As a UK-based company fascinated by industry, it’s impossible for us to enter March without nodding to the events that will unfold around us this month. On March 29th, at 11pm GMT, BREXIT is scheduled to come into effect. Much of the world is watching to see how this historic divorce between the UK and Europe will play out, and like many divorces, the proceedings have been strained and full of difficulty. There are still those in the UK, including some MPs, who would like to see BREXIT fail to go ahead, though the Labour Party’s last-minute support of a second referendum has struck many ‘Remainers’ as too little too late. Barring some finish-line drama, it seems fairly certain that BREXIT will go ahead, but this is the only certainty in an otherwise foggy situation. Recent developments have included the UK realising that it currently does not possess the correct pallets for exporting to the EU, and the implications on trade if this emergency isn’t resolved show just one of the many ways that this split will have far-reaching repercussions. Who will and won’t forge trade bonds with the newly independent UK, and where will the ripples of these changes reach?
As many ‘Remainers’ and ‘Leavers’ alike brace themselves for lean years of transition, Europeans living within the UK are still unclear what the future will hold for them. Will there be another spate of xenophobic feeling and incidents, as there was when the BREXIT referendum result was announced? Will EU Nationals be permitted to remain in the country? One group that are leaving the country are big businesses, with successful UK names such as Dyson moving their HQ overseas. The UK’s loss may be the world’s gain; all we know is, it’s a fascinating time for the shape of global industry and trade, and a concerning one for citizens caught in the potential fallout.
We will be following the situation with interest, both as UK residents and as an industry publication. In the meantime, what we do know is that the world of industry continues to impress us with inspirational stories the world over, and as always, we’re excited to bring a selection of them to you this month.
Alice Instone-Brewer
