A. Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty set out the rules for leaving the European Union. As with most negotiations, it assumed the leaving country would present its proposals for the post-withdrawal period – which would then be finalised with the other members. The UK government, however, has still not yet set out its post-Brexit […]
Chemicals and the Economy
Contingency planning is essential in 2020 as “synchronised slowdown” continues
The IMF has now confirmed that the world economy has moved into the synchronised slowdown that I forecast here a year ago. Its analysis also confirms the importance of the issues highlighted then, including “rising trade barriers and increasing geopolitical tensions”, a sharp decline in manufacturing, contraction in the auto industry and structural forces such […]
Boris Johnson will have to disappoint someone in 2020 as the UK finally leaves the EU
Finally, after three and a half years, the UK has reached “the end of the beginning” with Brexit, in Winston Churchill’s famous phrase. Since the referendum, its leaders have consistently refused to confront the real choices that have to be made over what type of Brexit it wants to have: In June 2016, then premier […]
What’s next for Brexit and chemicals?
The UK is about to go to the polls again to try and decide the Brexit issue. Chemicals will be one of the industries most affected by the decision, as it depends on cross-border supply chains. As the UK Chemical Industries Association has warned: “The chemical industry in the UK and in Europe needs a […]
UK election offers voters no middle ground in December
Pity the poor UK voters as they prepare to vote in probably the most critical election of their lives. As they battle the wind and rain to vote in the first December election for 100 years, they already know there are only 3 likely outcomes: Tory majority, Brexit by end-January, EU trade deal uncertain Labour […]
No Deal Brexit still a likely option if opposition parties fail to support a new referendum
Canada’s normally pro-UK ‘Globe and Mail’ summed up the prevailing external view of Brexit last week: “We begin this editorial with an apology to you, our faithful readers. In March, we described the Brexit situation, then careening through its third year and nowhere close to resolution, as an “omnishambles. “An omnishambles is a state of […]
UK, EU27 and EEA businesses need to start planning for a No Deal Brexit on 31 October
New UK premier, Boris Johnson, said last week that the UK must leave the EU by 31 October, “do or die, come what may”. This means UK, EU27 and EEA companies now have less than 100 days to prepare for a UK No Deal Brexit. That’s less than 70 working days – and even less […]
Wishful thinking dominates Brexit debate as the UK heads towards No Deal on 31 October
One of the best things I learned at school was the simple mnemonic: “To ASSUME can make an ASS of U and ME” Unfortunately, most of those involved in the UK’s Brexit debate have failed to remember it. As a result, it seems likely that the UK will end up leaving the European Union on 31 […]
Most businesses were nowhere near Ready for Brexit last Friday – we mustn’t make the same mistake again
Thank goodness for backbench MPs and the European Union. Without their efforts, the UK would by now have left the EU without any trade deals, or ongoing relationship with it’s biggest export market. And as the Duke of Wellington said in another context, “It was a damn close-run thing”: In a historic vote, MPs decided […]
Businesses thrilled by Brexit uncertainty: “It’s exhilarating” says small business owner
With the European Commission saying that a No Deal is now “likely“, small businesses across the UK and EU27 have begun to look forward to the opportunities that it will create, as this 1 April report from Ready for Brexit suggests. Businesses across Europe are thrilled by the uncertainty of Brexit. “We’re absolutely loving it” […]
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