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Some might say that treachery is too harsh a word but I use this with intent. The dictionary definitions all talk about betrayal of trust, deception, disloyalty and bad faith. That seems to be a clear description of what has just transpired in London.
Charitably, we might say that the treachery came from over-zealous Number 10 speechwriters though I am minded to think that the words were all pre-approved by David Cameron, himself.
From Barack Obama, I didn’t expect anything positive. Nothing to represent the wishes of the people of Britain. After all, he is a strong proponent of the elite running the world rather than the voice of the people being heard. Consider how he ignores the wishes of the American people and tries to rule by ‘Executive Order’ like a latter-day emperor. I have long suspected Obama of being anti-British and his latest statements support my belief.
I suppose he was influenced by his Kenyan father. An awful lot of Africans raised in the colonial era, turned to the left for their political teaching and sought to blame their previous colonial for the ills that befell their country, especially, post-independence. It never occurs, to these people that having now enjoyed independence for 50+ years the mess that their countries are in, can be traced back to the imposition of left-wing ideologies that were not suited to Africa and, being left-wing, were always doomed to failure.
But I digress.
Obama’s words and particularly the use of the British word ‘queue’, instead of the American ‘line’ are redolent of Cameron’s Project Fear team. Number 10’s fingerprints are all over Obama’s threat to put a UK trade deal at the back of the line. This man talks of a ‘special relationship’ and then threatens? That is not the tone that Americans use, when talking to friends. Obama’s words shame Americans.
That won’t come as a surprise to many right-thinking Americans. The Nobel Peace prize winner has a highly vindictive streak which he has displayed on many occasions, though mostly to his domestic ‘enemies’ (those who dare to disagree with the sainted Barack).
So back to Project Fear.
As has been said before, without a trade deal, UK exports to, and imports from, the US would be subject, under World Trade Organisation tariffs, to rates of 0-4%. Hardly significant. Indeed, one might wonder why we would even bother with a trade agreement. But think of this another way, too. The UK is the 5th largest export market for the USA. Exports total $56.4 billion or 3.8% of total US exports. Germany represents a $49.9 billion market for American goods or 3.3% of total. However, the UK exports $58.8 billion to the USA or 2.5% of US imports. Germany, on the other hand exports $126.5 billion to the USA. So the UK has a miniscule trade surplus with the USA of $2.4 billion while Germany has a surplus of $76.6 billion. Put another way, British and American workers benefit, just about equally from the trade between the two countries, however, American workers are severely disadvantaged by the heavy trade imbalance it has with Germany.
Many people who voted Conservative in the May 2015 General Election, will have done so because they trusted the Tories. They trusted their economic competence, probably above all else. However, I am sure that many didn’t migrate in droves to UKIP because they saw that only the Conservatives could actually deliver a referendum on EU membership. At the same time, they would have expected that when the choice was presented to the British people, then something approaching fair play, would be deployed.
Instead, we are seeing more and more dirty tricks being used. Obama’s threat is just the latest in a long line of statements and half truths and out-right lies that are being pedalled by the Remain campaign.
So let’s be clear, since we are talking about trade and I apologise to regular readers, for having to repeat it.
Without a formal trade treaty , WTO tariffs apply and these range from 0-4%.
Remainians need to explain why, Germany and France, indeed the whole EU would not seek to swiftly conclude a trade deal with an independent-again UK. The UK represents a very large existing export market for both of those countries. Who, in their right mind (so that caveat probably excludes the In crowd) would throw away such an advantage? You will have seen French farmers protesting, in the past and seen how disruptive they are. Imagine the protests when a major market becomes shut to them, because of a fit of pique from the Eurocrats in Brussels.
The big issue with trade isn’t that a treaty couldn’t be concluded, within the self-imposed 2 year time-frame. The big issue is why, no preliminary steps are being taken on this matter. I know that some might say ‘well if we vote to remain, then we will have wasted money’ but please – suddenly we are worried about government waste? What about flipping that on its head and saying that any prudent government has a duty to consider and plan for all possible outcomes. Instead of Cameron stacking the deck against a Leave vote and seconding civil servants to the In campaign, resources should be assigned to the ‘what if’ camp. As in ‘what if the UK votes to regain its independence, what are the implications and what do we do’?
Obama has failed in the USA – he has spent the best part of eight years, creating division in America. Destroying the US economy, politicising appointments and public discourse, like no other President before him. That is the ‘legacy’ for which he will be remembered. Fortunately, his term of office has less than a year to run. You will have noted though, his presumption that even out of office, he can dictate that any UK treaty request will be ‘back of the queue’. At least he thinks he can. The problem with jumped-up emperors is that they start to believe their own narrative – there is no delusion like self-delusion.
So Obama’s threat is anyway empty. It is unbecoming America but there you go.
The treachery from Number 10 is far worse though. Many Conservatives will struggle to forgive the badly-advised Cameron. He has said he will resign as PM before the next election – no doubt in time (if he delivers an In vote) to take-up his reward as the next EU President!. The prospects for George Osborne to succeed him are fading fast. Theresa May and Philip Hammond too. Maybe Boris Johnson will get the nod from the Conservative Party, though I wouldn’t discount Michael Gove’s chances.
My advice to Conservative voters, in the upcoming local elections is don’t vote or vote UKIP. Cameron and his clique do not represent Conservative values and, just as importantly, don’t listen to those that do. Their actions, since before the launch of the official EU Referendum campaigns has been all about doing what is right for themselves and not doing what is right for the country. The negotiations were a farce, from start to finish. The end result? A worthless document that was being rubbished before the press release was even wet off the presses. And has continued to be down-played by the EU elite, ever since. You would know this if the UK media hadn’t already bought into Cameron’s lies and deceit, from day one.
The treachery of Cameron and Co. cannot go unpunished. Patriots who have faith in the UK to stand as an independent nation, as we have done so for so much of our history, only have their vote with which to punish Cameron. Use it wisely and vote Brexit. And it wouldn’t be a bad thing to give them a hammering at the local elections, either!
