This is not a day for rejoicing

The die is now cast. Now that the 27 Member States of the EU have agreed with the Withdrawal Agreement, 525 pages thick, that the UK has laboriously agreed with the Commission, the ball is now in the House of Commons’ lap.

It will be the House that in a historic vote, tentatively set for 10 or 11 December, will decide on withdrawal.

Many in Europe still hope against hope that somehow the Commons will overthrow the agreement and at least order a second referendum.

This is, however, a forlorn hope. There is no hope whatsoever this will happen. Most commentators do see the possibility of the House voting against the Agreement but what happens then will either see Theresa May removed from the premiership or agreement on the holding of a general election which Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn might win. Even in this case, however, Labour will not go for a second referendum.

In political terms, the Brexit referendum still holds strong. It was the free expression of the British people and it is binding.

Seen from any point of view, however, it is a bad decision. Many of the arguments in favour of Brexit have been shown to have been sham. The British economy has already suffered as a result of that vote and worse may still come. Many young people are convinced that was a bad decision and one that will harm their prospects.

But the British people is a resilient one and history has always showed that the British can come up to a challenge.

While the endorsement of the Brexit Withdrawal Agreement by every European Union member state is a show of unity and practicality, this is no cause for celebration, and it is certainly not a good day for the European Union and Malta.

As Prime Minister Joseph Muscat said yesterday, Malta will maintain its excellent relations with the UK once it leaves the EU, and citizens will not lose any rights they have had before the Brexit deal was passed.

However, Malta is losing an ally at EU level, and “like-minded member states need to work together to safeguard their status on issues such as financial and economic affairs”.