What does Brexit mean for London?
What do you think are the biggest opportunities and challenges for London after Brexit? What’s on your mind?
City Hall is keen to keep London open for business, by continuing to attract skilled workers to the city and protecting all EU citizens currently living and working here. What do you think are the biggest opportunities and challenges for London after Brexit? What’s on your mind or what are you worried about? Join our discussion below.
Closed
Want to join our next discussion?
New here? Join Talk London, City Hall's online community where you can have your say on London's biggest issues.
Join Talk LondonAlready have an account?
Log into your accountAnonymous - account deleted
Community Member 5 years agoContrary to the false promises and proven lies of the leave campaign, brexit doesn't offer opportunities for London or the UK.
There were loads of complex challenges before the referendum - climate change, inequality, resource scarcity...
Show full commentContrary to the false promises and proven lies of the leave campaign, brexit doesn't offer opportunities for London or the UK.
There were loads of complex challenges before the referendum - climate change, inequality, resource scarcity, global political instability, to name a few. These will only become more difficult to confront outside of the EU, as the UK's international voice is diminished.
Investment in the country is slowing, the pound is falling, people are leaving (including UK natives), and the country is getting poorer already. The countries that leavers think will line up to do trade deals are not colonies or obliged to the UK. Countries like India will demand heavy concessions and work visas, for any kind of deal. They'll be in the driver's seat, while the UK stands in the rain with its thumb out.
It must be incredibly galling for young people - who voted overwhelmingly to stay in the EU - to read here about the 'great opportunities' for them to do unskilled labour. They know the truth - brexit robs them of opportunities to work, study, live and forge the future with our continental neighbours. While they also have to struggle with housing costs, pay for the NHS and social care for the elderly, and solve climate change.
Show less of commentSusan Cartwright
Community Member 5 years agoBritain has aboloshid nursing bursaries so we have a lack of trained nurses. How will we manage without EU nurses? Most registered carers are not British. Who will care for our elderly? Much of our hospitality industry relies on EU...
Show full commentBritain has aboloshid nursing bursaries so we have a lack of trained nurses. How will we manage without EU nurses? Most registered carers are not British. Who will care for our elderly? Much of our hospitality industry relies on EU workers. This is generally low paid and doesn't attract young British workers. We have a severe housing shortage. Most constuction companies employ many EU workers, there won't be enough trained construction workers to replace them so we won't meet our housing aspirations. We are not prepared, we don't have enough training programmes or apprentices to fill these gaps for years.
Anonymous - account deleted
Community Member 5 years agoThank you Susan, from another Susan!
What you say is true. I've just been in hospital for joint surgery and without non-uk nursing and ancilliary staff things would grind to a holt. Cancel Brexit and open our arms and hearts to other...
Show full commentThank you Susan, from another Susan!
What you say is true. I've just been in hospital for joint surgery and without non-uk nursing and ancilliary staff things would grind to a holt. Cancel Brexit and open our arms and hearts to other fellow humans who want to live and work here!!
Show less of commentLee_Enfield
Community Member 5 years agoWhy come out of the EU when the EU is helping to set up tax avoidance schemes - especially when we have our own tax havens!
Why come out when the EU makes it easy for us to discuss problems with our neighbours, when the EU has already set...
Show full commentWhy come out of the EU when the EU is helping to set up tax avoidance schemes - especially when we have our own tax havens!
Why come out when the EU makes it easy for us to discuss problems with our neighbours, when the EU has already set up around 65 trade deals with other countries?
Why come out when the EU has already set up numerous laws that protect consumers and workers (many of which were actually suggested by the UK)?
Why come out when the EU has set up agencies to improve standards, welfare and promote joint business schemes,agencies that the UK has participated in and benefited from financially,including: ESA(European Space Agency), European Medicines Agency (EMA), European Police Office (Europol) etc.
(Some of these agencies have now left the UK with the loss of hundreds of primary jobs and a subsequent loss to suppliers, retailers and the Exchequer.)
Why come out when the UK has sold off most of its major industries to overseas buyers, many of whom came in because we were in the EU? (We now have to buy planes from the US because we do not make them on our own anymore.)
