The state of Brexit

In a little noticed move last week, the UK Government back down on legislation that would have allowed a reduction in workers' rights after extensve lobbying from the TUC and CBI. This is the unions and business leaders agreeing on something.

One of the points of Brexit is the ability to diverge from EU standards on rights, not just upwards, because the EU's rights are a base, not a ceiling, so it was always going to be a race to the bottom. And if the UK does decide to reduce rights below that of the EU, it would trigger a trade war, which for business which is still trying to understand the TCA would just about kill it off.

But, we saw this week, Brexit also effects football. Yesterday was the closure of the transfer window, and much less activity being done in England, business about 85% down, and much to do with COVID. But the other part of transfers, the sourcing and snapping up of youg talent is going to be very much affected by Brext. As EU players will need work permits, and criteria for these are based on age and experience, international caps and so on. Although the effect will not be seen for years, fringe players of players at their peak, like Temu Pukki for Norwich, would not now get a work permit as they had not played enough games to qualify.

But football, as well as worker's rights, industry, services, SMEs have all be thrown onto the pyre of ending the freedome of movement of labour (not people), one of the four freedoms enshrined in the EU SM, and something, the main thing, Brexit was brought about to end. Even if it will reduce the work force in many sectors; agriculture, the NHS and care homes. The effects don't matter, just the purity of Brexit thought.

Political Brexit satisfied any "mandate" the referendum granted it, anything on top of that was a political choice by Johnson and his Givernment. Never forget that.

Yesterday, The Guardian publised an article that described one exporter as suggesting that the UK had imposed economic sanctions on itself, which is something I heard mentioned a few times last year. The decision to make our businesses less competitive, drive up delays in supply chains and drive up costs was, again, the UK's choice, driven by Johnson and cheered on by the right wing press.

Make sure they own the devastating effects.