Tel. +44 (0)20 7287 4414
Email. info@brugesgroup.com
Tel. +44 (0)20 7287 4414
Email. info@brugesgroup.com
The Bruges Group spearheaded the intellectual battle to win a vote to leave the European Union and, above all, against the emergence of a centralised EU state.
The Bruges Group spearheaded the intellectual battle to win a vote to leave the European Union and, above all, against the emergence of a centralised EU state.
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Bruges Group Blog

Spearheading the intellectual battle against the EU. And for new thinking in international affairs.
Fishing-boat

Fisheries and the Brexit Negotiations

Every year the International Council for the for the Exploration of the Sea and the European Union's Scientific, Technical and Economic Council for Fisheries make a suggestion of what the TAC should be for each stock. A stock of fish refers to a "particular species of fish caught in a particular geographic area". The European Commission drafts a pr...

  3914 Hits
Boris-signing

The Brexit Transition Period Won't be Extended and Rightly So

On Friday the European Commission admitted that the Brexit transition period will not be extended, and that Britain must now prepare to police the border in the Irish Sea. In a meeting of the joint committee on the implementation of the Withdrawal Agreement, Michael Gove told Maros Sefcovic, a vice-president for the commission, that the UK wou...

  3885 Hits
Barnier-and-Fros_20200609-113114_1

The UK-EU Trade Talks – Why The Pandemic Has Changed Everything

By Victor Hill, first published on Master Investor   The UK-EU Trade Talks – Why the pandemic has changed everything - Master Investor By Victor Hill https://masterinvestor.co.uk/economics/the-uk-eu-trade-talks-why-the-pandemic-has-changed-everything/ The Road to No Deal  While Europe and the world have been monopolised by the Covid-19 pa...

  3445 Hits
Thatcher-and-the-EU

Margaret Thatcher - The Heroine of Brexit

Margaret Thatcher's Bruges Speech to the College of Europe in September 1988 - YouTube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rqv8HF84EOs&t=1s The Bruges Group was set up in 1989 in honour of one speech, a now landmark address made by our then Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher to the College of Europe on 20th September 1988 on the 'Future of Europe'. L...

  10259 Hits
Sir-Geoffrey-Howe

Sir Geoffrey Howe: A Revolutionary Thatcherite Chancellor

During this pandemic, I felt it would be the perfect opportunity to take a closer look to the careers of some political giants who don't always get the recognition or remembrance they deserve. One of my greatest interests is political history and every Friday I will publish an article outlining the career and some interesting facts about some polit...

  8098 Hits
Euro-collapse

Das Ende?

Almost four years after we voted to leave the European Union (EU), Boris Johnson delivered on his promise to 'GET BREXIT DONE'. Little did we know at the time (on 31st January 2020) that the year was going to bring its own woes, which are now threatening to bring down the European dream of unity, solidarity, and borderless territory. In addition to...

  4448 Hits
The-Critic

The Government Split Over Free Trade Deals - Cabinet Fear of a BRINO Coup

Originally published in The Critic by David Scullion https://thecritic.co.uk/the-government-split-over-free-trade/  The Government is committed to signing Free Trade deals. The Conservative Party's 2019 manifesto said as much, and added: "Our trade deals will not only be free but fair". The UK has just started trade talks with the United ...

  4015 Hits
Cecil-Parkinson-and-Thatcher

Cecil Parkinson: Maggie's Political Soulmate

During these awful and bleak times, I felt it would be the perfect opportunity to take a closer look to the careers of some political giants who don't get the recognition or remembrance they deserve. One of my greatest interests is political history and every Friday I shall publish an article outlining the career and some interesting facts about so...

  9644 Hits
Prof-Congdon

Prof. Tim Congdon: 2020 Could See the Highest Peacetime US Money Growth

Institute of International Monetary Research Analysis Professor Tim Congdon CBE is a member of The Bruges Group Academic Advisory Council  A lot of interest has been drawn from my recent emails to my fellow macroeconomists and monetary analysts where I pointed out that bank deposits at US commercial banks soared in the fortnight to 2...

  4328 Hits
Sir-Keith-Joseph-and-Margaret-Thatcher

Sir Keith Joseph: The Architect of Thatcherism

During these awful and bleak times, I felt it would be the perfect opportunity to take a closer look to the careers of some political giants who don't get the recognition or remembrance they deserve. One of my greatest interests is political history and every Friday I shall publish an article outlining the career and some interesting facts about so...

  14825 Hits
David-Frost-and-Michel-Barnier

There's No Need For a Brexit Extension

First of all, may I say congratulations to Boris Johnson and Carrie Symonds who announced the birth of a healthy baby boy this morning, just after 10 am.  It emerged last week that Britain would neither apply for, nor accept an extension, if offered, to the Brexit transition period from the EU. In his briefings, Chancellor Rishi Sunak set the ...