Brexit is a nonsense - the Tory Party know it and other parties know it as well.
Look at the people supporting Brexit: Aaron Banks, Ree-Smog, David Davies, B Johnson, Gove, John Redwood, Nigel Farage et al. Do you think for one moment that these people have the interests of ordinary people at heart? Why, John Redwood even advised people not to invest in the UK for the foreseeable future- how's that for belief in what the Brexiteers advocate?
It is time to smell the coffee and scrub Brexit!
Show less of commentGreg Tingey
Community Member 5 years agoYou noticed, good
krlondon
Community Member 5 years agoThe challenge to to unite a country after an awful and bitter divisive event. Britain has long been Eurosceptic since well before 2016, probably since the treasonous Lisbon treaty about we were never asked for consent. I do believe the UK...
Show full commentThe challenge to to unite a country after an awful and bitter divisive event. Britain has long been Eurosceptic since well before 2016, probably since the treasonous Lisbon treaty about we were never asked for consent. I do believe the UK is resilient enough to continue, inside or outside of the EU, with whom we have a trade (and contributory) deficit, and thanks to our entrepreneurs and active business community and business sense, we will always be a vibrant city, with the enrichment of EU citizens among us. To think otherwise is underselling yourself and this great city. I geneuinely see more opportunities, than inevitable difficulties in changing 40 years of belonging to an institution and suddenly being out. The current thing annoying me is that I feel trapped inside an abusive relationship which we seemingly cannot escape from.
Show less of commentGreg Tingey
Community Member 5 years agoAh, another believer in the Brexit Cargo Cult
"We will always be a vibrant city" - like Antwerp after 1648?
RJHI
Community Member 5 years agoBrexit presents a great opportunity to end the racist policies of the EU and start accepting immigration from Africa, India and other Commonwealth Areas as well as The Americas abd Asua as we used to. EU cutuzens with skills will be welcome...
Show full commentBrexit presents a great opportunity to end the racist policies of the EU and start accepting immigration from Africa, India and other Commonwealth Areas as well as The Americas abd Asua as we used to. EU cutuzens with skills will be welcome but just being a Caucasian European will no longer invoke privilege agsinstt non Caucasuans. If the Mayor’s family trued to migrate to Britain today, they woukd be refysed as not being Caucasuan EU citizens
Show less of commentGreg Tingey
Community Member 5 years agoWhat "racist" policies of the EU?
Anyway, you are a USA troll - you used the word "caucasian"
Anonymous - account deleted
Community Member 5 years agoAs a Business owner ,Consultant and Lawyer ,.my sourcing contracts ,procuments and supplier chains are in the European Union ,and once Brexit is triggered my business is at risk from turmoil and turbulence from market forces,lack of...
Show full commentAs a Business owner ,Consultant and Lawyer ,.my sourcing contracts ,procuments and supplier chains are in the European Union ,and once Brexit is triggered my business is at risk from turmoil and turbulence from market forces,lack of confidence in the UK economy by global investors and financiers.As a Londoner too i will experience the hit as we are the enabling environment and engine of growth of the UK British economy ,..Brexit is creating loads of brain drain ,foreclosures in business ,capital flight en mass.
Supplier chain systems,structures will experience violatile reactions ,..from custom checks,tax,distribution,delivery of consumerables and all,..skill shortages ,deprivation and lack from your cornershop to the Hight Street empty shelves and aisles. Brexit was a no brainer ,deluded and has got it's price tags for the whole of the UK and London .
Show less of commentAnonymous - account deleted
Community Member 5 years agoBrexit will not do any favours to any Londoner ,it will create stress,distress and aches to come of untold hardships and long sufferings,i rest my case ,..
Talk London
Official Representative 5 years agoHi David
Thanks for sharing your views.
City Hall has launched a Brexit business resource hub to help businesses navigate and access support. Had you heard of this before? We hope this helps.
Talk London
Ines Murer
Community Member 5 years agoBrexit for me embodies the fear of others through narrowed lenses. Living in London, I can see how diversity is much more of a wealth than a danger for a country. Different cultures can offer very diverse point of ciew an it is important...
