4 ms·

There is also the minor issue of a global pandemic and the UK being in a national lockdown.

by 88 6y ago

ris 6y ago
So, yes, this is a comparison againt January last year, pre-pandemic. I'm in no way a brexiteer, but I do wish people wouldn't do lead articles with such easily refutable arguments. But of course, this is the Guardian - they know their audience, they know who they're talking to and aren't too interested in persuading someone from outside their half of the bubbleverse.
- deleted 6y ago
  [deleted]
- midasuni 6y ago
  If it was down to covid then imports would be equally affected. Import changes don’t come in for a few more month, and are at normalish levels.
flohofwoe 6y ago
This is addressed about halfway into the article. > Trade experts said part of the reason for the sharp fall in exports was the coincidence of Brexit and the pandemic. But several heads of trade bodies fear worse is to come. ...with more information to follow.
- ris 6y ago
  I wouldn't exactly call that "addressing" it. It's vague hand-waving about some guesswork done by some un-named "trade experts". The later mentions are from Gove of all people. Any brexiteer reading this rather than being convinced will just dismiss it as project fear. But as I've said elsewhere, this isn't an article for brexiteers, it's a warm-bath article to reinforce their readership's beliefs.
raesene9 6y ago
There is indeed, which is why it was so surprising that the UK gov. turned down the offer to extend the transition period, which could have stopped these two economic events overlapping.
- 88 6y ago
  You could argue the opposite, that a time of significantly reduced economic activity and particularly cross-border trade was the ideal time to end the transition period and implement new trade protocols.
  - raesene9 6y ago
    Goods still need to flow in a pandemic. The UK still needs to trade. It's those flows that are possibly worst hit. Adding to problems that would've been present with just covid. Also attempts to find alternate markets can be hampered as business people can't travel easily to visit potential new markets for their products. (as pointed out elsewhere on thread) you could assume that having both at once allows the government to blame all economic issues on covid...
- belltaco 6y ago
  It makes sense because the UK gov can now blame Covid for the ill effects of Brexit.
spurgu 6y ago
Have a look here: https://oec.world/en/profile/country/gbr/ https://oec.world/en/profile/country/gbr/ It shows November 2020 car exports as £2.4B (= $3.3B). In 2018 total car exports was $43.4B = ~$3.6B/month. Judging from this I'd say Brexit had a huge impact, but it's admittedly a limited dataset.
- mensetmanusman 6y ago
  Why compare car exports?
  - ceejayoz 6y ago
    Why not?
  - deleted 6y ago
    [deleted]

There is also the minor issue of a global pandemic and the UK being in a national lockdown.

by 88 6y ago

There is also the minor issue of a global pandemic and the UK being in a national lockdown.

ris 6y ago

So, yes, this is a comparison againt January last year, pre-pandemic. I'm in no way a brexiteer, but I do wish people wouldn't do lead articles with such easily refutable arguments. But of course, this is the Guardian - they know their audience, they know who they're talking to and aren't too interested in persuading someone from outside their half of the bubbleverse.

deleted 6y ago
[deleted]
midasuni 6y ago
If it was down to covid then imports would be equally affected. Import changes don’t come in for a few more month, and are at normalish levels.

flohofwoe 6y ago

This is addressed about halfway into the article. > Trade experts said part of the reason for the sharp fall in exports was the coincidence of Brexit and the pandemic. But several heads of trade bodies fear worse is to come. ...with more information to follow.

ris 6y ago
I wouldn't exactly call that "addressing" it. It's vague hand-waving about some guesswork done by some un-named "trade experts". The later mentions are from Gove of all people. Any brexiteer reading this rather than being convinced will just dismiss it as project fear. But as I've said elsewhere, this isn't an article for brexiteers, it's a warm-bath article to reinforce their readership's beliefs.

raesene9 6y ago

There is indeed, which is why it was so surprising that the UK gov. turned down the offer to extend the transition period, which could have stopped these two economic events overlapping.

88 6y ago
You could argue the opposite, that a time of significantly reduced economic activity and particularly cross-border trade was the ideal time to end the transition period and implement new trade protocols.
- raesene9 6y ago
  Goods still need to flow in a pandemic. The UK still needs to trade. It's those flows that are possibly worst hit. Adding to problems that would've been present with just covid. Also attempts to find alternate markets can be hampered as business people can't travel easily to visit potential new markets for their products. (as pointed out elsewhere on thread) you could assume that having both at once allows the government to blame all economic issues on covid...
belltaco 6y ago
It makes sense because the UK gov can now blame Covid for the ill effects of Brexit.

spurgu 6y ago

Have a look here: https://oec.world/en/profile/country/gbr/ https://oec.world/en/profile/country/gbr/ It shows November 2020 car exports as £2.4B (= $3.3B). In 2018 total car exports was $43.4B = ~$3.6B/month. Judging from this I'd say Brexit had a huge impact, but it's admittedly a limited dataset.

mensetmanusman 6y ago
Why compare car exports?
- ceejayoz 6y ago
  Why not?
- deleted 6y ago
  [deleted]