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An area I don’t see much discussion on is the double whammy impact of Brexit AND Covid. Both have permanently reshaped live in UK and both landed within months

An area I don’t see much discussion on is the double whammy impact of Brexit AND Covid. Both have permanently reshaped live in UK and both landed within months of each other.

janice1999 2y ago
> both landed within months of each other. The Brexit vote was June 2016. The withdrawal agreement was first drafted in 2018. The business impact was being felt for years before Covid as uncertainty and confusion affected investment.
Havoc 2y ago
Not just covid, but also the huge cash printing at the time. The average person on the street saw very little of that. In the UK it has basically been a massive injection of inequality.
- orwin 2y ago
  Yeah, the issue is how the cash was spent, who it was given to. I'd rather have money printing be used for long-term investments, all things being equal. But if it can be done, I'd rather inject it in the real economy rather than in the stock market and second-hand real estate. Multiple things could have been done to do that. Rent freeze + automatic social security payments (rather than paying the business, you pay the now inactive employees until the economy starts again) would have been great.
- Zenst 2y ago
  Exactly- trickle-down economics does not work, it's trickle-up that was the overlooked and needed solution. Universal basic income, known as UBI is one tool to enable this. Removed inequality and equally, restores dignity and makes benefits and the lambasting and disdain of those in that position a thing of the past.
michh 2y ago
Sure, but every country was affected by Covid. Not always to a similar degree as Britain but the differences in Europe in that regard aren't so big. Most handled it similarly, saw similar infection rates and are seeing similar long-term consequences. Just like we were all affected by cheap Russian gas disappearing. I think you can safely cancel out Covid and Putin when comparing the way living standards and cost of living have changed over the last decade between the UK and countries like France, Germany, The Netherlands, Sweden, Italy, etc.

An area I don’t see much discussion on is the double whammy impact of Brexit AND Covid. Both have permanently reshaped live in UK and both landed within months of each other.

janice1999 2y ago

> both landed within months of each other. The Brexit vote was June 2016. The withdrawal agreement was first drafted in 2018. The business impact was being felt for years before Covid as uncertainty and confusion affected investment.

Havoc 2y ago

Not just covid, but also the huge cash printing at the time. The average person on the street saw very little of that. In the UK it has basically been a massive injection of inequality.

orwin 2y ago
Yeah, the issue is how the cash was spent, who it was given to. I'd rather have money printing be used for long-term investments, all things being equal. But if it can be done, I'd rather inject it in the real economy rather than in the stock market and second-hand real estate. Multiple things could have been done to do that. Rent freeze + automatic social security payments (rather than paying the business, you pay the now inactive employees until the economy starts again) would have been great.
Zenst 2y ago
Exactly- trickle-down economics does not work, it's trickle-up that was the overlooked and needed solution. Universal basic income, known as UBI is one tool to enable this. Removed inequality and equally, restores dignity and makes benefits and the lambasting and disdain of those in that position a thing of the past.

michh 2y ago

Sure, but every country was affected by Covid. Not always to a similar degree as Britain but the differences in Europe in that regard aren't so big. Most handled it similarly, saw similar infection rates and are seeing similar long-term consequences. Just like we were all affected by cheap Russian gas disappearing. I think you can safely cancel out Covid and Putin when comparing the way living standards and cost of living have changed over the last decade between the UK and countries like France, Germany, The Netherlands, Sweden, Italy, etc.