A Lichfield Lib Dem councillor has warned Brexit could be “a catastrophe” for the region.
Cllr Paul Ray’s comments come after Toyota that a no-deal scenario may halt production at its Burnaston plant.
The car manufacturer said issues around border controls could cause lengthy backlogs for parts.
Cllr Ray, who represents the Chadsmead ward, said: “The Liberal Democrats have consistently warned of the damaging impact Brexit will have on the economy nationally and here in Lichfield and Burntwood.
“The Toyota plant at Burnaston employs 2,500 people. If jobs and output is lost here it will affect the economy of the UK and our local region.
“I fear that we are heading for a catastrophe. Time is running out and business is very concerned and jobs are at risk.
“And meanwhile, the Labour Party has no position on Brexit and the Conservatives are fighting amongst themselves and totally mismanaging the negotiations with the EU.
“That’s risking the future of our country.”
Cllr Ray said he believes a second vote is needed to ensure any exit from Europe is the will of the people.
“It is crucial that the public and not politicians have the final say on Brexit,” he said.
“As a Liberal Democrat I say that we must remain in the Single Market and Customs Union. But more importantly I say that the final decision on the deal the Government agrees with the EU should be made by the people in a second referendum on the facts of the Brexit deal – A People’s Vote.
“There is unstoppable pressure now building for a People’s Vote on the deal with the TUC and more and more MPs supporting this.
“Do we accept that deal or reject the deal the Government gets? That has to be a matter for the country.”
Yeah but Fabricant said it’ll be fine. I’m sure we’ll be able to renegotiate at least 759 treaties in the next 6 months. No problems.
Yep, everything to do with Brexit will be fine cos Fabbo says so and, anyway, the Tories are the business party so know what they are doing.
Perhaps we could enhance the UK’s Brexit negotiating team by adding LDC’s Friarsgate development team – I’m sure Mike Wilcox et al have time on their hands as they do not appear to be doing anything else.
I’m sure what Paul Ray meant to say was that the Labour Party has a very clear position on Brexit, with six key tests to measure any deal that the Government finally comes up with, and then, if the deal fails the tests, demanding a General Election. Anyway, it seems a clear position to me, if not to Paul Ray! Having said that, I do agree with him that the Tory Government is in as much of a mess with Brexit as the Tory District Council is with Friarsgate and the Tory County Council with trying to balance their budget!
Toyota has a large market in the UK and export cars to other countries outside the EU.
Liberals Dems speak a load of rubbish.
The public have had their say on Brexit. Do people not understand the catastrophic consequences to our democracy if a further vote went narrowly to remain? The other countries in the EU want to trade with us. They sell more to us than we do to them. The Lib Dems can say what they like, they will never hold power again after their shamefull collaboration with the last Tory government when they ditched cornerstone manifesto promises. Fear not. Business is not a part of government. It acts in its own interests and where there is a willing buyer and a willing seller a way will always be found. To have access to world trade without the fetters of the EU may yet improve our balance of trade figures and provide other opportunities in the future. Any further vote on the terms of the separation does not mean we will not be leaving and nor can a vote with that proviso be made. Instead of the bleating from those who still can’t get used to the idea that the divorce is going to happen and who keep trying to introduce futile arguments, a united front would give our negotiating team much better prospects.
Yes, business does act in its own interests, which is no small part of the socio-economic problems afflicting Britain today. As for the Brexiteers’ puerile belief that in 50 years history will absolve them, I will be long gone, my elder children in their eighties and my grandchildren pushing sixty. So much for looking after future generations – the damage caused by the folly of Brexit will be done by then or simply accepted as the norm by new generations who take the world as they find it. Whatever people’s motives for voting Leave, which were no doubt many, certain influential tendencies unfortunately prevailed: Brexit, if it happens, cannot but be a monument to political opportunism and insular chauvinism, however its supporters try to dress it up as some act of national emancipation (from what and for what?).
Philip Aliso. Virtually the entire business community and certainly the financial sector of London does NOT want Brexit. It is not bleating, but merely scrutinizing a very flawed referendum where both sides misinformed the general public. One could argue that the anti European brigade bleated for over 40 years after the 1975 referendum! After a General election result, the debate goes on, as it should do in a Democracy. Additionally I know at least 5 people who voted Leave that have since died since the referendum. This result is not set in stone and the composition of the electorate is always changing.
Hmm.,….
1 – Another vote = catastrophic consequences to our democracy.
