John Milne MP: Time to make friends again across the Channel

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The battle over Brexit was so divisive it feels like no one’s dared mention it since. But in a speech last week Ed Davey broke the taboo, with a bold proposal for the UK to rejoin the EU Customs Union.

This is a long way short of rejoining the EU itself. In particular, it does not involve freedom of movement and therefore has no implications for immigration. However, it would be enough to remove some of the trickiest barriers to European trade, which have done so much damage to the British economy.

This is a deal worth doing. Brexit was supposed to bring British trade deals for British needs. But in reality, the opposite happened. As time passed with nothing to show for it, the last government cut hasty deals with Australia and New Zealand (yes, this was Liz Truss before she crashed the economy). And in the process, she threw British farmers under the bus.

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More seriously, we’re still no closer to signing the large scale deals with India and the US that we were promised. Rejoining the customs union wouldn’t reverse Brexit. But it would at least take us to a better version of it.

John Milne, MP for Horsham, outside Parliament.John Milne, MP for Horsham, outside Parliament.
John Milne, MP for Horsham, outside Parliament.

This has been a busy week for me in Parliament. Securing individual meetings with Ministers doesn’t happen often but as luck would have it, two came along at once. My meeting with Mike Kane, Aviation Minister, was frustrating as he declined my call for an independent member to be appointed to the Gatwick airspace review panel. This is being run entirely by Gatwick Airport Ltd despite a clear conflict of interest. They stand to profit substantially by choosing routes that fly directly over Rusper, Warnham and Slinfold, that could greatly increase noise pollution.

Fortunately, my meeting with Mathew Pennycook, Minister for Housing, was much more positive. We’re in a unique situation with water neutrality here in Horsham, and it’s clear that the previous 6 or so housing ministers have never had the slightest understanding of it. I’m delighted we have finally received attention at the highest level together with properly informed civil service commitment.

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