  8398 Hits
Boris-and-Barnier

Lots of Huffing and Puffing

There is a lot of huff and puff today because the European Union failed to agree on a rescue package – there will be no bonds to bail out the superstructure and worst they have had to resort to accepting junk bonds as collateral because Italy will be downgraded. They cannot afford to lose the United Kingdom's budgetary contribution. The European Un...

  2918 Hits
Brexit-jigsaw

Brexit's Impact on International Shipping

The UK has been a leading shipping hub, and its EU membership has profoundly enhanced its role in trade. However, on 29nth March 2017, the UK submitted its willingness to withdraw from the UE operations (Brexit), meaning that it will now become the third party according to the EU rules. Shipping will be one of the greatly affected sectors sinc...

  2880 Hits
Sir-Ian-MacGregor-and-Margaret-Thatcher

Sir Ian MacGregor: The Implementer of Thatcherism

During these awful and bleak times, I felt it would be the perfect opportunity to take a closer look to the careers of some political giants who don't get the recognition or remembrance they deserve. One of my greatest interests is political history and every Friday I shall publish an article outlining the career and some interesting facts about so...

  8296 Hits
Agricultural-tech

Tech Advancements in the Seed Market

If it hadn't been for a massive improvement in technology, the world would have been a very different place right now. No one can deny that technological advancements in the seed industry have improved crop output and continue to suffice for the ever-increasing demand for food.The best part about technological advancements in the seed sector is, th...

  4495 Hits
Margaret-Thatcher-Union-Jack

In Remembrance of Our Greatest Peacetime Leader Margaret Thatcher: 13th October 1925 - 8th April 2013

Margaret Thatcher's Bruges Speech, 1988 on The Bruges Group YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rqv8HF84EOs Today marks the death of our greatest peacetime leader, Margaret Thatcher, a woman who defined British politics for more than a generation. Elected as the first female leader of any major political party in the UK in 1975, su...

  8726 Hits
Mauro-Ferrari

COVID-19: The Exposure of the EU's Failings

Just yesterday, the EU's President of the European Research Council, Mauro Ferrari, resigned over the EU's failure to act on his advice to set up a large scale, EU wide programme to combat COVID-19. Professor Ferrari only began the role at the turn of the year and submitted his resignation to the President of the EU Commission, Ursula von der Leyen...

  5458 Hits
Rishi-Sunak

A People's Budget By a People's Government

Last Wednesday, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rishi Sunak, celebrated 28 days in Number 11, following Sajid Javid's resignation, by presenting his budget to the House. This budget delivered by the Richmond MP is arguably the most favourable budget since the days of Nigel Lawson standing at the dispatch box outlining his financial forecasts and s...

  4095 Hits
EU-Falling

COVID-19: The Death Knell of the EU?

If I had to attribute my entry onto the political stage to any individuals, it would be Mark Carney, George Osborne and Theresa May. Not because I was inspired by any of them but as a result, in the case Mrs. May, of her total ineptitude over Brexit and, in the case of the first two, the inordinate amount of nonsense they spouted in the run-up to a...

  4955 Hits
Globalisation

Globalisation: The God That Failed

Analysis by Prof MLR Smith & Dr Niall McCrae Before the coronavirus pandemic, who knew that the country with the largest Chinese diaspora in Europe is Italy? The leather sofa in many a British living room may have arrived with the label 'Made in Italy' but was quite possibly sewn by Chinese hands in the employ of a Chinese company. Let us expla...

  18033 Hits
Ben-Habib

Ben Habib: The Brexit Barometer

I would like to share with you the speech and presentation I made at The Bruges Group annual conference in London on the 7th March. Whilst the UK officially left the EU on 31 January, it remains in its Single Market [paying some £1 billion (net) a month], its Customs Union and subject to the supremacy of the Court of Justice of the EU (CJ...

  4826 Hits
union-jack-house

The Impact of Brexit on the Property Market

Brexit has been the key topic of conversation for many people over the last three years, and since the deal was finalised towards the end of January, the property market has seen a huge increase due to market stability and confidence with investment. Those who are looking at UK property may find the impact of Brexit on the property market highly in...

  5355 Hits
Brexit-success

Post-Brexit Britain Will be a Success Story: Professor Tim Congdon CBE

Following the speeches of Mark Francois MP and Andrea Jenkyns MP, we are delighted to publish Professor Tim Congdon CBE's presentation to the Bruges Group annual conference on March 7th 2020.  The Demographic Fate of Nations Women need to have 2.1 children on average in order to replace the current generation. Suppose that they have less than ...

