What does Brexit mean for Hampshire? Business leaders react to Theresa May's speech

On Thursday Theresa May set out her twelve points of Brexit.

But is it hard or soft? Does Brexit really mean Brexit? And what does it mean for Hampshire? We asked community leaders, business experts and politicians from sectors across the county for their analysis. 

Keith Taylor MEP, green party, said: “The plan to wrench Britain out of the Single Market and out of the Customs Union is extremely risky. And Theresa May has no mandate to do it.

"The plans are, at best an extreme gamble, and, at worst, toxic for Britain and its people.”

Daryl Cowan, director of DC Employment Solicitors, said: “Scorn has been poured on the ‘simplicity’ of the UK taking back control of law-making.

"When the UK has achieved this, many fear there could be a ‘race to the bottom’ in terms of workers’ rights in order to make the UK more attractive for business. Theresa May says rights will not only be protected but will be built upon.

"Cynics doubt this but the Government has actually introduced employment protections during its last terms, including increased ‘family friendly’ rights.”

Owner of Oxford Street’s Max’s Brasserie Massimiliano Romano said: “I like the fact that they want to keep a free trade with European markets. This is very important for those people who like me run a business in the UK.

"My main concern about Brexit at the moment regards import and export. I import lots of products and wine from Italy and prices have already gone up since June.”

Desmond Swayne, MP for New Forest West, said: “I burst into spontaneous dancing. I have campaigned vigorously for years and I was very pleased with the way she has set about the task. The economic benefits that come from leaving the trade and customs union will mean we can trade freely with the rest of the world.”

Secretary of Abu Bakr Mosque, Zahir Ahmed said: “Now that Brexit is upon us we need to get to work very hard to make sure this is successful and does not become a nightmare for our future generations.

"Britain has special assets and relationships through out the world. Commonwealth and our special relationship with North America provides ample opportunities for Global trade.

"We sincerely hope that Europe does not become less stable economically and politically as Russia flexes its muscles. Now is the time to unite as a nation, especially work out how to keep Scotland on board.”

Catherine Bearder, MEP for the South East, said: “Theresa May’s hard Brexit will strip future generations of the life-changing opportunities to travel, work and study across Europe.

"Millions who voted both Remain and Leave on 23rd June don’t endorse this extreme version of Brexit. Sooner or later this Conservative Brexit government will realise that it cannot govern for only those who endorse Nigel Farage’s vision for Europe.”

Dr Emily Reid, Associate Professor in European Law, University of Southampton, said: “To ‘secure a smooth, orderly Brexit’, including agreement about the UK’s future relationship with the EU, within two years, is highly unrealistic.

"Negotiation of a trade agreement takes at least 5-7 years, with cooperation based on common principles, generally including human rights, environmental protection, sustainable development and investment.”

Jan Ward, CEO of Corrotherm International, said: “On the one hand she’s telling Parliament that we are standing our ground and will not be staying “in” in terms of free movement, but also at Davos is committing to free trade and globalisation. I don’t think she is reading the signs.

"Globalisation is a dirty word to most working people these days, to most it just means exporting jobs abroad. And to most people free trade is an abstract concept. She needs to explain what this will actually means to be credible. 

“Admittedly she has a very difficult balancing act, to calm the markets but also make sure she sticks to Brexit. In reality there are no rules and there is no predicting what it’s likely to look like in the next five years.

"The best business can do is pay attention and move quickly to adjust their business models as the situation evolves.”

Hampshire National Farmers’ Union chairman Matt Culley said: “Farming fuels our food industry, shapes our countryside and supports the nation’s tourism sector. But farmers and growers will only be able to continue feeding Britain if the Government puts the right measures in place after Brexit.

"Not only does farming underpin the UK’s food and drink sector which is worth £108billion. But 72% of agricultural exports go to the EU. MPs are beginning to recognise the urgent need for a trial this year of a Home Office-run Seasonal Agricultural Permit Scheme.”

Spencer Bowman, owner of independent coffee shop Mettricks, said: 
As a small business at the heart of our city, but at the end of an international supply chain, Mettricks is now feeling the impact of higher costs due to exchange rate changes.

"The price of the directly traded speciality coffee, for which we pay an ethical premium price, has just increased by 8%. Our dairy costs have gone up by a similar amount.

"Though painful, most small businesses can deal with a one off correction but we now need some economic stability and certainty so that we can plan to build sustainable futures."

Dr Julian Lewis, MP for New Forest East, said: “Until the European Union “remainers” lost the Referendum vote, I had never heard the terms “hard” and “soft” Brexit - and, I suspect, neither had you.

"Having considered the matter, I have come up with the following definitions: “hard” Brexit means saying that you are going to leave the EU and actually doing it, whilst “soft” Brexit means saying that you are going to leave but actually remaining in the EU in all but name.

"Theresa May has signalled that we will negotiate to obtain a mutually advantageous deal if we can; but that the world will not end if we cannot. By stating that “no deal is better than a bad deal”, she is maximising our prospects - sooner or later - of getting a good deal.”

Professor Graham Baldwin, vice-chancellor of Southampton Solent University, said: “Unfortunately, the speech couldn’t guarantee that the rights of the EU citizens living in the UK would be maintained after Brexit, instead confirming the issue would be resolved “as early as we can”. 

"As Brexit negotiations continue it is essential for our sector, and others, that the UK remains accessible to EU and international students, researchers and staff, and that they feel welcome and secure in their lives here.”

MP Royston Smith said: “Theresa May’s speech cleared up any ambiguity. She detailed her 12 objectives of leaving The European Union while remaining close friends and allies with our European neighbours.

"We are leaving the European Union, but we are not leaving Europe. We will once again be able to trade freely with the rest of the world and become a truly global nation.”

MP Alan Whitehead, Labour, said: “Theresa May’s speech on January 17th purports to bring some clarity to those negotiations, but in reality throws away much of Britain’s position before we even start to negotiate.

"By saying that we want to have nothing to do with the single market or the customs union, she threatens to close a vital door for Britain’s future relationship with the EU.

"This kind of hard landing of the UK outside the EU will be profoundly damaging to the UK for the future and looks like a determination to simply turn our backs on Europe rather than forge a new relationship with it in our best national interests.

"Theresa May did in her speech, however, confirm that Parliament will have the final say on the negotiations: it’s up to Parliament right now to work to steer the Government away from this dangerous course as negotiations proceed.”

Southampton city council leader Simon Letts said: “As a trading city with a large Port I would like to see us remain as far is possible inside the customs union which allows goods to flow freely across borders without complex checks and the need to pay duty.

"Without an arrangement like this doing business with the EU will become more difficult. The EU already has a similar arrangement to this with Turkey so this should be easy to achieve.

"The governments ‘Great Reform Bill’ will write into British Law all of the regulations that we currently get from the EU. It will then be up to parliament to decide which to keep and which to get rid of.

"I hope that the Conservatives don’t use this as an opportunity to remove rights like paid holidays and other protections from British workers and that they also choose to keep Environmental protections like our right to clean air.

"To end on a positive note – with the city approaching full employment employers will no longer be able to bring in labour from the EU and I expect this will mean better pay and a choice of jobs for Southampton residents.

"Companies will need to train our young people and treat other workers in a decent way if they want to keep them.”