Print

Brexit case highlighted by UK200 Group member

Published:  02 June, 2016

A member of the UK200Group of independent chartered accountancy and law firms has commented on news that more than 300 business leaders have signed a letter calling on Britain to vote to leave the European Union, saying that the country’s “competitiveness is being undermined by our membership”.

In a letter published in the Telegraph, the business leaders say that Brussels’ “red tape stifles every one of Britain’s 5.4 million businesses” and claim that a Brexit would allow them to “create more jobs”. This letter comes after Mark Carney, the Governor of the Bank of England, said that Brexit campaigners are in denial about the economic risk of the UK leaving the EU.

Jonathan Russell, Partner, at UK200Group member firm ReesRussell, said: “There is no doubt talking to my smaller clients the EU has brought them many additional burdens which has not helped their profitability though most would also agree some of those regulations have been better for the overall best business practices. The issue is though the burden which has been placed on them which has no commercial benefit, frequently no relevance to their trading position and has often made them less able to compete in a local or global market. Part of the problem is regulation designed for large business being pushed down to micro businesses but also the failure of the EU to deliver on some of the ‘simplification’ which it has promised. VAT is a classic case where EU registration has long been promised but is still not fully available but additional VAT reporting for many small businesses means trading in the EU is actually harder than elsewhere in the World.”

Related Articles

  • UK Industry still unclear of repercussions of a 'yes' vote 

  • Safety in explosive atmospheres 

    PYROBAN reports that the emissions regulations (EU 97/68/EC Directive) have been amended to support the special application of diesel engines, such as those in forklifts, used in potentially explosive atmospheres, where safety is paramount.

  • A month of announcements 

    October was quite a month of announcements! The decision over the third runway at Heathrow and then Nissan’s commitment to build its new model at Sunderland - effectively safeguarding more than 7000 jobs and a big vote of confidence in UK manufacturing. Although many commentators are concerned with what the Government has actually agreed in to entice Nissan to commit to the UK, I take a pragmatic view in that whatever agreements may or may not have taken place, there are now increasing signals that the Government is listening to industry’s concerns about the Brexit process and our future trading relationship with the EU, and it is gradually becoming aware of the consequences of getting it wrong.

  • Building on close co-operation 

    Rebalancing the economy with a re-energised industrial strategy is a positive message from the Prime Minister, and one I think most of us can relate and agree with. As Terry Scuoler, chief executive of EEF, the manufacturers’ organisation, emphasised recently, manufacturers are the backbone of many communities and their success is dependent on the best possible business conditions. The Government's strategic decisions on infrastructure, tax, education and skills make the difference between great success and mediocrity.

  • The future of obsolescence management 

    Jonathan Wilkins, marketing director of EU Automation, looks at managing obsolete automation components in the factory of the future, and how this factory could be ordering your replacement parts for you.

Sign up for the PWE newsletter

Latest issue

To view a digital copy of the latest issue of Plant & Works Engineering, click here.

View the past issue archive here.

To subscribe to the journal please click here.

Poll

"How is your manufacturing business preparing for a net Zero target?"






Twitter