Why do leavers keep trotting out the straw man argument that trade will not be stopped by Brexit.
It is not suggested that trade will stop but the terms of that trade will be different. Remainers are not suggesting that trade will stop. The suggestion is that terms of trade will alter in a way that will not be beneficial to the UK economy. Why can't brexiters understand that point or is it that they can't counter it so you resort to weak ass straw man lies instead?
The UK terms of trade (the ratio of an index of a country's export prices to an index of its import prices) with the EU are likely to alter if the UK decides to leave the EU. By how much and how fast is not an easy question to answer. But, as you might know, for the first 2 years after a Brexit, no legislation needs to changes (because of a treaty clause). It seems to me that if you think with 100% certainty that the terms of trade will worsen during those 2 years, then that is quite some crystal ball you got there. Plausible arguments can be made either way, and the behaviour of the UK government in the light of a Brexit will be quite different to what it is now: It will be concerned with reducing uncertainty (one of the main costs of Brexit).
Once the dust has settled, and a trade deal with the EU is developed, what is likely is that UK firms exporting to the EU will face higher costs making their exports relatively more costly versus remaining to in the single market. But that makes an important assumption: All else in respect to EU taxes and legislation that impacts on product and service costs remains constant; it might not, so increasing costs for our UK exporters (which has been the usual trend).
What seems to me is that reducing the case to remain in the EU to an argument about trade and the economics of trade supposes that is all there is to the EU. The direction of the EU is that of economic and, above all, political union.
How about democratic accountability and the fact that we can not hold the EU Commission to account at the balot box, despite the fact they develop laws that impact on the UK? There are fundamental questions of democratic accountability and legitimacy. It seems to me that voting to Leave is the only way of restoring some democratic accountability to the UK system.