Show full commentBrexit for me embodies the fear of others through narrowed lenses. Living in London, I can see how diversity is much more of a wealth than a danger for a country. Different cultures can offer very diverse point of ciew an it is important that we use these ressources instead of limit them.
Show less of commentSOMFIN
Community Member 5 years agoIt's become so diverse its lost all identity. The academic idea of different points of view doesn't work in practise, so in terms of economy. Jobs need doing and most of the time in London you can barely conduct a conversation in English...
Show full commentIt's become so diverse its lost all identity. The academic idea of different points of view doesn't work in practise, so in terms of economy. Jobs need doing and most of the time in London you can barely conduct a conversation in English. Secondly, more effort is wasted on working out if you're sufficiently politically correct.
Show less of commentRKL
Community Member 5 years agoThe only possible way Brexit can be any kind of success is if the UK decides to put all it has behind becoming as self sufficient as possible. Investing in food security, renewable power, education and health. If London wants to prosper in...
Show full commentThe only possible way Brexit can be any kind of success is if the UK decides to put all it has behind becoming as self sufficient as possible. Investing in food security, renewable power, education and health. If London wants to prosper in the long term I would suggest the mayor works on these issues at a local level.
Show less of commentLee_Enfield
Community Member 5 years agoThe only possible way Brexit can be any kind of success is if we scrub Brexit - it is a mad idea!
Interchris
Community Member 5 years agoIm so worried about the essence of London getting lost. It’s all built on openness, new energy and ideas and people from everywhere arriving all the time. That’s what it’s about. If brexit makes it less attractive or more difficult to move...
Show full commentIm so worried about the essence of London getting lost. It’s all built on openness, new energy and ideas and people from everywhere arriving all the time. That’s what it’s about. If brexit makes it less attractive or more difficult to move to (bc of atrocious uk home office rules) it can only go downhill from here. I’m extremely concerned and worried, as I’m mainly here for the constant new arrivers who try and make it here.
Show less of commentbarrybarnes1
Community Member 5 years agoI have worked in Europe all of my life. I am a Londoner, born and live here. Mainland Europe is economically and politically in a mess. Our Leaders are the ones who need to roll up their sleeves -two years ago - and organise a Brexit that...
Show full commentI have worked in Europe all of my life. I am a Londoner, born and live here. Mainland Europe is economically and politically in a mess. Our Leaders are the ones who need to roll up their sleeves -two years ago - and organise a Brexit that delivers what we votd for. London will still sutrvive Brexit so get on with it. Furthermore I do not want to see my Granchioldren called up for European Army. My friends and Customers in Europe really hope we get out because these well educated guys wnat out as well. Talk of another Vopyte of any kind and its high cost are simply stupid, and when Leave is voted for again, will that make the EU - Crats give in - of course not so a waste of our money.
Show less of commentLee_Enfield
Community Member 5 years agoAbsolute nonsense - the idea of a European army is a red herring. We need to remain in the EU.
The EU has trade deals with over 65 countries, including the biggest investor - Japan. The UK is also free to trade outside the EU - example -...
Show full commentAbsolute nonsense - the idea of a European army is a red herring. We need to remain in the EU.
The EU has trade deals with over 65 countries, including the biggest investor - Japan. The UK is also free to trade outside the EU - example - we have sold £45Bn of Eurofighter aircraft to Saudi.
We have sold off our major industries to countries like Japan, who bought in mainly because we were in tnhe EU. Brexit will reduce future investment.
The EU army might be one of the few jobs around in the UK - there's irony for you!
Scrub Brexit !
Show less of commentmihaicucos
Community Member 5 years agoAs a remainer, I have always wanted Brexit to fail and for us to remain in the EU - for the good of the UK and London. So that London can remain an economic and technological hub for Europe and the world.
Now, as the possibility that...
Show full commentAs a remainer, I have always wanted Brexit to fail and for us to remain in the EU - for the good of the UK and London. So that London can remain an economic and technological hub for Europe and the world.
Now, as the possibility that Brexit may fail edges closer, I am concerned that even if we remain in Europe, our country is deeply divided. Fortunately I don't see that being a big problem for London. But I do think that is a big problem for the UK as a whole.
And if Brexit does go ahead, the union may soon break apart. First Scotland, then perhaps Northern Ireland.
