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Greg Evans
Dec 30, 2020
A report from Sky News about an eel farmer has gone viral after the man in the story admitted his deep regret over voting for Brexit which is now jeopardising his business.
Peter Wood, who is an exporter of glass eels from Gloucester, voted to leave the European Union in 2016 but with the news of Boris Johnson’s latest deal is suddenly having a moment of realisation.
Wood admits that with this new deal, he and his customers are now going to be saddled with a lot of extra paperwork which might deter them from buying from the UK in the future.
He says: “We all produce the documentation but unfortunately our customers have also got a raft of documentation to produce to allow the import to go ahead. So why buy from the UK? Might as well buy from another producer in France who can deliver to the door no documentation, no problems.”
The reporter then asks Wood how he feels now given that he supported Brexit four years ago. He reveals that if he knew it would put his job in danger he wouldn’t have voted for it. “I think be careful what you wish for - I thought we were going to get a global market, this is going to be a new opportunity. It hasn't turned out like that. I'd never have voted for Brexit if I knew we were going to lose our jobs.”
The clip has been viewed more than 3 million times and has even been shared by actor Hugh Grant who called it ‘Bleak, tragic, enraging.’
Bleak. Tragic. Enraging. https://t.co/QVO2YUlu7G— Hugh Grant (@Hugh Grant) 1609243532
Seriously what the fuck did he think would happen? His biggest (and probably only) customers on his doorstep and he… https://t.co/Sp5voJ6T7m— Jim (@Jim) 1609235679
I'm conflicted: Yes, this guy probably was stupid to fall for the dishonest claims of the Leave campaign, built on… https://t.co/iIYJy1qPbn— Jon Owen (@Jon Owen) 1609243105
He ‘won’, of course. Even appeared in a ukip video. Hard to feel anything but sorry for him, though. Hope his busin… https://t.co/J2F3EVpSPM— James Oh Brien (@James Oh Brien) 1609266814
'Be careful what you wish for. I would never have voted for Brexit if we'd have known that we would all lose our jo… https://t.co/JS1fjcTatO— Carole Cadwalladr (@Carole Cadwalladr) 1609269933
Proving once again that most voters everywhere, left & right, have zero comprehension of international trade includ… https://t.co/KAIYvj1H2r— Lawrence O'Donnell (@Lawrence O'Donnell) 1609257578
According to The New European, UK Glass Eels generates around £2-million-a-year by transporting eels three times a week to the EU, which has now being left in an uncertain predicament because of Brexit.
Johnson’s Brexit deal will be voted on by MPs in the Commons on Wednesday ahead of leaving the EU on 31 December. Deal or no deal, the UK will no longer be under EU rule come 1 January.