I tweeted last night, in response to growing concern over trade wars:
William Keegan discusses a not dissimilar idea in the Observer this morning. As he puts it:
[I]f ever there were an example of why the advisory vote by 37% of the electorate to leave the EU should be reconsidered, it is the obvious impact of the lurch into protectionism by the egregious president of the United States. This surely scotches the fantasy of Messrs Johnson, Gove and Fox that all would be plain sailing after Brexit via a wonderful new trading relationship with the US.
When the facts change the wise change their minds. And the wiser still then change their actions. But our government appears to be carrying on regardless. That's not just unwise: that is positively foolhardy. And it is most definitely not leadership.
I accept that fact that the world we have is not ideal. This whole blog is dedicated to that idea. But the chance of changing the world we live in by pretending it does not exist is remote in the extreme. We have to stay engaged. But right now we face the risk of being deeply isolated, which is a position we simply cannot afford. And yet I see almost no chance of avoiding this fate now.
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” That’s not just unwise: that is positively foolhardy……”
I hope you checked that that shouldn’t be ‘foolhardie’. 🙂
On the serious point you make: if ever there was a case of jumping from frying pan to fire, distancing ourselves from Europe to cosy-up to the US has to exemplify it in spades.
(Ironically only ‘no trumps’ trumps spades if this a bridge analogy.)
Yes, it all gets rather ironic when protectionists (in the guise of UKIP et al.) fall prey to protectionism. Its just a pity that they’ve taken everyone else with them. Another sign of the 1930’s redux.
I am not wholly against protectionism per se but it can be done badly and in this case it clearly has.