Diplomat’s comments show the panto is only just starting
THERE is nothing like sitting down at Christmas to watch one of the classic movies. Whether it be It’s a Wonderful Life, Scrooged or The Muppet’s Christmas Carol, something dire always occurs only for a miracle then to happen.
By the time the credits begin to roll, the film has restored our faith in man, sorry, humankind, and we are left feeling everything is good with the world.
But Britain today is in its very own nightmare before Christmas as the General Election takes hold.
Last week, a new plot twist took place, escaping much of the UK’s attention but delivering a worrying insight into the truth – or lack of it – regarding our departure from the EU.
Alexandra Hall Hall (for that is actually her name), the British diplomat in charge of explaining Brexit to the US government, quit in disgust, accusing the Government of being dishonest to UK “citizens”.
The 33-year-old who is the Brexit counsellor at the UK embassy in Washington, delivered a searing resignation letter after becoming so angered by demands placed on the civil service over the UK’s withdrawal from the EU.
She wrote her position had become “untenable professionally” and “unbearable personally” saying Britain’s politicians had undermined the credibility of diplomats’ work abroad.
Addressing it to deputy ambassador Michael Tatham in Washington, she said:“I have been increasingly dismayed by the way in which our political leaders have tried to deliver Brexit, with reluctance to address honestly, even with our own citizens, the challenges and trade-offs which Brexit involves; the use of misleading or disingenuous arguments about the implications of the various options before us; and some behaviour towards our institutions, which, were it happening in another country, we would almost certainly as diplomats have received instructions to register our concern. It makes our job to promote democracy and the rule of law that much harder if we are not seen to be upholding these core values at home.”
Hall Hall said she could no longer reconcile her commitment to the job with the demands made of her.
“I am also at a stage in life where I would prefer to do something more rewarding with my time than peddle half-truths on behalf of a government I do not trust,” she added.
It was a startling admission, by someone inside the workings of Government, about how badly the British public have been treated.
There have been few more damning charges against the Government’s approach than in Hall Hall’s letter But there may be another, even more unsettling, reason for politicians’ approach to trade policy Stateside. They have no idea what they are doing.
The UK has little recent experience in doing deals. Not since 1973 when it joined the Common Market, has it undertaken its own trade talks.
And despite all the bluff and bluster on both sides of the divide, politicians need to start becoming realistic about what is and what is not achievable.
If they do not, the next government will be forced to learn the hard way against unrelenting negotiators in Washington, Brussels and around the world. The ‘special relationship’ means little to Donald Trump when it comes to fulfilling his “America First” mantra.
What is clear, however, is Britain’s own nightmare before Christmas has a cast full of muppets set to continue the pantomime long into 2020.
BILLIONAIRE Elon Musk has been cleared of defaming a Brit cave rescue hero who sued him for £144 million after he called him ‘pedo guy’ on Twitter.
A Los Angeles jury found in favour of the Tesla tycoon following a week-long case denying Vernon Unsworth any damages.
The Brit was part of the team that saved 12 boys and their football coach from a cave in Thailand.
When he mocked Musk’s offer of a mini-submersible as a publicity stunt in an interview on CNN, saying he should “stick his submarine where it hurts”, Musk hit out, tweeting a baseless slur calling Unsworth a paedophile, a lie he repeated at length in an email in which he claimed the hero had taken a pre-teen “child bride”.
Musk testified in court that he had called Unsworth a paedophile as a mere insult because he was upset. And the jury agreed with Musk and his lawyers who argued it was no more than a playground insult and did not represent an actual allegation of paedophilia.
The verdict was a travesty.
The jury showed no regard for the genuine threat such a false slur poses to people or the hurt inflicted to Unsworth and his family. What the verdict did show was that not only does Twitter not prioritise the truth, but US courts don’t now too.
There have been few more damning charges against the Government’s approach