Diary

Wednesday, 20th January 2010

Daniel Hannan opens his diary

Kiwis are remarkably forgiving about the whole Common Market business. Until 1972, they enjoyed as high a standard of living as any country in the world, but the artificial diversion of Britain’s trade flows that followed EEC membership was calamitous for New Zealand. That the Common Market turned out to damage Britain’s economy, too, was no consolation. Since then, advances in technology have made regional blocs redundant. It is as easy to sell to the other side of the world as to the next town. Capital surges around the planet at the touch of a button. British businesses find it easier to deal with countries which share their language, common law system, commercial traditions and accountancy practices than with countries which simply happen to be geographically close. Our very first act when we leave the EU should be to offer unrestricted commercial access, including free movement of labour, to Australia and New Zealand. It’s the least we can do.

Daniel Hannan is a British Conservative Member of the European Parliament and blogs every day at www.hannan.co.uk His speech criticising Gordon Brown at the European Parliament last March attracted 1.5 million views within 72 hours and became the most watched political clip in British history.