MARCH | OPINION
T
he Brexit debate has reached fever
pitch, and I’m not sure that anyone
is really enjoying it beyond those few
politicians and journalists for whom this
defines their politics.
My constituents tell me that they’re sick
of it. Many of them oppose the deal that the
Prime Minister has brought forward, but
that is not the majority position.
The majority just want Brexit done and for
politicians to get back to talking about the
stuff that really matters to them.
Business, of course, looks at all this
more dispassionately and simply wants to
understand what risks Brexit might bring,
and what opportunities, so that they can
go to work on mitigating the former and
exploiting the latter.
Exit music
James Heappey MP, chair of the All-Party
Parliamentary Group for Events, addresses
the event industry’s Brexit concerns
The reality, however, is that it is impossible
right now to give business the certainty it
craves. Absolutely every version of Brexit is
on the table at the moment and many of my
colleagues in Parliament are working hard to
make sure that remains the case.
In board rooms around the country,
businesspeople will be screaming in
frustration but we cannot take no deal off
the table at this point in the negotiations
– deep down every business person knows
that that must be the case as it is essential
leverage in the remaining negotiations.
Equally, those in Parliament who oppose
Brexit will be equally loath to accept that no
Brexit shouldn’t be on the table because they
passionately believe that we shouldn’t be
leaving at all.
The government has sought to navigate
a more moderate path but has been met
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