The Conversation (0)
Lowenna Waters
Jun 27, 2019
Picture:
Sky News / Twitter
We've heard a lot of dodgy arguments for no-deal Brexit, but this has to be one of the best. A Tory Brexiteer named Mark Francois has attempted to put a positive spin on no-deal Brexit tariffs hitting the car industry by saying 'at least it would be our choice'. Yes, really.
The Conservative MP for Rayleigh and Wickford was debating with David Henig on Sky News, as they both discussed the impact of a no-deal Brexit on the UK's economy.
Henig began the interview by saying exactly what he thought crashing out of the EU would look like, telling Adam Boulton:
No deal equals trade barriers, tariffs on UK goods into the EU, technical barriers, inspections, loss of privileges to provide services across the EU. That all happens in the event of no deal. No deal is no deal, there is no mystery WTO provision that allows you to get out of the mess.
Explaining his comment, he expanded that it meant high tariffs for the car industry and agriculture. Touching on its impact on the car industry, he said;
For our car producers - 122,000 work manufacturing cars and automotive equipment - they are going to be hit. A huge percentage of those will go overseas.
However, instead of trying to dispute what the expert had to say, Francois claimed:
The fundamental point is if they're going to be hit, at least it would be our choice.
Rather taken aback by the claim, Sky News's Adam Boulton said;
Yes I know but if it's your choice to blow your head off, you don't take it, at least very often.
In a rather snarky response, Mr Francois said:
As a matter of fact Adam, I am not blowing my head off today, nor am I planning to.
It goes without saying that the comments didn't get lost on Twitter users, who thought the whole thing was farcical.
HT New European
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