Either way it feels that the divide between the haves and have nots is getting deeper and runs along generational lines. Broadly speaking the under 40s have fewer opportunities to buy a house and therefore enjoy wealth, stability and improvement in their lives compared to the over 40s.
Show less of commentLee_Enfield
Community Member 5 years agoI think Brexit will die a death - it is a stupid idea that no rational person wants to see.
Anonymous - account deleted
Community Member 5 years agoWe all benefit from living and working in a global city which thrives from its richly diverse population; and we need the flow of talent and skills that belonging to the E.U. brings. Let’s support the Mayor in acknowledging, protecting and...
Show full commentWe all benefit from living and working in a global city which thrives from its richly diverse population; and we need the flow of talent and skills that belonging to the E.U. brings. Let’s support the Mayor in acknowledging, protecting and promoting London as an open, welcoming, tolerant and forward-looking city. We desperately need a change in government to provide both the vision and the cash to enable London to have more social housing, fairer rents, more police and better air (to name but a few).
Show less of commentAnonymous - account deleted
Community Member 5 years agoI totally agree with you, Raymondgregory. The Mayor should respect our vote.
D125, I disagree. We do not need a population influx the size we are getting from the EU. Fair rents and better air will not happen unless we limit the growth...
Show full commentI totally agree with you, Raymondgregory. The Mayor should respect our vote.
D125, I disagree. We do not need a population influx the size we are getting from the EU. Fair rents and better air will not happen unless we limit the growth of our population.
Show less of commentraymondgregory
Community Member 5 years agoThe biggest opportunity for London is for the Mayor and his team to accept the referndum vote and work with the Government to ensure a smooth and amicable transition. The vote was to leave, forget tou dented egos and work towards a seamless...
Show full commentThe biggest opportunity for London is for the Mayor and his team to accept the referndum vote and work with the Government to ensure a smooth and amicable transition. The vote was to leave, forget tou dented egos and work towards a seamless transition that will benefit us all. The EU have made it very clear there is nothing else to give ( a little tweak on the backstop isn't really going to help()
Show less of commentLee_Enfield
Community Member 5 years agoNonsense - EU Ref #1 was highjacked by the alt-right extremists plus Putin money.
The best way forward would be to scrub Brexit - if MPs haven't the courage to do that, then move to EU Ref #2.
Enough people have now seen the light for...
Show full commentNonsense - EU Ref #1 was highjacked by the alt-right extremists plus Putin money.
The best way forward would be to scrub Brexit - if MPs haven't the courage to do that, then move to EU Ref #2.
Enough people have now seen the light for them to vote Remain, I think.
Show less of commentadeshr
Community Member 5 years agoFreedom of Movement was one the best rights changes ever brought in by the EU for my generation ( Early 50's ).
Myself and my friends were able to live and work all over Europe broadening our horizons and increasing our job skills.
I...
Show full commentFreedom of Movement was one the best rights changes ever brought in by the EU for my generation ( Early 50's ).
Myself and my friends were able to live and work all over Europe broadening our horizons and increasing our job skills.
I ended up working all over the world for 5 years and returned to London to start a family.
I am saddened that my kids may be deprived from have the same rights and opportunities as myself and my friends.
Show less of commentLee_Enfield
Community Member 5 years agoI agree.
Anonymous - account deleted
Community Member 5 years agoAdeshr
Are you content with housing costs being much higher - partly because of the Right to Settle ?
Just like my parents generation (pre-Common Market) - your kids won't be deprived of "opportunities" to live and work all over Europe...
Show full commentAdeshr
Are you content with housing costs being much higher - partly because of the Right to Settle ?
Just like my parents generation (pre-Common Market) - your kids won't be deprived of "opportunities" to live and work all over Europe ... just the automatic "right".
And people will continue to come and go on temporary work visas - just like you seem to have done "all over the world".
Greg Tingey
Community Member 5 years agoAbsolute total disaster .....
Economic ruin & possibly food & medicianal shortages.
Jacob Rees-Smaug will get a lot richer, as will R Murdoch, N Lawson & one or two hter greedy manipulators
Lee_Enfield
Community Member 5 years agoAbsolutely right in my view as well.
