Back in 2016 I supported remain but I never though the EU to be perfect. It’s not, but then neither is Westminster, Welsh Government or even our local authority. Most political institutions are flawed and the EU is no different. However, I did argue in 2016 that there was no simple way to reverse 40 years of membership of the most complex, and from an economic perspective, sucessful political project yet constructed. I think I can now bank that prediction as a correct one and let’s be honest, who knew about the workings of the Customs Union or the complexities of the Irish Border issue and our obligations under the Good Friday Agreement when we went to vote on that sunny Thursday back in June 2016?
The Prime Minister has tried, really tried, to both honour the referendum result and the need to minimise the economic impact of leaving the EU. Say what you will about ‘project fear’ but there are very few economists and no Government study that does not conclude that the decision to leave is, from an economic perspective, sub-optimal. The problem faced by the Prime Minister is that her compromises have not appealed to enough members of the House of Commons. Even last week, her offer to resign before phase two of the negotiations began in order to win support, simply pushed away as many sympathetic Labour MPs as it attracted from the ranks of the Brexit wing of the Conservative Party. By the way, please note that the Prime Minister offered to resign after the completion of the first stage of our withdrawal – phase two of the negotiations which will be much more complex have not even started yet!
I have little respect left for colleagues such as Jacob Rees-Mogg, Dominic Raab or Boris Johnson. They have attacked the deal using emotive language including the claim that the deal she negotiated was “worse than being in the EU”. Consider the following from Jacob Rees-Mogg;
“She hasn’t so much struck a deal as surrendered to Brussels and given everything they want and tried to frustrate Brexit,....making us a slave state”. He voted for the agreement.
What about this from Boris;
“This deal is woeful, lamentable and represents the worst of both worlds”. Boris voted for the deal.
Is it any wonder that politicans are held in contempt when they can go from high principle and emotive language to embracing something which is clearly in their view going to be bad for the UK just because they see an opportunity to become Prime Minister? Shame on them. I contrast their behaviour with that of Rt. Hon David Jones. It’s well known that we do not agree on Brexit but at least we both stuck to our principles last week.
Thank you
I’m sure that I speak on behalf of all readers and local residents in expressing my thanks to the fire-fighters and other emergency services that dealt with a significant forest fire in the vicinity of Betws y Coed last week. I know that their efforts are appreciated by all.