JD Wetherspoon founder coming to Sunderland pub for chat about Brexit

The founder of pub chain JD Wetherspoon is coming to Sunderland next months as part of a tour in which he will speak to customers about Brexit.
JD Wetherspoon founder Tim Martin.JD Wetherspoon founder Tim Martin.
JD Wetherspoon founder Tim Martin.

Tim Martin recently announced that he intends to visit more than 100 Wetherspoon pubs across the UK in the next two months to speak to customers about what he argues will be the "huge economic advantages" of leaving the EU on March 29 next year without a deal, and of adopting the free trade approach of countries like New Zealand, Canada, Australia, Singapore and Israel.

These advantages will be lost, Mr Martin argues, if the Government signs up for a deal with the EU, which keeps the UK tied in to the protectionist EU customs union.

Leave supporters in Sunderland celebrate as the city voted to leave the European Union.Leave supporters in Sunderland celebrate as the city voted to leave the European Union.
Leave supporters in Sunderland celebrate as the city voted to leave the European Union.
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Mr Martin will be at The William Jameson, in Fawcett Street, Sunderland city centre, on Thursday, December 6.

Mr Martin said: “Now that the details of the appalling deal, negotiated by the Downing Street kitchen cabinet have become clear, it is certain the UK will be financially far better off by choosing no deal.

“The hard mathematics demonstrate beyond doubt that no deal leaves the public and the UK better-off on day one after Brexit.

“The UK will immediately gain by non-payment of the proposed £39 billion, for which lawyers have repeatedly confirmed there is no legal liability.

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“No deal also allows Parliament, on 29 March 2019, to slash import taxes (tariffs) on over 12,000 non-EU products, including oranges, rice, coffee, wine and children’s clothes.

“Ending these tariffs will immediately reduce shop prices to UK consumers.

“There is no loss of income to the government from slashing these tariffs, since the proceeds are currently remitted to Brussels.

“Most importantly, no deal allows the UK to regain control of historic fishing grounds, where 60 per cent of fish today are landed by EU boats.

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Mr Martin also argues that the UK will be more democratic and that free trade will provide economic steroids for the future.

“In reality, Theresa May’s deal is a mechanism for remaining trapped in an undemocratic and financially inefficient system," he said.