Anonymous - account deleted
Community Member 5 years agoI'm still clinging on to the possibility that Brexit will be cancelled after a new referendum that won't have been illegally financed and manipulated. If not then it will be the single biggest disaster for Britain since Suez.
London has...
Show full commentI'm still clinging on to the possibility that Brexit will be cancelled after a new referendum that won't have been illegally financed and manipulated. If not then it will be the single biggest disaster for Britain since Suez.
London has until now welcomed people from other countries here. We welcomed the Huguenots fleeing from persecution, the children on the Kindertransport. Post war we asked the West Indian community to help us rebuilt our war damaged city. All these people and so many more help make London the place it is. Our vibrant, outward looking city is threatened by xenophobic 'Little Englanders' many of whom don't live in London and know little of their capital city.
I worry that an inward looking city will be diminished and die. Our institutions will fossilise and the rest of the world will see us for what we are becoming, a country in a state of terminal decline living on our [controversial] 'glorious' past.
Lee_Enfield
Community Member 5 years agoI agree with you.
Anonymous - account deleted
Community Member 5 years agoThe reality is that the last 14 years of free movement from Eastern Europe has done considerable damage to our city through overcrowding. Housing is too expensive, wages are too low, the benefits bill is too high, public transport is very...
Show full commentThe reality is that the last 14 years of free movement from Eastern Europe has done considerable damage to our city through overcrowding. Housing is too expensive, wages are too low, the benefits bill is too high, public transport is very overcrowded, traffic congestion is severe, our air is poisonous, class sizes are huge and nobody can get a doctor's appointment for weeks.
We have welcomed immigrants for centuries, but we have also introduced limits, e.g. we no longer allow free movement from Pakistan, India and the West Indies. We need to update our immigration controls from time to time to adapt to changing circumstances.
Show less of commentbrunomichela
Community Member 5 years agoThe economy has been already affected and a new recession has started. Living in London will cost even more than it's now. The UK imports almost everything, especially food, so going to the supermarket will cost much more. Probabily house...
Show full commentThe economy has been already affected and a new recession has started. Living in London will cost even more than it's now. The UK imports almost everything, especially food, so going to the supermarket will cost much more. Probabily house prices will drop a bit but I won't count on it since with recession usually more people move to big cities. Lots of job opportunities will disappear because Companies are moving abroad. The film industry for instance, which bring billions of pounds to the country and it's one of the few industries that exports UK products abroad, will be affected massively and the big global production companies will move the industry to Canada or India, as it's already happening, exactly how they moved it to the UK almost 20 years ago stealing the market to the US. Lots of UK Companies will have to close because they can't find the workers since local people refuse to do certain jobs and it's not just because they don't want to roll their sleeves up, it's because lots of jobs don't pay enough and don't allow you to survive in London. Said so, the biggest issue I see is that since the referendum the Government is totally focuse on Brexit and all the problems that do exists in the UK and were mainly the causes that brought people to vote for Brexit, are still there but the Government has no energy nor time to deal with them. They will still be there after Brexit and they will be even worse because nobody tried to fix them for a long time and with recession there will be even less possibility to fix them without affecting even more the quality of the service and people's wallets.
Show less of commentLee_Enfield
Community Member 5 years agoYou are far too rational and sensible and I agree with you.
We should scrub Brexit!
Anonymous - account deleted
Community Member 5 years agoHahahahaha and the remoaners continue to scaremonger and deny democracy because it didn’t go their way
hahahahahaha brexit is coming hopefully with no deal us working class at the bottom cannot get much worse having to have topup benefits...
Show full commentHahahahaha and the remoaners continue to scaremonger and deny democracy because it didn’t go their way
hahahahahaha brexit is coming hopefully with no deal us working class at the bottom cannot get much worse having to have topup benefits just to survive so bring it on and stop the never ending supply of cheaper labour making business rich and workers poor
no deal please
p.s remoaners don’t forget your tissues
Xenon
Community Member 5 years agoLondon has benefited enormously from EU membership in all aspects of economics. The corolloary is that it will give back something if we leave the EU. However, much also depends upon the terms on which we leave. Moreover, London is...