  3766 Hits
Andrea-Jenkyns

Andrea Jenkyns: Brexit Means a Truly Global Britain

Andrea Jenkyns MP speech to The Bruges Group annual conference - YouTube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XMXpkxsAW20 On Saturday 7th March, we were hugely honoured to be addressed by Deputy Chair of the ERG, Andrea Jenkyns MP, at our annual conference. Andrea is a staunch Brexiteer and friend of The Bruges Group, she was a more than vocal critic of...

  5528 Hits
Mark-Francois

Mark Francois: "Boris will be Battling for Britain in the EU Trade Talks"

Mark Francois MP's speech to The Bruges Group annual conference - YouTube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fZWLTchiEus The Bruges Group were honoured to have The Rt. Hon. Mark Francois MP, Chairman of the ERG, address our annual conference at Buckingham Gate in London on Saturday 7th March. The Bruges Group conference proved, as ever, to be an immen...

  4389 Hits
Bitcoin

Investing After Brexit: Is Bitcoin Your Best Hope?

Brexit is finally underway. By January 2021, the UK will be in a new position to help redefine itself in the world of global trading. Hopefully, it's going to put the country in a far more flexible economic environment. Free from the shackles of EU trading coffers, exciting times lie ahead, not only for businesses and their owners but for everyday ...

  3192 Hits
British-agriculture

The Common Agriculture Policy - How Brexit Gives Britain's Agriculture Sector a Boost

Brexit provides British agriculture with the chance of a lifetime. While the EU is desperately trying to find the money to prop up its ailing and corrupt Common Agricultural Policy, Britain can plan for a productive future.  Free from the chains of the EU's Common Agricultural Policy, we can now consider how to feed ourselves, look after our c...

  4324 Hits
Boris-and-Macron

An Invisible Warfare

The European Union is facing one of its biggest challenges with the departure of one of its largest financial contributors in a midst of a widespread debt crisis. The United Kingdom on the other hand may have avoided one by implementing the 2016 referendum results thanks to Boris Johnson's thumping majority at the last General Election in Dece...

  4055 Hits
Steven-Barclay

An Open Letter to Steven Barclay

We are scheduled to begin what will hopefully be our last trade talks with the EU; I suspect we can be sure of a bumpy ride featuring the same of old EU tricks of deceit, mendacity, obfuscation, procrastination, threats and attempts to undermine our position through appeals to the Brussels 'Fifth Column' that is apparently still alive and well, and...

  4125 Hits
Boris-looking-behind

Watching Boris

The look on my left leaning parents faces was a picture of horror as they stared down at my eight year old self, they looked at each other and said in shock and in unison: "Our son's a Conservative".  My dear old dad, who I loved during all 84 years of his life, had been a member of the Communist Party in his youth, that was until they asked h...

  3963 Hits
DfE

What Role Does High Quality Education Play in the Development of an Economy?

What is the reason that makes college graduates earn significantly more than individuals without a college degree? What is the correlation between any country's economy and its schooling system? Understanding the existent link between a nation's education system of a nation and its performance economically is crucial for comprehending why some work...

  4440 Hits
Government

Post Brexit Priorities

Boris Johnson and the Conservatives winning a more than impressive 365 seats last December, it gives the PM a working majority, something we haven't seen since the close of the Blair/Brown era.It is fair to say that the next step of Brexit will soon be taken; having left the EU further delays for implementation legislation were not tolerated. But w...

  5565 Hits
DFID

Aid - a History of Waste and Self Harm

The first part of this article describes my experience of aid, starting over 40 years ago in Africa, and then in the ex-Soviet Union. Some will hotly deny my conclusions, but their veracity is only too apparent in the current state of the world and the decline in western values. Part one deals with the background and part 2 illustrates it...

  10087 Hits
Trade-Unions

Rise of the New Trade Unions

In Quentin Lett's estimable tome, 50 People Who Buggered Up Britain (2009), there was one surprising entry for a writer of such conservative leanings: Margaret Thatcher. The rationale for inclusion was her government's aggressive attitudes towards trades unions, especially the rough handling of striking miners at Orgreave in 1984, along with her lo...

  6103 Hits
Northern-Ireland-border

A Four Point Plan to Preserve the Union: Preventing a Border Emerging in the Irish Sea

The Brexit Agreement and regulatory checks affecting Northern Ireland By Simon McIlwaine An aspect of the Prime Minister's withdrawal agreement with the EU causes much anxiety among supporters of the UK's withdrawal and Northern Ireland in particular. Whether or not there is going to be any kind of internal UK border is causing great concern i...

  4509 Hits
Remainer-elitists

Ignorance or Arrogance or Both – a View on Remain Elites From an Ordinary Leave Voter

On 24 June 2016, when the Brexit Referendum result was announced, I was thrilled. The Great British Public had voted to take back their nation and return to self-determination. However, my excitement swiftly dissipated, as in the following years, Brexit was progressively watered down and smear campaigns about Brexit, or 'Project Fear' as they becam...

