Proof Britain Means Business As Brexit Myths Are Shattered

‘The challenge for the Government now is to attract investment’

- Ross Clark

How the Remain campaign loved it when, in March 2018, the Anglo-Dutch food and domestic products giant Unilever announced that it was doing away with its dual-listing on UK and Dutch stock markets and concentrating its headquarters in the Netherlands.

Ignoring protestations from the firm that the move had nothing to do with Brexit, the CBI claimed that it showed big businesses were “reaching for their coats”.

Rajesh Agrawal, the London deputy mayor for business, claimed that it brought “into sharp focus” the need for the UK to remain part of the single market and customs union.

Not so fast. Yesterday, with Britain now out of the EU, the single market, and the customs union, Unilever sprang a surprise by announcing that it is still planning to reform its corporate structure – but that it now intends to pick London as its sole headquarters.

It is the second time in a fortnight a large company has proved the doom-mongers wrong. Japanese car giant Nissan announced closure of its Barcelona factory but is keeping its works in Sunderland – soon to be the company’s only European base.

This was in direct contrast to claims of the Remain lobby that confidently predicted Nissan would flee to the EU, causing Sunderland’s many Leave voters cursing their foolishness.