Access All Areas March 2019 | Page 17

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 17