  6049 Hits
cid_4D817249-A628-46A8-9776-24C2AB5EA890lan

The Future is East, Time for Electoral Realism

We recently returned from a trip to S.E. Asia, mostly holiday, but meeting with some of my wife's clients too. Smog, created by Indonesian farmers' crop burning joined the humid heat to hang like a blanket over Bangkok, our first stop. The difference to late September London was a shock. Less of a shock was driving on the left and familiar names li...

  4638 Hits
Boris-and-Ben-Habib

Brexit Party MEP: 'Boris' Deal is NOT Brexit'

This article was initially published on BrexitCentral https://brexitcentral.com/why-the-brexit-party-maintains-that-boris-johnsons-deal-is-not-brexit/ by Brexit Party MEP, Ben Habib  Ben Habib believes there is an "understandable desire amongst many Brexiteers to accept Boris Johnson's deal". Everyone is battle weary, but it is preci...

  4792 Hits
Farage-BXP

Magic and Tricks

Boris Johnson has really taken us on a ride here. The trick, ladies and gentlemen, was to make us believe that he intended to take us out of the European Union with or without a deal, even with the Benn Act and all will be revealed in time and it was. There was no way he could avoid the Benn Act so didn't just send one letter to the European Union ...

  4028 Hits
Boris-Surrender-Bill

The Loopholes of the Surrender Act

As I assume you know, the Benn Act, or more commonly known as the Surrender Act, isn't the most well thought out piece of legislation, as lined out by Chair of Lawyers for Britain Martin Howe QC at The Bruges Group 'Moment of Truth' event in Manchester during Conservative Party conference. This article will outline the loopholes that Boris Johnson,...

  11388 Hits
We-Voted-Leave-1

Time to Flip the Script for Brexit Negotiations

The reaction of the European Union negotiators and heads of state to Prime Minister Johnson's recent slate of proposals for eliminating the Irish backstop has exposed a fundamental truth about the Brexit negotiation process. So long as the EU must consent to British proposals for leaving under Article 50 of the Treaty of the European Union, the EU ...

  4555 Hits
Liz-Truss

Trade Deals, the Ins and Outs for Post Brexit Britain

What's so good about free trade agreements? They make the rich richer, workers poorer, and they rob countries of the ability to plan. For decades we have been told that global free trade – where goods can be imported and exported without restrictions or tariffs – is the route to prosperity. Impressive international institutions have been const...

  4615 Hits
Brexit-Boris-CPC19

The Facts About Brexit

Authors: Ethan Thoburn, and Charles Wynne  There are plenty of people talking about no deal Brexit at the moment and with Boris Johnson looking ever more likely to deliver that, we at The Bruges Group thought we would put together sort of a fact sheet on No Deal and how it won't leave us on a so called cliff edge as lots of the media like...

  9306 Hits
Theresa-May-and-Juncker

Deal? Withdrawal Agreement? Treaty?

The same four-letter word is being constantly branded around by the media. Whether talking about Theresa May's legacy, or discussing Boris Johnson's new negotiation, it never fails to disappear. That four-letter word is "deal". Yet this "deal": offered by Brussels, sold by Theresa May, defeated by MPs; seems dangerously close to being reborn. This ...

  4565 Hits
Oliver-Cromwell

An Unholy Alliance

The left were always solidly against the Common Market and remained so as it evolved through the EEC to EU. The reason was simple. Its rules stood in the way of a Socialist state. Blair, having defeated Clause 4, became an ardent advocate of the EU and repositioned Labour as a centre party. Labour has always been a target for extremist entryism and...

  5471 Hits
1568699240263_237 Sally Wright, Robert Wright and I with Charles Moore at the Institute of Directors earlier this year

'Why we Support Brexit': Robert and Sally Wright

Interview with Alice Grant: 'Why People Support Brexit Series' - Bruges Group Blog By Ethan Thoburn https://www.brugesgroup.com/blog/alice-grant-interview-with-ethan After previously speaking to Brexit supporting student Alice Grant and then royal superfan and former Labour Party member Joseph Afrane, this episode I spoke to the organisers of the '...

  6289 Hits
Tags:
Boris-fatigue

Project Fatigue

Project Fear 3.0 has been in full swing since the summer as we approach 31st October 2019, the third date for leaving the EU. The unfortunate citizens of the UK who wish to leave the European Union have been fed wall-to-wall saturation coverage of how terrible Brexit will be. TV stations, newspapers, magazines and social media advertisements contin...

  7359 Hits
Boris-and-Cummings-

Boris' Brexit Options

Initially published on 13th September and updated on 26th September  With the Brexit pea soup not looking any clearer whatsoever, Boris Johnson's hopes of an early general election are fading by the minute as I type this and of course Parliament being prorogued from the evening of Monday 9th September until 14th October. It's interesting to se...

