Whilst last night's (10 April 2019) European Council decision to agree a new departure date of 31 October 2019 for the UK's exit from the European Union avoids the imminent danger of no-deal, it does further extend the uncertainty for business. Parliament urgently needs to find a swift solution and not simply use the next six months for further delay. The agreed deal with the European Union that covers our departure arrangements and sets a direction for a future relationship has to be secured as soon as possible. This will not only benefit business, including the chemical sector, but communities throughout the country.

The continued failure of our political parties to agree a way forward will, in time, negatively affect business confidence to invest in the UK and economic support to those communities. A further prolonged period of uncertainty is damaging for chemical businesses who, almost three years on from the referendum vote, still have no greater clarity on the final outcome and with many of them still sitting with their fingers on the pause button, at best, in terms of investment decisions.  

A speedy, agreed way forward has the potential to provide new thinking and new opportunities. In the weeks ahead, it is critical we send a message to Europe and to the wider world that the UK is open for business. For chemical companies that means securing as quickly as possible a deal that avoids tariff and non-tariff barriers; provides regulatory continuity and ensures continued access to skilled people. As Britain’s biggest manufacturing exporter, we stand ready to support that process, as we have been doing since the day after the referendum. All politicians now need to show collective responsibility - a quality that has been sadly lacking - to lead and deliver a solution for our country that helps boost business confidence and greater investment in the UK.