Outside the EU, the UK can make its own trade deals

Inside the EU, the UK is unable to make any trade deals of its own. We must rely on the EU negotiating on our behalf.

We are at the mercy of 27 other EU countries serving their own interests. For example, the EU trade deal with Canada is stalled in a row over visa-free travel for Romania and Bulgaria.

The Remain campaign is peddling scare stories, pessimism and implausible assumptions about our trade. It’s in everyone’s mutual interests smoothly to agree to continue open trading relations. There is an area of free trade from Iceland to Turkey and the idea that Britain would be excluded is absurd.

The World Trade Organisation ensures we cannot be “punished” for leaving and Lawyers for Britain have shown we can inherit the EU’s trade deals. Despite occasional pressures against it, free trade remains a common object of public policy around the world and tariffs have fallen for decades, as the following chart shows:

Economists for Brexit have shown that, if we were to leave the EU and abolish all tariffs, we would receive a gain of 4% of GDP, with consumer prices falling 8%, making the average consumer £40 a week better off. Let’s leave and have free trade and alliances with countries in all corners of the world, on our terms.

For the change we need, vote to Leave on 23 June.

See also A common market with the world, not a failing common government with Europe

Tags: EU, EU referendum, Let's Leave, Parliament, Trade