  5548 Hits
Stephen-Barclay

Our Fight with Brussels Does NOT End on 31st October

Our fight with Brussels does not end on the 31st of October. This wider conflict that Brexit represents is between sovereign nations and supranational organisations, between self-determination and central planning of the most wicked intention. In order to capitalise on our departure, we must first recognise a weakening, Brussels is tightening its g...

  5993 Hits
AEB

Interview with Alice Grant: 'Why People Support Brexit Series'

Over the past three or so years, us Brexiteers have been labelled with all sorts of names such as fascists and racists, among others. There is an ever-growing perception that we are all over 80, own grand estates and are on the far-right wing of the political spectrum; let me tell you we are not! I have spoken to people from all backgroun...

  35668 Hits
Tags:
Brexit-Speeches

The Brexit Speeches

 The following article and above PDF are speeches by Richard Tice MEP for the Brexit Party and also property businessman; Swedish-British billionaire businessman Johan Eliasch who is CEO of sportswear giant Head; Sir John Nott the former Secretary of State for Trade and Industry then Defence under Margaret Thatcher; Peter Lilley the former Sec...

  5717 Hits
Screenshot_20190723-110649_Google

Now's the Time for a Special Relationship More Than Ever

Today we'll know who our next Prime Minister will be, and Wednesday will see the Maybot's last PMQT before she heads off to formally resign to the Queen at Buckingham Palace on the afternoon. No matter who our next PM will be, either Boris Johnson or Jeremy Hunt, we need to rebuild that special relationship with our closest ally, America.  We'...

  4783 Hits
Tags:
Sturgeon-and-Juncker

Scottish Independence: SNP Are Just 'Yes Men' For the EU

The Scottish National Party's minority administration in Edinburgh is trying to contribute to the attempt to foil Brexit and the struggle to achieve sovereignty and independence for the whole of Britain. But it's not doing well… While efforts in the British parliament to halt our exit from the EU are being roundly defeated, pro-EU fervour has conti...

  6528 Hits
Gambling

Would Brexit Impact the Gambling Industry?

When we hear about gambling as it relates to Brexit, it's typically regarding betting on different outcomes. Inevitably, there have in fact been betting markets these past few years aimed at predicting when Brexit might happen, what it might look like, etc. What doesn't get as much attention though is the idea of what effect Brexit could have on th...

  4990 Hits
Swiss-and-EU

The Swiss Stand Firm Against the EU Bureaucracy

Switzerland and the European Union have begun open financial war with each other as the EU tries to force the country to sign the proposed Framework Agreement covering all aspects of the country's relations with the EU. The EU has been forced into a hardball approach to Switzerland because with Brexit still unresolved it cannot afford to be weak. I...

  4960 Hits
Boris-Johnson-and-Jeremy-Hunt

A Determined Prime Minister Can Take Us Out

Here is the fantastic Sir John Redwood MP's article first published on Brexit Central (https://brexitcentral.com/a-determined-prime-minister-can-ensure-we-are-out-of-the-eu-by-31st-october/) outlining how the right man can take us out of the EU by 31st October.  For too long we have witnessed this Parliament trying to delay or dilute Brexit. T...

  4532 Hits
Margaret-Thatcher-on-EU

How Maggie Was Right About The EU Decades Ago

As the Conservatives elect their replacement for Theresa May over the summer, it's worth looking back to see how crucial it is for a leader that is in line with grassroots views, and currently Euroscepticism is the overwhelming grassroots position among members. Ever since the Maastricht Treaty was signed in 1992 there has been a battle for a refer...

  15844 Hits
AI

Why we Should be Focusing on AI post-Brexit

Artificial Intelligence is certainly an area of focus post Brexit, the sector of AI was worth around $1.2 trillion as of around 2018 with predictions from Zdnet.com estimating the growth of the AI business values to around $3.9 trillion by 2022, that's a huge amount for any sector; this roughly equates to a forecasted prediction of just over £3 tri...

  6436 Hits
Screenshot_20190605-183819_Google

There is No Such Thing as No Deal

The withdrawal agreement is not only unjustified but also not required. In the event of the UK's departure from the EU without a withdrawal agreement the EU itself has put in place measures to keep trade open. These range from agreeing to equivalence in financial services, access for hauliers, the continuation of flights, and the transport conventi...

  6953 Hits
Screenshot_20190530-094840_Google

Just Leave!

 Through the treachery of the government and MPs, Britain is in political and economic limbo. Instead of being free to taking back control, they have handed the future of the country over to the EU… Delay, and more delay. Britain is now going to be denied independence for up to 6 months longer, a total of three-and-a-half years after voting fo...

