Hard Brexit would leave British people poorer – Labour MPs | Letter

Letter: Advocates of a hard Brexit need to swap rhetoric for answers. Which sectors do they think can survive facing new trade barriers? Which new trade deals will be signed, when and with whom?

The ideology driving some Tory MPs to support a hard Brexit would be a disaster for working people.

Falling back on World Trade Organisation rules would not be a clean break but the most destructive, harshest of settlements, which would lead to fewer jobs and less business investment, and would leave the British people poorer. This is not what they voted for in June.

Tariffs would be imposed on products such as cars and aeroplane parts, and would hit major manufacturing sectors. Increased costs would be passed on to consumers through higher prices. The weekly shop is likely to become more expensive.

Trade barriers would make it harder for businesses to grow, reducing employment. Having little access to the European single market would leave Britain deprived of privileged access to the EU markets, hitting jobs, growth and businesses.

Whereas the UK is now an attractive destination for inward investment because we are a gateway to a market of 500 million consumers, reducing our access reduces our attractiveness for investment and therefore job creation. Combined, these factors will mean that British people will be poorer.

Advocates of a hard Brexit need to swap rhetoric for answers. Which sectors do they think can survive facing new trade barriers? Which new trade deals will be signed, when and with whom?

The referendum result was a cry from many communities that they wanted to share in future economic gains, not to remain left behind. A hard Brexit is the worst of all worlds and does nothing to honour their aspirations.
Emma Reynolds MP
Alan Johnson MP
Alison McGovern MP
Ian Murray MP
Graham Jones MP
Stella Creasy MP
Ruth Smeeth MP
Catherine Stihler MEP
Glenis Willmott MEP
Jess Phillips MP
Stephen Kinnock MP
Tom Blenkinsop MP
Wes Streeting MP
Richard Corbett MEP
Chris Leslie MP
Mike Gapes MP
Shabana Mahmood MP
Chris Evans MP
Phil Wilson MP
Ann Coffey MP
Paul Brannen MEP
Mary Creagh MP
Kate Green MP
John Woodcock MP
Ben Bradshaw MP
Chuka Umunna MP
Liz Kendall MP
Liz McInnes MP
Julie Cooper MP
Luciana Berger MP
Jo Stevens MP
Karen Buck MP
Lyn Brown MP
Lilian Greenwood MP
Rupa Huq MP
Margaret Hodge MP
Julie Elliot MP
Angela Smith MP
Adrian Bailey MP
Pat McFadden MP
Louise Haigh MP
Ruth Cadbury MP
Yasmin Qureshi MP
Rushanara Ali MP
Catherine McKinnell MP
Lucy Powell MP
Barbara Keeley MP
Tracy Brabin MP
Fiona MMactaggart MP
Tulip Siddiq MP
Kate Osamor MP
Naz Shah MP
Vernon Coaker MP
Seema Malhotra MP
Chris Bryant MP
Wayne David MP
Stephen Timms MP
Jeff Smith MP
Helen Goodman MP
Gareth Thomas MP
David Lammy MP
Lisa Nandy MP
Nic Dakin MP
Chris Matheson MP
Tristram Hunt MP
Kevin Barron MP
Bridget Phillipson MP
Gavin Shuker MP
George Howarth MP
David Hanson MP
Keir Starmer MP
Virendra Sharma MP
Diana Johnson MP
Heidi Alexander MP
Thangam Debbonaire MP
Peter Kyle MP
Sharon Hodgson MP
Carolyn Harris MP
Rachael Maskell MP
Dan Jarvis MP
Matthew Pennycook MP
Daniel Zeichner MP
Mark Hendrick MP
Clive Betts MP
Dawn Butler MP
Clive Lewis MP
Catherine McKinnell MP
Liam Byrne MP
Jenny Chapman MP
Paul Blomfield MP

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