Show full commentLondon has benefited enormously from EU membership in all aspects of economics. The corolloary is that it will give back something if we leave the EU. However, much also depends upon the terms on which we leave. Moreover, London is intrinsically adaptive. New opportunities and directions will emerge. Ironically, it is the very regions that voted to leave the EU that will suffer most and struggle to adapt. The best thing City Hall can do is not obstruct initiatives that allow new economic opportunities subject of course to environmental and housing constraints. In principle the housing constraint may ease somewhat after Brexit but this should not stop City Hall from pursuing initiatives that ensure that furure housing problems do not prove a bottleneck for London development. My main immediate concern is the underfunding of the Met. The rise of Far Right groups is a new challenge and the Met needs to be properly resourced. The target wil be London and the Met need to be resourced for Far Right activity as well the obvious threat from criminal gangs.
Show less of commentAnonymous - account deleted
Community Member 5 years agoEU fans have heard around two decades of Euroscepticism - yet when have we seen a balance sheet enumerating the costs and benefits ?
So please quantify the "benefits".
How do they compare with
- net £ billions paid to the EU annually
-...
Show full commentEU fans have heard around two decades of Euroscepticism - yet when have we seen a balance sheet enumerating the costs and benefits ?
So please quantify the "benefits".
How do they compare with
- net £ billions paid to the EU annually
- regulations impacting every householder, local shop and council - while having nothing to do with cross-border trade
- food, clothing and footware being more expensive because of the EU's protecionist tariffs
- an annual Trade DEFICIT with the EU of £ 96,000 million (while tradee with leading WTO countries is in surplus)
Thanks
Show less of commentAnonymous - account deleted
Community Member 5 years agoThree big challenges if Brexit happens.
1. Replacing the job losses from city of London firms that have moved or will move to mainland Europe.
2. The inevitable acceleration of the house price falls dropping many into serious negative...
Show full commentThree big challenges if Brexit happens.
1. Replacing the job losses from city of London firms that have moved or will move to mainland Europe.
2. The inevitable acceleration of the house price falls dropping many into serious negative equity traps.
3. Coping with massive vacancies in the low wage jobs currently filled by EU nationals in a city with little capacity for low cost housing. This is of course a current problem for both the EU nationals still in the country and unqualified UK nationals, causing overcrowding, abusive rental arrangements and a very poor standard of living.
Show less of commentAnonymous - account deleted
Community Member 5 years agoSo you say that London has "little capacity for low cost housing". That could be a problem, except that you predict an "inevitable acceleration of the house price falls". Problem solved!
Remoaner Mark Carney predicts house prices will...
Show full commentSo you say that London has "little capacity for low cost housing". That could be a problem, except that you predict an "inevitable acceleration of the house price falls". Problem solved!
Remoaner Mark Carney predicts house prices will fall by 30% if we have a no-deal Brexit. Excellent news! Can't wait!
Show less of commentRopeyalternator
Community Member 5 years agoThe butter is not spread evenly over the UK. London is over populated, incomes falling for far too many and a growing underclass of poverty and poorly skilled people and a huge black market. The wrong kind of housing is being built in...
Show full commentThe butter is not spread evenly over the UK. London is over populated, incomes falling for far too many and a growing underclass of poverty and poorly skilled people and a huge black market. The wrong kind of housing is being built in inappropriate places ignoring the social disaster of the past and priming the same for the future. Brexit will make little difference. It is being used as and excuse for the complete lack of ability of to deal with our problems without the endless slants of party politics from all party tainting everything.
A ban on oversea property ownership and emphsis on new towns with proper living space, and a ban on hi rise developments, few of which have ever had safe and happy occupants.
For credit to be taken by City Hall leaders for very poor actions sums up their complete lack of ability to deal with local issues so blaming Brexit is simply a smokescreen. British are very resiliant and will roll up thier sleeves when needs be but this is being stifled for political interst being put first too often
Show less of commentAnonymous - account deleted
Community Member 5 years agoWell with a continued supply of ever cheaper labour over the last 20 years from a EU consuming more eastern edging countries and POSSIBLE turkey with another decade do not expect the poorest wages to increase anytime soon