3 ms·

On the other hand, many businesses were absolutely dependent on those large pools of cheaper labor and the willingness of people to do those jobs, and can't or

On the other hand, many businesses were absolutely dependent on those large pools of cheaper labor and the willingness of people to do those jobs, and can't or won't pay for lorry drivers, grocery store workers, food processing (harvesting food, working in the slaughterhouse) etc, so those businesses are struggling. And now It's much harder to sell those things that those workers made and the EU. What if no one wants to do those jobs who's from the UK?

Silhouette 5y ago
There are some big downsides to reducing free movement of labour. I don't think we fully understand how much the current situation has resulted from them yet though. While Brexit is surely a major factor here, obviously we also have the pandemic that has a particularly severe effect on some of the same industries. There are other significant factors in specific industries, such as the terrible conditions for lorry drivers in the UK compared to elsewhere in Europe. There's also the bizarre own goal of the government pushing ahead with its IR35 agenda at a time like this, which again hits some of the same industries particularly hard. It's going to be difficult to discuss these industries rationally and consider potential changes that could be made without some reasonably objective way to evaluate all of the relevant factors and how much they are contributing to the current situation in any given industry. As with almost anything to do with Brexit or the pandemic, it seems unlikely there are any simple and universally "right" answers.
nivenkos 5y ago
People will do any job if it pays enough. The issue with the EU free movement was lots of eastern European labourers undercutting UK salaries and driving up rental prices by living 6+ to a house, etc. I find it ironic that Americans criticise Brexit when they themselves benefit massively from the extreme restrictions on immigration (compare Tech salaries in the US and Europe for example!).

Silhouette 5y ago

There are some big downsides to reducing free movement of labour. I don't think we fully understand how much the current situation has resulted from them yet though. While Brexit is surely a major factor here, obviously we also have the pandemic that has a particularly severe effect on some of the same industries. There are other significant factors in specific industries, such as the terrible conditions for lorry drivers in the UK compared to elsewhere in Europe. There's also the bizarre own goal of the government pushing ahead with its IR35 agenda at a time like this, which again hits some of the same industries particularly hard. It's going to be difficult to discuss these industries rationally and consider potential changes that could be made without some reasonably objective way to evaluate all of the relevant factors and how much they are contributing to the current situation in any given industry. As with almost anything to do with Brexit or the pandemic, it seems unlikely there are any simple and universally "right" answers.

nivenkos 5y ago

People will do any job if it pays enough. The issue with the EU free movement was lots of eastern European labourers undercutting UK salaries and driving up rental prices by living 6+ to a house, etc. I find it ironic that Americans criticise Brexit when they themselves benefit massively from the extreme restrictions on immigration (compare Tech salaries in the US and Europe for example!).