Shropshire Star comment: Brexit is hard but this is democracy
They said Brexit would hit the economy, and according to Gemma Davies, Shropshire Council's head of economic growth, that is what is already happening locally.
The killer factor is the uncertainty which she says is leading to businesses holding back on investment which could bring investment and jobs to Shropshire.
Here comments are relevant and informed, because what she is saying does not come from some personal ideological Leave or Remain viewpoint, but from what business people locally are telling her.
She says some multi-national firms might pull out of the county and relocate in Europe - that is, the EU countries.
This all sounds grim, but there is some good news and some bad news.
The good news is that in theory the uncertainty will be ended by the end of the year, because by then we shall know - and yes, this is being optimistic - what the shape of the Brexit arrangements, for business and for all other aspects, will be.
When that happens uncertainty will be replaced by clarity which will enable businesses to plan. The bad news is that the indications are that there is going to be a continuing battle, both in the Brussels negotiations and on the political home front, which will mean that the time when we would hope that the end will be in sight will be nothing of the sort.
Instead it will be characterised by continuing rumbling discontent, with an active Remain rearguard, Brussels officials who have no reason to hurry playing hardball, and even Nigel Farage muddying the issue by talking up the prospects of a second referendum.
It is in nobody's interest for things to be made tough for business, but there again business has always shown that it can adapt in the face of turbulent political and economic weather. Until arrangements for Brexit become concrete, these adjustments cannot be made.
It is only a little over a year before Article 50 takes effect. It goes without saying that the Government needs to knuckle down and thrash things out with Brussels.
But if past performance is an indicator of future performance, negotiations are going to be difficult, protracted, and the outcome unpredictable - for instance on the desire for the UK to continue to have tariff-free access to the single market, which is perhaps the single most important economic issue.
A challenging environment for business then. However, while recognising the challenges of this situation, it is worth remembering why this situation has arisen. It is the outcome of a democratic vote.
