A UK Government minister has said that lower economic growth as a result of Brexit is a “fact of life” after refusing to consider re-joining the single market.
During an appearance on Sky News, Health Secretary Wes Streeting was asked why the UK Government wouldn’t consider re-joining the single market in order to remove obstacles to trade with neighbouring countries in the EU.
“There’s one market over here, there’s one market over here,” said Sky News presenter Sophy Ridge.
“There’s one way to ensure smoother trade and simpler processes. Maybe having one market, I’m struggling to think of the word, can you help me?”
Streeting replied: “Yeah, I know and I campaigned passionately to remain in the European Union but a referendum and two subsequent General Elections settled that question.”
Ridge then pressed Streeting on why there couldn’t be a debate about re-joining the single market “without this government trying to shut it down”.
She added that the UK Government’s own green paper detailing the country’s industrial strategy showed that investment into the UK has reduced by 11% as a result of Brexit.
The Health Secretary proceeded to say that lower economic growth as a result of Brexit was a “fact of life” people in the UK would just have to deal with.
“People have moved on, the country has moved on, the EU has moved on,” he said.
“Let me tell you, not just here but in Brussels, there is no appetite to relitigate those arguments, to re-open things that have been settled.
#Ridge: Why is there not an open debate about a single market and customs union? Wes Streeting: "I think people have moved on from that. there's little interest in revisiting those arguments. lower growth is just something we have to accept. " #politicshub pic.twitter.com/CYcsEr7abU
— brexit (@thebrexitdaily) October 15, 2024
“It’s about a new friendship.”
“Even if it damages growth?”, asked Ridge.
Streeting continued: “There’s no doubt that what we warned about in advance of the referendum in terms of the impact on economic growth has come to pass.
“That’s a fact of life we have to deal with.
“I think the sweet spot is working as closely with the European Union where we can but also showing the agility to work with and through partners in other markets as well.”
A report published by the Scottish Government in 2023 found that 44% of businesses in Scotland named Brexit as the main cause of difficulty in trading overseas.
