Housing minister Rachel Maclean has been ridiculed by a TV show audience over her claim that Brexit has no part in the UK’s poor economic performance.
Maclean - appearing on last evening’s BBC Question Time - blamed other factors when asked why Britain was in danger of falling into a recession and was performing less well than most other western economies.
Maclean - who will introduce the Renters Reform Bill into the Commons later this year - said: “The government recognises that times are tough. We’ve had a global pandemic. We’ve had Putin’s illegal and brutal war in Ukraine and these factors have impacted our economy.”
At that point another panellist - Liberal Democrat MP Layla Moran - intervened and said “Brexit”.
Maclean then dismissed the point saying: “No, it’s nothing to do with Brexit” only for the audience to laugh, with one heckling: “Yes it is.”
Maclean continued: “Well, I don’t really think it’s the right time to be re-running a referendum that we had many years ago where the country voted to leave the European Union.”
Earlier this week the International Monetary Fund suggested the UK’s economy would perform the worst out of all G20 economies apart from Russia this year and next; and also this week Gerry Murphy, the chairman of Burberry, said at a conference attended by Prime Minister Rishi Sunak that leaving the EU had been a “drag on growth” for the UK economy.
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I didn't watch the program but in my opinion the UK is under performing due to too much taxation and too many regulations. Too much pandering to minorities at the expense of everyone else. A complete unwillingness to allow market forces to operate.
Back in 2000 anything was possible. We had systems that worked and allowed people to reach potential they didn't even know they had. The indigenous population weren't at the bottom of the jobs queue, self employment was straightforward and financially viable, people could get Social Housing after a few months wait, the PRS was expanding, mortgages were readily available due to self cert. We had endless choices that various government policies have now taken away with all their interference, greed and nanny state tendancies.
It was a different world.
Government working against landlords = Pandering to tenants and charities.
Government working against developers = Trying to stick extremely onerous terms all on the developers for the cladding crisis. So much so they even sent Gove back to the drawing board once! Gove not interested in all of the others that played a role like the consultants, professionals and suppliers.
Government working against the majority = Not stopping the small boats that costs £7m PER DAY in accommodation alone. Let alone the rest.
Government working against employers = Employees will be able to sue their employer's if a customer upsets them.
Some are just proposals and the last one from Wera Hobhouse (Lib dem). But to me just some of the examples of how backwards we are becoming. I'm genuinely scared for our future. I'm pushing as much cash into ISAs and my pension as I can so it's 1) tax free and 2) investible OUTSIDE OF THIS MADHOUSE.
I'm at work now. Making money. So can't spend more time writing better examples and articulating the above more!
Wow! The indigenous population. Pray do tell me where are they? Why is it that we have so many jobs available in this country and not applied for by the so called. I am sick to the back teeth of these type of comments. Your hospitals, care homes, transport systems, roads, construction, airports, supermarkets, shall I go on. Let this song rest, there are no indigenous people. Check the history of movements of people.
100% fully agree with the comments above, our government is either completely incompetent or deliberately causing the UK to fail driven by outside entities interests.
Agreed, rampant over regulation across the board, health & safety legislation paralysing industry, political minority populism slaughtering rational majority politics, freedom of speech dead in favour of political correctness/ wokism. Loss of aspiration, loss of independence, culture of false ‘entitlement’ etc all propagated by ‘big weak and ugly Government’.
Time to emigrate
This is how I feel too.
I have, Dubai is so relaxed and easy to do business. None of the nonsense like the UK, if these guys here want to do something the decision is made and done. I am seriously considering selling my portfolio and moving all my money out of the UK.
Saying Brexit has nothing to do with our current economic malaise, is like saying that Ice had nothing to do with the Titanic not making it to New York 🚢🚢🤥🤥. It was a form of financial self harm.
We were promised a bomb fire of EU rules after Brexit, never happened did it, we might just as well still be in the EU
Andy, there was some more proposals the other day about a bonfire of some rules. Can't get rid of too many as it will negatively have more of an affect I understand. To me we never should have left. Everything is worse despite some news of some trade deals. Our neighbours are Europe. Love them or not they are the one's 'next door'. No point in loving people the other side of the world.
Simon we are still handing over natural resources to the EU, we have massive hydrocarbon reserves that are not being exploited, we are still shadowing & enforcing EU rules.
I am in general agreement with comments on this thread. Government has consistently raised taxes but shied away from reducing expenditure. There are around 10m people in our country who can work and contribute to their income and national GDP. However, they have been weaned for decades on dole and refuse to work. The social security needs to be a safety net and not an alternative to work. Benefits need to be reduced to incentivise people to seek work and stay employed. Disability and carers rules are being ruthlessly abused. And cost is being paid by a shrinking tax paying community:((
Totally agree. Going to work is like a choice now. Challenge someone unemployed and they "can't work" for XYZ reasons. Bring back the workhouses. These people are just allowed to fail.
Theoretically I agree but in practice getting a job isn't always easy.
I'm just off for an interview this morning to do part time warehouse work via an employment agency. I've actually been turned down for the last 3 similar jobs I applied for. No idea why as I've done similar jobs for 8 years and genuinely want the job as it's a great alternative to a gym membership, which I'm too tight to pay for.
But if someone who is physically fit, articulate and actually wants the job is getting turned down at minimum wage level it really isn't just a question of people being too lazy to work.
I understand Jo. I was generalising.
Please be our PM 👍🏻. Our current lot are useless.
I'd vote for you Jo.
Brexit hasn't harmed the economy.
Landlords are very happy with our plans and are not selling up in droves.
All evictions are no fault and must be banned.
There are no rogue tenants, only rogue Landlords.
Housing ministers are in the job for the long haul and have loads of relevant experience.
I could swear that whisky bottle was full half an hour ago! Still, life's looking a lot sweeter over the last half hour!
Hehe!
I think everyone would agree most of our difficulties are due to our own governments incompetence and lack of backbone to do the right thing..
I also believe in time BREXIT will be what saves us if we could only do a proper BREXIT. Although the EU as a concept is good, the way it is structured and run is thoroughly corrupt, wasteful, and is completely undemocratic (the EU Council are not bound by the results of the votes).
At least by leaving, we do have the chance in future for a new and competent party to emerge and pull us out of this mess. The EU? Too unwieldy and in time I think will fall apart anyway.
Brexit has or is hai g something to do with it. Other things as well. But wait till the Labour Party get in next election. Then you will probably see loads exiting in droves!!!
Dave
We do not have Brexit, further , nflation is worse in Germany. Etc Ed Davey of the liberal democrats greened up electricity generation by converting the giant coal burning Drax power station to wood chip. It produces more CO2 than burning coal and it comes from mainly virgin trees in north America transported across the Atlantic in highly polluting ships ! Add to that all the diesel used cutting the trees down,chipping them, and transporting them. Totally uneconomic without green subsidies.
The green agenda, is anything but.
Sunday Times proved that with the farcical EPC assessment and certification.
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