE, with NO COERCION whatsoever, because you can leave that State anytime you want, respecting any contractual exit clauses, just like in any voluntary bargain of mutual advantage, just like you can leave that condo.
A State only can only «force you to pay for its services» by «hold[ing] a gun to your head» when you try to leave. If they are not holding a gun to your head to prevent you from leaving, then staying is a voluntary bargain of mutual advantage. It may be not one you like, but it is still voluntary you may feel paid too little by working at McDonalds as a server, but it is still a voluntary choice.
If you can leave a State and thus refuse to buy the services it offers, there is simply no coercion.
Just like nobody forces you to work for McDonalds: if you donât like the voluntary bargain of mutual advantage that you are offered by them just TAKE PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY and leave their premises without buying or selling anything.
From a libertarian perspective only moochers and looters refuse to TAKE PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY and instead of walking away from bargains that donât suit them and instead blame the party who offered them a bargain that they can quite easily reject by leaving the vendorâs premises and going to make a voluntary bargain in another one.
February 2, 2024
Off Topic.
University admissions processes will be reviewed after concerns about the recruitment of international students.
Universities UK said students, their families and the government must have confidence that the system is “fair, transparent and robust”. It follows accusations that universities have been lowering standards to recruit overseas students, who pay higher tuition fees. Universities say their processes have been misrepresented.
Universities UK, which represents 142 institutions, said in a statement: “There has been a significant focus on recruitment practices relating to international students in recent weeks.
“While many aspects of the reporting misrepresented the admissions process and criteria, it is vital that students, their families, and government have confidence that the system is fair, transparent, and robust.
“Where there is practice that falls below the standards expected of our universities and their representatives, we will take action.”
Whose standards to be checked?
February 2, 2024
So courts have found in favour of Greta but against Lawrence Fox and Tommy R, the whole system stinks at this point. Pretending that we have impartial justice is laughable now. I thought the Alex Belfield sentence was ridiculous for a few hurty words on the internet, which stretched interpretation of the law to an extreme. It’s now clear we have an openly lefty judiciary who conspire and discuss cases in ways they are not supposed to do. The whole fabric of what we are supposed to believe in is being exposed to be nothing more than the emerald colour in Oz.
February 3, 2024
Sir Joh,
When you talk about per capita income in the EU higher than the UK you forgot Holland, Belgium and the three Nordics
Reply It is lower in the EU. The average is lower and in all the larger countries France,Italy,Spain,Poland it is lower apart from Germany. Some smaller ones are higher.Ireland and Luxembourg are higher thanks to low business taxes. It obviously hurts you that the average is so much lower. The average reflects bad anti business anti innovation EU policies.