  4460 Hits

Export Subsidies vs Refunds of Foreign Import Tariffs

This article is a follow up to my previous post entitled 'Nissan, Felixstowe, Lettuces and Whisky' in which I proposed a system of refunding foreign importers of British exports for the import tariffs they will pay to their own governments after Brexit, thereby allowing our exports to continue unaffected. If nothing is done about this our exports w...

  4945 Hits

The truth about trade outside the EU

Britain was a leader in international trade for centuries, long before the EU was even thought of. As an EU member state, the UK cannot now trade on our own terms with the rest of the world. Decisions are made for us, based on the interests of the EU 28 - not the UK.Today, the UK is still a member in its own right of over 100 international organisa...

  5669 Hits

‘No deal’ is our only remaining negotiating weapon; don’t decommission it.

  6010 Hits

Fruit, Fear and Brexit

At the end of January, I was interested to learn how the BBC's news website reported Italy's recession. It was not on their radar. Unsurprisingly, several scare stories were. One, by business editor Simon Jack, was headlined "No-deal Brexit to leave shelves empty warn retailers." My attention was grabbed, however, by a dramatic warning with a state...

  5453 Hits

Discontent

The alternative to May's deal is not no Brexit but no deal. Britain could leave the EU on 29 March without a deal and trade with EU member countries on World Trade Organisation terms. These are the terms on which we trade with non-EU countries already, without falling off any cliff. No deal is Brexit. Her deal is no Brexit. 'No deal' merely means t...

  5776 Hits

Leaving on WTO terms

Published on 7 January 2019, the Rt Hon Lord Peter Lilley and Cllr Brendan Chilton, Global Britain and Labour Leave outline the huge advantages to trade gained by leaving the EU on World Trade Organization terms. Far from 'crashing out' we will be 'cashing in'. We will keep our £39 billion. Even the House of Lords' heavily pro-Remain EU Financ...

  5972 Hits

Nissan, Felixstowe, Lettuces and Whisky

I am sure we all understand the situation Nissan and other companies which export a majority of their UK production to the Eurozone will find themselves in after Brexit. They will face 10% tariffs by the EU on these exports, and it stands to commercial reason they would then be better off re-locating their production into the Eurozone, where they w...

  4652 Hits

A truly open Britain in an increasingly open world

The media is trumpeting a very scary tune about a 'no deal' Brexit. Perhaps it's the swansong in their dark and gloomy concert. There will be hurdles, but we in Britain, will use our initiative and people are always at our best when we have to use our initiative. For those who would like to rename 'no deal', the Bruges Group is welcoming suggestion...

  4810 Hits

Economic Impact of UK Trade with the EU and Non EU Countries 2000 - 2017

  9621 Hits

It’s time to call the Irish bluff

Amidst the political fallout in the UK following the government's controversial draft Brexit deal, an equally important development in Ireland went relatively unnoticed. During the ruling Fine Gael party's annual conference, foreign minister Simon Coveney confirmed that Ireland has no plans to prepare infrastructure for a hard border with the UK, e...

  6420 Hits

THE ECONOMIC IMPERATIVE FOR A NO-DEAL BREXIT

Any sort of trade deal with the EU is bound to result in economic meltdown. Here's how and why.  Author: John Poynton This graph shows our Balance of Payments Current Account – in effect our national profit and loss account, comprising mainly but not exclusively of trade – split into two separate components; our trade with the EU (the red line...

  7864 Hits

Lest We Forget

For centuries, wool was the mainstay of our economy; so vital that Edward III ordered his Lord Chancellor to sit on the woolsack. Export of raw wool financed trade and new towns. Flemish and Huguenot weavers fleeing European persecution added their skills. By the 16th century, English cloth dominated European markets. It provided the trade good use...

  5189 Hits

Single Market

  7321 Hits

Spanner in the Brexit works

In the context of Brexit, things would be so much tidier if it wasn't for Northern Ireland. The province not only obstinately voted Remain, but also inconveniently promises to bring with it a new, uniquely porous, EU land border. If somehow one could leave Northern Ireland as a member of the EU and have the frontier redrawn in the Irish Sea, life w...

  5287 Hits

Speech by the Bruges Group’s Dr Carl Hunter to the Conservative Foreign & Commonwealth Council

Your Royal Highness, your Excellencies, Chairman, my Lords, Ladies and Gentlemen. Good afternoon. I wish to thank the Chairman and Ms Melissa Crawshay-Williams for their kind introduction and to congratulate and thank the members of our Council for their kindness, courtesy and professionalism in arranging this event. I wish to speak of the changing...

  9403 Hits

Do you expect us to negotiate?

