Former Chancellor Osborne calls on the UK to return to the EU customs union
In the United Kingdom, former Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne has called for a return to the European Union customs union. As The Guardian reports, he considers this move the fastest path to economic recovery and boosting trade.
Assessment of Brexit consequences
Osborne, who was part of David Cameron's government during the Brexit referendum, said in a comment to The Independent that Brexit “was a mess.” In his assessment, the country's withdrawal from the EU significantly affected the British economy, and the United Kingdom is poorer than it would have been without this decision.
The former chancellor acknowledged that ten years after the referendum, the United Kingdom's return to the EU would be difficult. At the same time, in his view, closer ties with Europe could support economic growth, investment attraction and trade with the continent.
More current news is available on the UA.News Telegram channel Telegram.
Return to the customs union
Osborne called rejoining the customs union a “fairly simple” decision. He argues that leaving the union was not part of the discussion during the Brexit campaign and had a devastating impact on trade.
Osborne also questioned Brexit supporters' expectations of major trade deals with the United States. He noted that returning to the customs union, unlike returning to the EU single market, would not require agreeing to the free movement of people. In his view, this issue is now difficult to explain to British society.
Osborne added that if Andy Burnham were mayor of Manchester, he would see no reason not to return to the customs union.
