Dear
John,
Just what is the UK Trade & Business
Commission?
When we surveyed our supporters at
the end of last year, many of you were keen to find out more about the
UK Trade and Business Commission. So here’s your chance to catch
up.
While we wish Brexit hadn’t
happened, it has. Confronted with this unavoidable fact last year, we
turned our attention to Johnson’s threadbare Brexit deal and resolved
to scrutinise it and pressure the Government to make it better. That’s
how the UK Trade & Business Commission was born.
The Commission brings together
industry leaders and MPs from every party in Westminster, plus trade
experts and business leaders, to scrutinise the deal, examine new
trade deals, take evidence, and make rapid recommendations to
Government. It is convened by Hilary Benn MP and Peter Norris of
Virgin Group and Best for Britain acts as secretariat. In its time,
the commission has heard a range of views - from farmers, medics,
hauliers and ambassadors to name a few!
In January, we held our first
commission meeting of 2022, exploring how the thin Brexit deal is
damaging UK manufacturing. Our witnesses were clear: The Government
must immediately plug funding gaps for SMEs and develop a cohesive
strategy for the industry, to protect British businesses and
jobs.
So far, the Commission has held 18
evidence sessions, each one concluding with a set of comprehensive
recommendations that Commissioners immediately put to Government. The
Commission will be expanding its work in 2022. The PM may have said
‘F*** business’, but the Commission exists to defend it and the
British jobs it supports.
Best wishes,
Flo Hutchings
Head of External Affairs, Best for Britain
P.S. If you would like to watch a
recording of last week’s commission session, you can do so here.
Our work with the commission could not happen without you and your
support. If you can donate to help us continue our work to alleviate the impacts of
Brexit, that would be amazing.
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