Brexit conference in Preston will help to clear up confusion

A free Brexit conference is to be held in Lancashire organised by the North & Western Lancashire Chamber of Commerce.
Brexit D-Day is loomingBrexit D-Day is looming
Brexit D-Day is looming

With only weeks to go until the UK is scheduled to leave the EU, the Chamber is keen to highlight the many key issues that are still unclear for businesses in a ‘no deal’ scenario on March 29.

They include what trade agreements will be in place with countries around the globe, to whether and how firms can move skilled staff between the UK and EU, and which regulations they will need to follow.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The Brexit conference will be held at Preston Guild Hall on Friday April 26 and is free

The Chamber said many questions remained unanswered over Brexit and will affect how business operates.

The terms of trade agreements can affect pricing decisions, margins, even choice of business location and the geography of supply chains.

The absence of clarity and precision is already known to have stifled investment and growth, and is resulting in unnecessary costs, inability to plan and loss of business as customers look elsewhere.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Babs Murphy, chief executive of the Chamber said: “In less than 50 days, businesses could face the biggest change to their terms of trade in over a generation, without the information and clarity they need to navigate their forward course.

“There is a very real risk that a lack of clear, actionable information from government will leave firms, their people and their communities hung out to dry.”

An unrivalled line up of experts including Kwasi Kwarteng, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Exiting the EU will deliberate on the most important issues in modern British politics.

Planned to take place almost a month after the UK’s scheduled withdrawal , the event will provide the latest appraisal of the ever changing landscape of the withdrawal process.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Meanwhile, National Chairman of the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) Mike Cherry has responded to the latest Commons debate whcih resulted in no new Brexit proposals being revealed..

He said: “We have simply heard the same old Brexit song with Parliament seemingly stuck on repeat with no clear way forward. No progress has been made .

“Instead, every day that Parliament fails to break the deadlock, is one more day of uncertainty, one day less our small businesses have to prepare and one day closer to a damaging no deal Brexit March 29.

“This political paralysis is already damaging small firms making it impossible for them to plan, hire and invest.

“Small businesses need answers on what happens after the 29th March, and they need them now.

“There is little or no time left for them to get ready.”