Each Saturday, in "Zoom out", Axel de Tarlé returns to an economic or societal fact that marked the week. Today, direction the United Kingdom, where 2020 was to be the year of the found freedom. But the coronavirus decided otherwise. The British, particularly affected, are forced to confine themselves.
The great solitude of the United Kingdom. The country is even the most affected in the world by Covid-19 (in proportion to its population). 2020 was to be the year of liberation (with Brexit), it will ultimately be the year of confinement.
The Financial Times gives these figures. The newspaper compares the number of additional deaths compared to normal. Well, in the UK, with this epidemic, there are 67% more deaths, it's a record. In France, it is 33% more. In Belgium which pays a heavy price, it is 57% more deaths. In Germany, it's 7%, while in the United States, it's 24%.
So, indeed, Great Britain, which believed that it could escape confinement at the very beginning of the crisis, was severely caught up. And the English had to do like everyone else, to confine themselves, to lock themselves up. Which, indeed, is contrary to the values of Brexit, perceived as a release from the straitjacket imposed by Brussels.
Nevertheless, Brexit is now effective. And Great Britain can, finally, get rid of the rules imposed by Brussels.
Yes, but finally, not easy to impose its law and its standards in a giant world dominated by China and the United States. We see it in telecoms. Great Britain had authorized the Chinese Huewai branches. But, under pressure from Washington, London had to change its mind and now orders the withdrawal of the Chinese branches.
Ditto in terms of health. Now that Britain is no longer constrained by European standards, British MPs are very concerned that London will give in to Washington's demands, and will eventually allow US imports of hormone-treated beef and chlorine-washed chicken.
So you see, funny sovereignty, which consists in having to accept, under duress, standards imposed by others, in this case the United States.
And economically? It has been said a great deal that the United Kingdom is going to practice dumping (that is to say attracting companies by cutting taxes, and social and environmental deregulation).
For the moment, it is rather missed. EY (former Ernst And Young) has just published the ranking of the most attractive countries in Europe. And bingo, the United Kingdom which was number one, has just lost its place, unbolted by France. All the better for us. Even if in the end, this Brexit is still what is called a lose / lose operation.
With the departure of the United Kingdom, the European Union lost a significant ally. When the English, frankly, we wonder what they gained with this Brexit. And we still wish them, now, to be able to deconfinate as quickly as possible.