EU deal ‘crass betrayal’ of Northern Ireland
For months Boris Johnson banged on about getting a ‘Canada style’ free trade deal with the EU.
The template for this UK-EU deal would be CETA, the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement between the EU and Canada, which has yet to come unto full force, but with the UK taking the place of Canada as the counterparty to the EU.
But he never said how much that kind of treaty might be worth to us, or what the risks might be.
That there are seen to be risks is evident from the levels of opposition to the deal on both sides.
However as far as I know nobody has suggested that it has the potential to split Canada apart.
It does not require one of the Canadian provinces, let us say British Columbia, to live under swathes EU laws in perpetuity, with EU customs officers standing behind Canadian customs officers to oversee their work as they check incoming goods.
Yet that is the crass betrayal that Boris Johnson has agreed with the EU for
Northern Ireland.
He has given the EU a trade deal which is of marginal economic value to both parties but about twice as valuable to them as to us, he has consigned part of the UK to continued EU domination, and he has put at risk the integrity of the UK.
Perhaps his idea was that he could sign up to all this but later renege on the deal; it is certainly beginning to look like that, and it is not a good look.
Dr D R Cooper Belmont Park Avenue
Maidenhead
MAIDENHEAD: A total of 60 children from the town and surrounding areas took part in a month-long exercise challenge to raise money for a child mental health charity.
The youngsters, aged between two and 17 from Maidenhead, ran, walked and cycled to raise awareness of Young Minds UK.
Participants embraced a rainbow theme throughout the challenge by dressing up in multi-colours.
An original target of £280 was set, but this has been smashed with more than £2,500 raised for Young Minds.
A distance target of 600km – to be reached throughout February – was also beaten.
Youngsters who took part were given prizes and rainbow medals.
Event organiser, Sophie Lack, said: “We chose this charity because we feel children and young people’s mental health needs looking after.
“They are just as affected by the pandemic as everyone else and their worlds have been turned upside down.
“A challenge like this
would not only be supporting a great cause but encouraging those involved to go out even in the freezing temperatures, get some fresh air and embrace a fun rainbow theme.
“The kids have all been total superstars and should
feel extremely proud of themselves.”
The overall winner, based on distance relative to age, was three-year-old Annabelle Jasnikowski, who walked 81.41km.
Second place went to three-year-old Suhaavi Sehmi with 75.63km.