Chancellor Sajid Javid has warned manufacturing leaders that there will be no alignment with EU regulations once Britain’s exit from the European Union is made official.
The Treasury would not lend support to manufacturers that favour EU rules as the sector has had three years to prepare for Britain’s transition, Mr Javid said in an interview with the Financial Times.
“There will not be alignment, we will not be a ruletaker, we will not be in the single market and we will not be in the customs union — and we will do this by the end of the year,” Mr Javid said.
“We’re … talking about companies that have known since 2016 that we are leaving the EU.”
There is concern among some UK business sectors about leaving the current trading partnership without a new deal to reduce border friction.
Mr Javid admitted that some businesses may not benefit from Brexit, but added that the UK economy would ultimately continue to thrive in the long-term.
“Once we’ve got this agreement in place with our European friends, we will continue to be one of the most successful economies on Earth,” he said.
Mr Javid will have the opportunity to sell his vision for Britain’s economy post-Brexit when he travels to Davos next week for the World Economic Forum.
The Chancellor also hinted that there might be tax rises in the March Budget or autumn, telling the Financial Times that he was determined to take the “hard decisions you need to sometimes, especially at the start of a new government”.
But when asked specifically about taxation he said: “You’ll have to wait for the Budget.”