12 Brexit questions that must be answered in the next 12 months

Never mind all that, there are 12 months to Brexit, and just as there are 12 steps to heaven, here Chris Lloyd poses 12 questions that will have to be resolved in what promises to be one of the most tumultuous periods in modern British history

What about the Irish border?

The biggest single concern about Brexit has been Ireland. Despite the warm words, there is no clue as to how two separate economies can meet without having some form of border between them. Any barrier, be it virtual or physical, between communities with such a history of division cannot be positive.

Where is the trade deal?

The North-East is the only UK region to export more than it imports, and so far Brexit, with the falling pound, has been good for it. Equally, a future trade deal is more crucial here – where 160,000 jobs are directly linked to the single market – than anywhere. The Government’s own predictions are dire – the North-East economy will be worst affected, losing 16 per cent in the next 15 years if there is no trade deal.

Where’s the Shared Prosperity Fund?

As the poorest region in England, we receive the most EU funding: the North-East is to get £437m between 2014 and 2020; Yorkshire is to get £340m while the Tees Valley gets £25m-a-year. The Conservatives have promised to create a Shared Prosperity Fund to ensure this money gets through but there is still not a single detail about it.

What about farming?

The UK is to receive £220bn from the EU’s Common Agricultural Policy before 2020, and 95pc of our sheep exports go to the EU, so farming is at the eye of the Brexit storm. However, the CAP is flawed, favouring large landowners and intensive farming. Environment Secretary Michael Gove has interesting ideas about how directly-funded farmers will become more responsive to the public which pays them.

Can a deal include financial services?

A huge battle is shaping up as the EU insists financial services cannot be included in a trade deal whereas Britain insists they have to be. The City of London contributes more than 11 per cent of Britain’s taxes, which European cities eye jealously. Staff are being moved to the continent, but not in as large numbers as originally predicted.

How will immigration be controlled?

Despite having the lowest levels of foreign-born residents in the country, immigration was a major factor for the North-East in the referendum. But both ends of its economy needs migrants – about 10 per cent of employees in rural tourism are from eastern Europe, and our universities need to be free to attract the world’s top brains just as the football clubs are free to attract the top talent. How will a balance be struck?

Will our security be affected?

There is a theory that Russia, which is seeking to destabilise so many areas of the world, launched its poison attack to prise a gap between Britain and the EU. The EU – indeed, the world – have responded with a surprising high level of immediate response, suggesting Britain may not be as isolated as pessimists feared.

What will Parliament’s role be?

In December, Theresa May suffered a major defeat when 11 Tory rebels ensured that Parliament would get a “meaningful vote” on the Brexit deal. But what does “meaningful” mean? Will they be able to accept the exit deal but send negotiators back to improve the future deal? Will they be able to vote yes to no deal? If Brexit is about taking back control, what control will Parliament have?

Will the Labour Party hold?

Labour has enjoyed a year of ambivalence but has now nailed its colours to the mast of a customs union. But the party is deeply divided – local MPs are deeply divided – about whether Brexit is a good idea at all. When the “meaningful vote” is imminent will Remain MPs be able to back the party line if they believe the deal is bad?

Will the European Union hold?

All 27 remaining countries have different approaches to Brexit, from Ireland determined to avoid a land border to Poland wanting more freedom and with all of them worried about how the EU will fund the £10bn hole in its funding left by the UK. Brexit has slapped them into unity so far, but can that hold as negotiations become tense?

Will we get our freeport?

Turning Teesport into a zone with low tariffs isn’t really connected to Brexit but could be used to show its benefits. It is championed by the Tees Valley Mayor Ben Houchen, the Department for Exiting the EU is believed to be keen, but the Treasury needs convincing. It also needs explaining why Teesport should get this preferential treatment and not Tyneside, Humberside or Merseyside, but the freeport talk feeds into a bigger debate…

Can we cope?

As well as a local tax regime for the port, Mr Houchen is calling for mayors to take direct control of the Shared Prosperity Fund – but where does that leave areas like County Durham or North Yorkshire without mayors.

Who spends the Euro-money for them, particularly as we no longer have the local expertise of the regional development agencies?

There are growing calls that the powers that are coming back from Europe should not all be centralised in London, but should be devolved to the regions, which know what help their local economies or their local farmers need, which know what level local migration rates should be set at.

Some are even calling it a Council of the North to provide focus to the Northern Powerhouse.

If Brexit is about taking back control, there is a danger that control will end up in distant London and not in the regions, like the North-East, which voted most positively to regain it.

We have only a year to redesign the way the country is run…