伦敦金融城不开心 英镑给英国首相的教训
日期:2016-10-09 11:49

(单词翻译:单击)


In the confines of the Conservative party conference, Theresa May’s call to change the direction of our nation was greeted with rapturous applause.

在保守党会议内部,特里萨•梅(Theresa May)改变我们国家的方向的呼吁被报以热烈的掌声。

In the outside world, the vision of post-Brexit Britain that the prime minister went on to describe may have pleased her target audience.

在外界,这位英国首相接下来描述的退欧后的英国的前景或许也取悦了她的目标受众。

But it drew a tough response from European leaders, dismayed the City of London and appalled much of the wider world.

但这引起了欧洲各国领袖的强硬反应,让伦敦金融城(City of London)不开心,也震惊了外界的大多数人。

This was not primarily about the substance of her proposals, although these imply a clean break with the single market.

这主要不是因为她提议的内容(尽管这些提议暗示与单一市场干净利落地分手),

It was because her rhetoric left the impression that Britain’s political culture is changing in more profound and troubling ways.

而是因为她的言辞给人留下了这样一种印象:英国的政治文化正以更深刻和更令人不安的方式发生改变。

Mrs May has long made it clear she would prioritise controls on immigration over access to EU markets.

梅长期以来一直明确表示,将把控制移民放在比欧盟市场准入更优先的位置。

This week, she gave further clarity, setting a date to trigger formal exit talks and stating that the UK will not remain under the jurisdiction of the European Court of Justice.

本周,她进一步明确立场,设定了启动正式退欧谈判的日期,并声明英国将不会继续受欧洲法院(European Court of Justice)的司法管辖。

These criteria for Brexit, which effectively rule out remaining in the single market, may be unwelcome to many in business but they are not unexpected.

这些英国退欧的原则将事实上排除英国留在单一市场的可能性,它们或许不受许多商界人士的欢迎,但并不出人意料。

More telling was her dismissal of liberal-minded international elites, coupled with a proposal to make companies publish a tally of foreign employees in order to flush out any failing to recruit locally.

更能说明问题的是她对自由主义国际精英的不欢迎,外加一项要求企业公布外籍员工数量(以驱除任何未能本地雇佣人才的行为)的提议。

This language is dangerous: it panders to xenophobia and it has raised questions — from Spain to Sri Lanka — over her commitment to Britain’s long tradition of tolerance and openness.

这种言语很危险:它迎合了仇外心理,也在从西班牙到斯里兰卡的许多地方引发了质疑——针对她是否还坚守英国宽容和开放的长期传统。

It has also exposed the tension between the government’s professed commitment to open, globalised markets and its instinct to play to the gallery by excoriating foreigners — even those who pay to study here or work for the National Health Service.

这也暴露出表面说辞与本能倾向的矛盾——政府表面上宣称坚持支持开放和全球化的市场,却本能地想要通过指责外国人(哪怕是那些花钱在这里念书或者为英国国家医疗服务体系(NHS)工作的人)来取悦大众。

Given the uncertainties that remain over Britain’s intentions for Brexit, let alone what it will prove able to negotiate, this is playing with fire.

考虑到围绕着对英国退欧打算的不确定性,也不清楚英国到底能谈成什么样的条件,这是在玩火。

The reaction in financial markets has been punishing.

金融市场的反应一直是严厉的。

The pound’s plunge early yesterday remains unexplained and may be no more than an algo misfiring.

昨天早间英镑的暴跌依然无法解释,也许这不过是一次算法的误射。

Yet even after recovering much of the ground, sterling remains at its lowest level in more than three decades.

不过,即使在收复大部分失地之后,英镑汇率依然处于逾三十年来的最低水平。

This represents a real hit to UK living standards, with little evidence as yet of an offsetting boost to exports.

这意味着对英国生活水准的一次真正打击,却迄今没有证据显示这对出口有任何补偿性提振。

Moreover, there are now signs of disquiet in bond markets: the yield on 10-year gilts, at record lows since the referendum, climbed this week.

此外,目前债券市场也出现了躁动的迹象:英国十年期国债的收益率自退欧公投以来一直处于创纪录低点,本周则出现了攀升。

This was partly a reflection of Mrs May’s ill-judged comments on monetary policy, which her aides later downplayed.

这在一定程度上是对梅欠考虑的货币政策言论(她的助手随后为这些言论打了圆场)的反应。

As Chancellor Philip Hammond says, no decisions on the terms of Brexit have been taken.

正如财相菲利普•哈蒙德(Philip Hammond)所说,有关英国退欧条款仍未达成任何决定。

He is a commonsense internationalist and should be heard.

他是位具有常识的国际主义者,他的意见是应该听取的。

Mrs May is entitled to address the concerns of her core supporters.

梅有权应对其核心支持者的种种顾虑。

Indeed, she is right to address the inequalities and divisions in UK society that helped to fuel the Brexit vote, especially the urgent need for young, working class people to receive the training they need to advance.

事实上,她应对英国社会中的不平等和分裂、尤其是年轻劳动阶层获得自我提升所需的培训的迫切需要,是正确的。正是这种不平等和分裂,帮助促成了英国退欧公投的结果。

However, language matters.

然而,措辞十分重要。

The prime minister may not mind alienating metropolitan liberals but she should be wary of antagonising potential and real allies abroad.

这位首相也许不介意疏远大都市的自由派,不过她应小心不要让海外的潜在盟友和真正盟友与英国对立起来。

Whatever one makes of her social agenda, investors are unconvinced that her tactics will result in a good deal for Britain.

不论人们对她的社会议程看法如何,投资者都不相信她的策略会为英国带来一桩有利的协议。

The prime minister has received a hard lesson.

梅已得到了惨痛教训。

She needs to be careful about attacking business and give a stronger signal of her resolve to defend the interests of the economy, especially the City, given its vital contribution to the public finances.

她必须对抨击商界十分小心,还需要释放关于一个更强烈的信号,显示她捍卫英国经济(尤其是伦敦金融城——考虑到它对公共财政的关键性贡献)利益的决心。

Mrs May will not be able to right the injustices she sees in British society unless she has the financial means to do so.

如若没有必要的财政手段,梅将无法纠正她在英国社会中看到的种种不公。

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