A group of leaders of eighteen Software Cornwall member companies have written to all six Cornish Members of Parliament, demanding that whatever else happens in the Brexit process, the MPs must do all they can to prevent a “No Deal” exit.
The group say that although many of them feel that remaining in the EU or a ‘soft’ Brexit would be the preferable outcome, the thing that worries them most at the moment is the prospect of what they call a “catastrophic exit without any transitional arrangements”, which they believe “would be hugely damaging to the UK economy, both in the short and the long term”.
Paul Clark, Director of Packet Ship in Penryn, who initiated the letter, said, “we think it is time our MPs put aside party loyalty or hardened opinions and do whatever they need to do to protect their constituents from the disaster of a ‘No Deal’ Brexit, and this needs to happen immediately.”
The businesses involved add over £40m to the Cornish economy and provide over 500 jobs, a considerable proportion of which are dependent on international trade, both with the EU and globally. The letter raises concerns over the impact of a ‘No Deal’ Brexit on trading relationships, export barriers and the image of the UK as a serious trading partner, along with the wider impact on the economy and security of the country.
Paul Massey, Director of Bluefruit in Redruth, said, “as engineers working with safety critical systems, we are very concerned that the UK is currently in a “fail unsafe” situation. We have proposed a “fail safe” that if nothing can be agreed by March 29th, Article 50 should be revoked.”
Here is the full letter and press release