Brexit casts a constant shadow of uncertainty over so many aspects of our lives and simply ‘waiting to see’ what happens, despite being a very British attitude, might not be the right one.
Depending on your view of this deeply divisive topic of course, your reaction to that statement might be one of abject horror or fist waving agreement. However by hook or by crook, if all goes to plan we will soon leave the European Union, won’t we?
Yes… there remains some uncertainty
If Brexit was just a simple case of finding it a little harder to buy our favourite imported foods, or paying for medical care on our summer holidays, it wouldn’t be quite as sobering as it actually is, because when it comes to business, we might feel there is more at risk, and there is.
A lot more…
So sitting on the fence for a while, hedging our bets and awaiting the outcome of the current political wrangling might be an understandable reaction from a business owner’s point of view. The problem with that of course is if you’re busy sitting on the fence, then you’re not doing that thing your best at; driving your business forwards, investing in the machinery to win new business, expanding and growing.
In short, if you’re sitting on the fence, you’re moving backwards, losing that hard earned lead you had over others with a very real risk of being swamped by the competition.
Brexit will happen (probably.) If it does, then we get the right to govern ourselves and make the decisions that are best for British industry. We will also enjoy more autonomy to sign up for new trade deals from day one as well as fewer regulatory burdens.
If we remain in the EU then yours, ours and everyone else’s businesses carry on as strong as before.
Perhaps now is a time to make the most of the uncertainty that is tainting our collective lives right now. Perhaps, with so much uncertainty also comes an opportunity…
To make this a time for investment and planning for a positive future, either as part of the European Union, or as a truly independent United Kingdom. Because as well as that ‘waiting to see’ attitude that we British are well known for, there are a few other facets of our national identity that also mean a lot:
Our proud industrial heritage, our spirit, our innovation, and our ability to dig in and get our heads down when times are uncertain and to make the most of every opportunity.
As the late great Winston Churchill once said; “Difficulties mastered are opportunities won.”
That’s good enough for us.
Published 28th November 2019