No Deal Brexit could lead to “significant new tariffs and delays”
The historic defeat of the Government’s Brexit plan must not lead to a No Deal Brexit, says international parcel delivery expert ParcelHero. The online parcel broker is urging politicians of all sides to join the battle against a default No Deal Brexit; which would result in new tariffs and red tape on shipments at European Union (EU) borders. Instead it is calling for a new, fully informed informed peoples’ – and parcels’ – vote.
ParcelHero’s Head of Consumer Research, David Jinks MILT, says the defeat of the Government’s Brexit proposals by 230 votes could lead to an automatic No Deal Brexit if no other solution is reached, resulting in the imposition of disastrous tariffs and delays on goods at EU borders, under World Trade Organisation rules.
David says: “MPs must ensure the result of the defeat of this Brexit deal is a rethink on our membership of the EU Customs Union to guarantee the continued free and frictionless movement of goods at our borders; and not a collapse into a Hard Brexit”.
David continues: ‘Since the original Brexit vote we have learned from the National Institute of Economic and Social Research that Brexit will cost £100 billion a year by 2030, largely due to new tariffs and duties on UK parcels and goods entering the EU, and red tape at Britain’s borders disrupting just-in-time manufacturing by delaying the delivery of internationally sourced components .’
‘As a company battling on the frontline of customs borders, we have watched with disbelief the Government’s Operation Brock preparations for massive disruption at borders following a no deal Brexit; through the desperate remedy of stacking trucks in an old airfield. It’s a ridiculous solution to a self-inflicted crisis.’
David cautions: “Last August we also saw the Government issue technical papers saying people and businesses shipping items to the EU should ‘Engage the services of a customs broker, freight forwarder or logistics provider to help, or alternatively secure the appropriate software and authorisations.’ We said at the time this advice is reminiscent of Government duck and cover advice to ‘Use tables if they are large enough to provide you all with shelter’ from 1980’s Protect and Survive government booklet.”
David concludes: “Once the Labour party has got its unconvincing vote of no confidence in the Government motion out of its system, MPs of all sides should unite to defeat the possibility of drifting into a no deal Brexit. In the light of all we have learned since the first Brexit vote about the real term costs of leaving the EU, we believe the best solution is the Government should hold a peoples’ – and parcels’ – vote to release parliament from its commitment to leaving the EU at any cost.”
For more details of the costs and challenges facing the UK’s exporters post-Brexit see ParcelHero’s report: Revealed – the True Cost of Brexit: https://www.parcelhero.com/blog/news-updates/revealed-the-true-cost-of-brexit
