4 ms·

I'm not sure what would make UK not to get such agreements especially if both EU and UK are interested in getting them. What politicians are saying is a bit off

I'm not sure what would make UK not to get such agreements especially if both EU and UK are interested in getting them. What politicians are saying is a bit off from actual business and it's in everybody's business to keep trading and making money :-) Anything other than that - I would rather prefer not to make bold statements that `UK will wake up` etc. until I actually see the deal (ignoring all white noise produced by politicians and media).

Tomte 10y ago
A deal like Switzerland? Really? Because Switzerland has to let EU citizens in to live and work there. Not quite as freely as if they were Schengen members, but still.
- ramtatatam 10y ago
  The whole point of immigration was not that immigration itself is wrong but that decision weather and who to let in was made outside UK. As you can see Switzerland has got fairly nice model where they attract highly skilled workforce and there is nothing wrong about trying to get the same model in UK. And I'm really cheering Brits to get there. Knowing their pragmatism they will.
  - usgroup 10y ago
    ... unfortunately the labour pyramid is such that the unskilled workers are required in much larger numbers than the skilled workers. If they are not imported then the wages would need to go up very substantially before those from the UK would be willing to wait tables, flip burgers, etc. Labour cost inflation from bottom up kills margin.
  - pjc50 10y ago
    This isn't true though. Both countries are currently part of free movement arrangements: that is, anyone with an EU passport must be let in and allowed to work as if they were a local. Swiss have also voted to change this and also haven't worked out how. http://openeurope.org.uk/today/blog/swiss-eu-compromise-free-movement/ http://openeurope.org.uk/today/blog/swiss-eu-compromise-free...
- hocuspocus 10y ago
  Switzerland is in Schengen. And free movement of labor isn't covered by Schengen.

Tomte 10y ago

A deal like Switzerland? Really? Because Switzerland has to let EU citizens in to live and work there. Not quite as freely as if they were Schengen members, but still.

ramtatatam 10y ago
The whole point of immigration was not that immigration itself is wrong but that decision weather and who to let in was made outside UK. As you can see Switzerland has got fairly nice model where they attract highly skilled workforce and there is nothing wrong about trying to get the same model in UK. And I'm really cheering Brits to get there. Knowing their pragmatism they will.
- usgroup 10y ago
  ... unfortunately the labour pyramid is such that the unskilled workers are required in much larger numbers than the skilled workers. If they are not imported then the wages would need to go up very substantially before those from the UK would be willing to wait tables, flip burgers, etc. Labour cost inflation from bottom up kills margin.
- pjc50 10y ago
  This isn't true though. Both countries are currently part of free movement arrangements: that is, anyone with an EU passport must be let in and allowed to work as if they were a local. Swiss have also voted to change this and also haven't worked out how. http://openeurope.org.uk/today/blog/swiss-eu-compromise-free-movement/ http://openeurope.org.uk/today/blog/swiss-eu-compromise-free...
hocuspocus 10y ago
Switzerland is in Schengen. And free movement of labor isn't covered by Schengen.