PM has now lost control when it comes to the Brexit debacle
For the past two and a half years, Brexit has dominated the newspapers, our social media feeds and the chambers of both the Scottish and UK Parliament.
I myself have frequently tried to make sense of the whole debacle in both speeches and this column.
Just last week, I referred to the goings on at Westminster as reminiscent of a farcical pantomime and I hoped that we would at least have some form of plan with so little time left until the dreaded Brexit date.
I don’t know about you but for me, but March 29 always seemed like a faraway date – a fantasystyle doomsday clock if you will.
Like so many of you, I was hopeful that by the time we came closer and closer to the end of March, we would at least have some clarity and the UK Government would have a plan in place to mitigate some of the worst outcomes of Brexit.
Well, I think it is safe to say the Westminster pantomime is still in full swing and it certainly doesn’t look like it’ll be ending it’s run anytime soon.
In fact, with March 29 looming at the end of the week, I would argue that the pantomime circus seems to have ratcheted up a notch.
While I think we all had hoped for some clarity by now, the only deal still being reiterated by the Prime Minister is one that doesn’t even mention Scotland once within in 500-plus pages.
We still face being taken out of the Single Market against our will – despite the clear fact that 62 per cent of Scots voted to remain – and will be left competing for investment with our neighbours in Northern Ireland who have been granted special provisions.
Crucially, we still have no guarantee that key rights – human rights, environmental rights and employment rights – will be met after we exit the EU.
These are rights that Scotland needs, wants and should never be forced to give up. Instead of providing some much needed clarity and leadership, the Prime Minister’s statement to the press last week shockingly placed the blame at the feet of MPs and ironically told us that she ‘was on our side’.
I think the only thing we have clarity on right now is the fact that Theresa May has completely lost control of the Government and the Brexit process, and that this UK Government will never be on Scotland’s side.
After two overwhelming rejections of her atrocious deal – with the opportunity to try her luck a third time taken off the table – the Prime Minister has done nothing to secure Scotland’s future despite disturbing statistics and evidence all pointing towards Brexit being incredibly damaging to our communities and people.
If this isn’t the push Scotland needs to stand up and make her voice heard, I don’t know what is.
Scotland did not want this so I think it is about time we took control of our own destiny and broke away from this shambolic UK Government once and for all.