Brexit’s challenging checks show just how vital independence is for Scotland
by The week of 30th April witnessed another milestone that exposes how Brexit has been and will permanently remain a major source of the problems underlying the cost-of-living crisis and a stuttering UK economy.
The imposition of new Brexit border checks means that the new, more expensive and complicated import controls are yet another factor leading to higher food prices and business costs.
Due to Brexit the UK has already suffered the largest five-year decline in goods trades since comparable record began in 1997, with the volume of UK goods imports and exports being 7.4% smaller than in 2018.
The new changes mean importers will need to pay up to £145 to bring products into the country, with the fee intended to cover the cost of operating the border control posts introduced after Brexit.
Food suppliers have warned that the checks, will “increase food prices and reduce consumer choice” and impose “impractical” requirements on businesses.
A BBC report details how one business will face extra costs of £225,000 a year because of the new checks, whilst Sky News says they will increase annual business costs by more than £330 million and ‘add billions’ to consumer bills.
Meanwhile, the Fresh Food Consortium says the new checks will mean small wholesalers paying an average £60,000 a year for new Brexit inspections thus hiking up prices for the supermarket shop.
Some food importers have warned that the new checks could add 60% to costs.
Warnings about the impact of these Brexit changes are being highlighted across the trade press whether it be the grocery trade, retail or hospitality and catering. Prominent industry publication ‘The Grocer‘ reports on how the new checks could ‘send Britain into food security chaos’.
It has also been noticed internationally with France 24 reporting that the new checks ‘could drive up UK food inflation’ and America’s CNN headlining on the UK ‘bracing itself for less choice and higher prices’.
Meanwhile it has also been reported that the effects of Brexit have also seen a windfall for Ireland, where the Treasury has reaped €700m in customs duties because of imports of clothing, food and other goods from Great Britain.
Scotland never voted for Brexit. It was imposed by a Westminster government we never voted for and has been hammering our economy, businesses and household budgets for years. These changes show there’s more to come.
Yet, with both the Tories and Sir Keir Starmer’s Labour committed to Brexit, there will be no reprieve to the ever-rising costs. Things won’t change under a Westminster Labour government.
Independence is now the only way for Scotland to re-join the EU single market and customs union to stop Brexit hammering our businesses and household budgets.
Through independence the SNP are the only party offering the people of Scotland an escape from broken Brexit Britain and a route back into the EU – and the world’s largest single market.
Produced by the SNP’s News, Research and Rebuttal Unit.