2 – No vote and hard Brexit = catastrophic consequences to our country.
Decisions, decisions….
Our current democracy only gives us the option of Terrible Party #1 or Terrible Party #2.
The public have had their say, Philip Allso? So you go in a cafe and order burger. The cafe owner misled you, burger is off. You want the fish, but no, you have spoken so will have to make do with the non-existent burger? Just about as sensible as the chanted mantra ‘the people have spoken’. So they can speak again and say let’s go to another cafe?
Four excellent responses with some good points. The government tried to renegotiate our membership of the EU as our contributions and the immigration impact was disproportionate. Freedom of movement sounds fine but many more wanted to come here because of our social services than our citizens wanted to go abroad. The impact of the workers extended families was straining an already struggling infrastructure. I doubt that many back in 1975 thought it was any more than a trading agreement as the federal aspect was never explained. The negotiations failed and we were left with few options. I think that the way the EU has handled the leaving agreement epitomizes their attitude to us. Even Lithuania has been prominent in espousing a hard brexit. I would never vote to sacrifice our autonomy. Our history in Europe dose not convince me that our best interests are foremost in their minds. We cant know all the facts. Sometimes you have to trust your instincts. As for banking and business their influence has been all too obvious over the last decade.
Sorry. This is like shooting fish in a barrel. The amount of mistruths sold to the UK population is and has been ridiculous. This constant belief that EU migrants are mostly here to “use our social services” is nothing short of a massive lie.
It is EU LAW that, after 3 months in the UK, EU migrants need to be either working, have a member of the family working or have sufficient funds to live (and have full sickness insurance). If not then they can be returned to their home country.
Our own government NEVER DID THIS. Mainly because, as announced recently, EU migrant workers contribute £2,300 more per year to UK than average British citizen. The UK never registered EU migrants as as they arrived, so we had no way of knowing how long they had been in the UK.
Then, to make matters worse, Cameron dressed this up as something he’d wrestled out of the EU during the referendum. Again, lies, it was already EU law.
Our own government failed to control immigration as allowed under EU law, and then – insanely – there’s placards out during the referendum telling people to “Take back control”. What? Give it to the government who did nothing about immigration in the first place?
Face it, we’ve been sold a fantasy and people agreed with the likes of Boris and Farage instead of listening to business leaders and scholars.
A majority of ill informed people voted for Brexit because they actually thought that the following day after the vote if it went their way our borders would be closed to immigration , nothing else , unfortunately the real consequences are now coming to light , it’s as stupid and simple as that, and I suspect those people are now kicking themselves hard. You only need to look at the polls to see the majority who voted for this, that majority is now to be hit hardest by their own actions.
The “ill-informed” mantra and modest assumption of knowing what complete strangers are thinking.
Nice, not heard it for a while.
@Dave Lichfield, oh Dave, Dave you have fallen into the trap of virtue signalling your righteousness and on top of that you have used the now trendy, libtard description of the “ill informed” to describe those “who voted for this”, do you mean the indigenous working class by any chance? Oh my, I can feel the prejudice….. One man, one vote, one time.
“Right wing numpty uses libtard, while Rob continues to insult, having long ago run out of defence of the indefensible.”
The American disease of raging insults has infected us all, alas. I find it increasingly difficult to extract a sensible answer over Brexit from any Leaver these days, and BTW I voted Remain as the lesser of two evils. As I posted a long while ago, Brexit is a power struggle between two right wing factions in the Tories that has brought the Union to its knees. The betrayers of the UK population are May, Gove, Johnson and the odious Fox ( bankrolled by US money such as the Koch brothers for over a decade).
@John it is not just the Tories that have brought the Union to its knees, there are many more Countries in Europe that are clashing with the diktats imposed on them from the EU. As for the betrayers of the UK being laid solely on the few names you say, I can think of many more to add to that list with far more responsibility of betrayal. Anyhow, have a look at the recent Article 11 and 13 that was voted on and approved by the EU a few weeks ago. If you like to use the internet, then make the most of it while you still can.
The majority of voters voted to leave the customs union and the single market. This was a choice that was made very clear at the time. This is what Brexit was classed as by both leave and remainers.
Only since losing, have the remainers sought to muddy the waters suggesting ever decreasing levels of Brexit as the only workable options.
This is a betrayal of democracy, clearly.
I didn’t much like the fact the Tories got into power at the last election. Can we have another go. and another go etc. til my side wins please?
That’s the size of it , Remainers. Whining losers one and all.