  8233 Hits

Perfect timing by the European Union

The way in which the EU goes about producing the laws that bind the rest of us - whether our politicians like them or not - can be difficult to understand. If you're not intimately familiar with it, don't worry. You're in good company. If really interested, you'll find it in Arts.288-299 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, a tur...

  6530 Hits

The Brexit Game Changer – Import Excess Tax

 A policy model for a clean Brexit - no queues at Dover, no Irish hard border Membership of the EU Customs Union and the (largely contrived) Irish border issue are once more on the front pages. After success in the Lords, Remainers smell blood and are slavering at the prospect of defeating the Government in forthcoming Commons votes. Given thi...

  8512 Hits

Trump should prove his commitment to free trade with a UK-US Free Trade deal

There are several indicators that the US economy is doing very well at the moment. According to a recent BBC report: "The US economy grew at its fastest pace in nearly four years in the second quarter, expanding at an annualised rate of 4.1%, official figures show. The gains were driven by strong consumer spending and a surge in exports"[1] In addi...

  5872 Hits

Medical provisions post-Brexit

  A report by Victoria Hewson, Senior Counsel of the IEA's International Trade and Competition Unit There are three main factors behind the fears in relation to medical provisions post-Brexit. Here we examine what the potential problems are and the available solutions: 1. New tariffs would raise prices It has been suggested that the prices of ...

  8797 Hits
America Retreats - What Next?

America Retreats - What Next?

Theresa May's dismissal of Boris Johnson's suggestion that technology could allow customs checks without physical infrastructure (to solve the Irish border issue) is perverse. Her claim that such systems do not yet exist is not true and one must query if Number 10 talks to anyone other than the Treasury. The UK was a pioneer of electronic clearance...

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Solving the Irish border question

Like a broken clock, remainers are occasionally right. One example of this is the Irish border question which many leavers have ignored or dismissed for too long. While we don't believe this issue is as impossible to solve as remainers insist, it does require an appropriate amount of attention. So far, different proposals have been suggested to avo...

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Robert Oulds discusses Airbus and BMW's Brexit warnings, the economy and whether or not there should be another EU referendum

On the second anniversary of the successful Leave vote, Robert Oulds condemns Airbus, in receipt of £16 billion from the EU, and BMW, for choosing this day to advise the UK to stay in the single market and customs union. While the eurozone lurches from crisis to crisis, the UK has its highest rate of employment in history and we should look forward...

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Brexit: Same goals; different paths - Managing divergence

On the 5th of December 2017 the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union David Davis MP (speaking in a House of Commons debate) said: "She [The Prime Minister] said that there are areas in which we want to achieve the same outcomes, but by different regulatory methods. We want to maintain safety, food standards, animal welfare and employme...

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Sex education of teenagers

Sex education of teenagers

The thing that first drew me to being opposed to our membership of the EU in 1991 was the realisation my elected Government was not in control of our country, that authority had passed to an offshore, unelected and unaccountable body.  My awakening came through a letter written to the Chancellor of the Exchequer during the terrible recession o...

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Carillion and Corporate Governance.

​Bruges Group director Robert Oulds assured the possibility of a Brexit trade agreement in an interview with Jeremy Naylor on IG.com.  It was one of the many issues discussed during last Friday's broadcast. Topics ranged from the cost of other trade agreements, need for deregulation, lower taxes, and passporting rights.  The term "hard Br...

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Sugar Beets and the Pandemic of Modern Obesity

In my last blog post, I made my own personal views on transition clear and I also stated what the government had said that their views on transition were. To summarise, I personally believe that, if a free trade agreement (FTA) between the UK and the EU is agreed by midnight on 29th March 2019 and, if a subsequent transitional arrangement is deemed...

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Signalling a post-Brexit industrial strategy

[pb_row ][pb_column span="span12"][pb_heading el_title="Article Title" tag="h3" text_align="inherit" font="inherit" border_bottom_style="solid" border_bottom_color="#000000" appearing_animation="0" ]Supporting Bombardier - Putting employment in Britain at the heart of economic policy.[/pb_heading][pb_heading el_title="Article Title 3" tag="h4" text_align="inherit" font="inherit" border_bottom_style="solid" border_bottom_color="#000000" appearing_animation="0" ]Robert Oulds[/pb_heading][pb_heading el_title="Article Title 3" tag="h5" text_align="inherit" font="inherit" border_bottom_style="solid" border_bottom_color="#000000" appearing_animation="0" ]25th September 2017[/pb_heading][pb_divider el_title="Divider 1" div_margin_bottom="30" div_border_width="2" div_border_style="solid" div_border_color="#0151a1" appearing_animation="0" ][/pb_divider][/pb_column][/pb_row][pb_row ][pb_column span="span3"][pb_image el_title="Article Image if required DELETE Column if not required" image_file="images/0916cseries.jpg" image_alt="Type text for SEO (example Bruges Group : Image Title)" image_size="fullsize" link_type="no_link" image_container_style="no-styling" image_alignment="inherit" appearing_animation="0" ][/pb_image][pb_button el_title="PDF Link : Delete this component if it is not required 2" button_text="Lobby your MP to help" link_type="url" button_type_url="http://www.brugesgroup.co.uk/lobby.php" open_in="new_browser" button_alignment="inherit" button_size="btn-sm" button_color="btn-primary" appearing_animation="0" ][/pb_button][pb_button el_title="PDF Link : Delete this component if it is not required 2 3" button_text="Government help? Vote online" link_type="url" button_type_url="/media-centre/polls" open_in="new_browser" button_alignment="inherit" button_size="btn-sm" button_color="btn-success" appearing_animation="0" ][/pb_button][/pb_column][pb_column span="span9"][pb_text el_title="Article Text" width_unit="%" enable_dropcap="no" appearing_animation="0" ]

