Analysis
Brexit Hard Talk
Matthias Baur interviews Nick de Bois, former UK MP and ex-Chief of staff
to the Brexit Secretary. He is also founder of event management company Rapiergroup
MB: For three years, Europe has
looked on in disbelief as the UK is
seemingly throwing away major
achievements, such as 70 years’
peace, and a high level of wealth and
education, due to a Brexit campaign
that has made the EU out to be an
undemocratic and anti-UK monster.
Do you think this is a fair description?
Nick: I don’t think it’s a fair
description on any level – although I
do concede that many in the EU and
Member State political circles do look
on in disbelief. That in part is because
so often those with opposing views
on matters of great significance often
only tend to look at things from their
own perspective.
Many in the UK don’t appreciate
the motivation behind an ‘ever closer
union’ that many member states do,
particularly Germany and France,
who were ravaged by two world
wars and never want to experience
anything like that again. There, they
see an ‘ever closer union’ as the
solution to that fear. Here, many in
the UK looked on in disbelief when
Angela Merkel opened the doors to
widespread immigration, but for
me it was no surprise that an East
German Chancellor who grew up
in the communist era where her
freedoms were curtailed, would
be passionate about freedom of
movement. I think EU politicians
would do well to challenge their own
views and look at why the UK was
prepared to vote to leave rather than
just bemoan the fact that they did.
When it comes to democracy,
however, I am sorry to say, but
not surprised, that this month’s
nomination of the three EU
Presidents for Council, Parliament
and Commission illustrate just
how undemocratic the EU is. These
w w w.exhibitionworld.co.uk
Above:
Matthias
Baur is
CEO MBB-
Consulting
Group:
www.mbb-
consulting
group.com
MB: How do you think we can unite
the UK and the EU in a post-Brexit
era, as friends and as partners on a
different level?
individuals have been selected as
a result of backroom deals made
among member states and officials.
At no point will the 500m citizens of
the EU be able to endorse them or
otherwise by voting.
MB: What do you think was the EU’s
biggest mistake in the last 30 years?
Failure to complete the single market
in services.
MB: There’s been a lot of talk at
Westminster about how to get out of
the EU but near to no discussion about
what will happen afterwards. Is there
a plan for the post-Brexit era?
Appearances are deceptive. In fact,
there is both a plan and a vision
emerging, as a new leader and
Prime Minister is selected. One
benefit of the leadership election in
the Conservative Party is that the
candidates have been addressing
what type of country we want to
be and our place in the world after
Brexit.
Even in the event of a no-deal
Brexit, the Cabinet already have a
series of countervailing proposals that
would offset any unwelcome negative
impact, and set a more liberal, global
economic agenda. On the positive
side, we can now look at ideas such
as those presented by Boris Johnson
for establishing Free Port Zones,
which are proven drivers of regional
growth.
In short, the UK has the potential to
be a large, competitive economy close
to the EU and doing business with
the EU member states, while seeking
important direct inward investment,
as well as being a global, outward-
looking trading nation.
Right:
Nick de Bois,
former UK
MP and ex-
Chief of staff
to the Brexit
Secretary
The new Prime Minister will be
crucial to achieving this. We have a
clear commitment for the UK to leave
the EU on 31 October, come what
may, and hopefully a deal will be
found to exit in an orderly fashion.
This alone will help to re-build a
constructive relationship. Even if we
leave with no deal (which is not in the
EU’s or the UK’s interest), there are
still so many other issues that bind
us in common cause that I believe
the relationship between the EU and
the UK will quickly become more
positive. Security and the fight against
terrorism and human trafficking
alone should ensure that.
It will not be long before talks
for a Free Trade Agreement begin,
which will, although no doubt be
challenging at times,
highlight how much
both parties have to
gain from working
together in a positive
manner.
Issue 4 2019
49