People can’t afford to eat because of Brexit – I’m sick of Westminster ignoring them
Hidden in the idyllic landscapes of my rural constituency lies a troubling truth.
Ceredigion has the second-highest child poverty levels in Wales, shattering a common misconception that such hardships are confined to urban areas or inner cities.
As the Member of Parliament representing these resilient communities, I have witnessed first-hand the divide between the experiences of everyday people and the political discussions in Westminster.
Businesses and constituents inform me about the skyrocketing costs they are facing, and they are unequivocal that one of the factors contributing to this situation is Brexit.
The impact on our economy of being outside the world’s largest trading bloc is evident, but frustratingly, nobody in Westminster seems willing to address it.
Rishi Sunak has plenty to say about his plans to make the lives of refugees more difficult or the latest internal Tory psychodrama, yet he is silent on one of the main reasons behind the food inflation that is hammering communities across the UK – Brexit.
Research conducted by the London School of Economics suggests that UK households have shouldered a staggering £7billion in costs since Brexit, primarily due to trade barriers imposed on food imports from the European Union.
These barriers have introduced significant disruption to imports, resulting in an average increase of £250 in food bills.
Food prices have gone up by 25% since 2019 due to a number of factors, but the LSE study calculated that if those Brexit-related trade restrictions weren’t there, the increase would be a third lower.
There is no escaping reality. We need the UK Government to be upfront about Brexit’s impact and recognise that rejoining the single market and customs union is a credible solution.
MPs like me know that households we represent are burdened with a ‘rural premium’ as they face disproportionately higher expenses compared to their urban counterparts.
As a consequence, I’ve seen the living conditions of my constituents deteriorate significantly in recent years.
More and more families have told me they have come to rely on food banks, and have shared some of the drastic actions they have had to take in order to meet rising costs, from only heating one room in their homes during winter to save on heating, to using solar powered garden lights indoors to help reduce electricity usage.
Of course, the reasons for food inflation are complex, but we cannot be blind to Brexit’s contribution to rising prices.
Despite the evidence, whenever I’m in the Commons it seems that both the Government and the official opposition refuse to acknowledge the impact that Brexit is having on food prices and the overall cost of living.
Labour’s refusal to address this pressing issue is perplexing as their leader Sir Keir Starmer has claimed that he wants to ‘make Brexit work.’
He may well seek to negotiate some minor amendments to the Brexit settlement if elected, but like the current Government, he appears to overlook that our departure from the single market and customs union is estimated to have increased costs for businesses and, consequently, households.
My party, Plaid Cymru, won’t shy away from the truth. Minimising, or even dismissing the impact of Brexit for political expediency would be a disservice to the people and businesses we represent.
While we do not seek to rekindle the debates of 2016, we must recognise that food inflation is a serious issue in 2023, we must face up to the harm caused by unnecessary trade barriers.
Re-joining the single market and customs union should be a central focus – I believe doing so would provide tangible economic benefits and put more money in people’s pockets.
A recent survey by BMG Research revealed that 63% of the public believe Brexit has had a negative impact on food prices in supermarkets – something that resonates with what I hear from my constituents grappling with increased expenses and limited financial resources.
That child food poverty is increasing in the country with the sixth-largest economy in the world should shame all of us in politics. It should force us out of the inertia that has plagued UK politics in relation to Brexit.
The time has come for every one of my fellow MPs to confront the facts, acknowledge the impact, and work together towards mitigating the damage.
By re-joining the single market and customs union, I believe we can start alleviating the burden of trade barriers and improve our economic prospects.
I would not suggest for a moment that this would solve all our problems – it clearly would not. EU countries are struggling with inflation much like the rest of the world.
But while others navigate the complexities of the global economy, the UK has added an extra layer of obstacles that sets us apart.
The next general election will most certainly be fought on the dismal economic record of this Conservative Government – who have a vested interest in denying the impact of Brexit.
The question for Labour is: are they willing to pull their heads out of the sand and be honest about the impact of Brexit on the cost of living?
We need politicians in Westminster, of all stripes, to face up to the facts, recognise Brexit’s flaws, and start to make a change.
People deserve honesty about all the potential causes of the economic problems everyone is facing – as well as transparent discussions about the solutions.
Do you have a story you’d like to share? Get in touch by emailing Ross.Mccafferty@metro.co.uk.
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