We are determined that Brexit, if when it eventually happens in earnest, delivers the change we need. One of these new approaches can be in defending British industry, along with its jobs and innovation from unfair actions. But why wait for Brexit? It can begin now!

 

Bombardier, a major employer in Britain, a new entrant in the plane market, is being threatened by a trade complaint brought by Boeing designed to keep it out of the US market.[i] Theresa May’s government must show that a post-Brexit Britain will use its new-found independence to stand up for UK jobs. A policy area where we would not have to live with pan-EU rules any more. British taxpayers give Boeing hundreds of millions of pounds in defence deals, while at the same time they’re trying to close British factories. That’s not the action of a trusted partner for this country.


 

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Crypto Regulation in the EU vs the UK

Crypto Regulation in the EU vs the UK

​Project Fear scaremongered more about financial services than anything else during the EU referendum campaign and this scaremongering has unfortunately continued after the Brexit vote. Remoaners and soft Brexiteers (those who want us to remain members of the European single market after Brexit) now tell us that the reason why there was not an imme...

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What Does It Take to Run a Profitable Airbnb?

What Does It Take to Run a Profitable Airbnb?

[pb_row ][pb_column span="span12"][pb_heading el_title="Article Sub Title" tag="h4" text_align="inherit" font="inherit" border_bottom_style="solid" border_bottom_color="#000000" appearing_animation="0" ]Memorandums of Understanding, or exchange of notes/letters, can form a key part of the necessary transitional arrangements as the UK moves from bei...

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The Will to Act

[pb_row ][pb_column span="span12"][pb_heading el_title="Article Sub Title" tag="h4" text_align="inherit" font="inherit" border_bottom_style="solid" border_bottom_color="#000000" appearing_animation="0" ]Last month, an event occurred which got little fanfare, but is likely to have a significant effect on the future of the UK, especially after Brexit...

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The Art of the Possible

[pb_row ][pb_column span="span12"][pb_heading el_title="Article Title" tag="h4" text_align="inherit" font="inherit" border_bottom_style="solid" border_bottom_color="#000000" appearing_animation="0" ]The PM, Theresa May, must focus on eliminating tariffs and clearing the EU's burdensome barriers to trade[/pb_heading][pb_heading el_title="Article Tit...

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The Deal’s Backdoor Route to Defence Entanglement

The Deal’s Backdoor Route to Defence Entanglement

[pb_row ][pb_column span="span12"][pb_heading el_title="Article Sub Title" tag="h4" text_align="inherit" font="inherit" border_bottom_style="solid" border_bottom_color="#000000" appearing_animation="0" ]Whichever form Brexit eventually takes, whether ‘hard’ or ‘soft’; most parties would like the transition to be as painless and smooth as possible. ...

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Reasons Why You Should Seek Legal Counsel for Personal Injury

[pb_row ][pb_column span="span12"][pb_heading el_title="Article Sub Title" tag="h4" text_align="inherit" font="inherit" border_bottom_style="solid" border_bottom_color="#000000" appearing_animation="0" ] Any withdrawal agreement must look at these issues and find practical solutions to make sure that goods enter the EU as seamlessly as possible.[/p...

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Contact us

Director : Robert Oulds
Tel: 020 7287 4414
Chairman: Barry Legg
 
The Bruges Group
246 Linen Hall, 162-168 Regent Street
London W1B 5TB
United Kingdom
KEY PERSONNEL
 
Founder President :
The Rt Hon. the Baroness Thatcher of Kesteven LG, OM, FRS 
Vice-President : The Rt Hon. the Lord Lamont of Lerwick,
Chairman: Barry Legg
Director : Robert Oulds MA, FRSA
Washington D.C. Representative : John O'Sullivan CBE
Founder Chairman : Lord Harris of High Cross
Head of Media: Jack Soames