Why we have to blitz Brits’ Brexit delusions
IT BEGGARS belief that a clear majority of voters wish Britain had never left the EU.Ye gods! Why? The French farmers now causing havoc and mayhem would likely vote Frexit in the blink of an eye! There are four principal reasons why Brits no longer have confidence in Brexit. The first is the successful propaganda campaign waged through much of the press and media, portraying everything that goes wrong as a result of leaving the EU and nothing to do with the trillions spent on Covid, the interruptions to global supplies as a result of the Ukraine war or the global economy.
The second is the insularity of that same press and media (ironically something for which we often criticise the USA) which causes us to believe that economic problems are unique to Britain, when the simple fact is that other countries are suffering the same or worse. Currently Germany, for instance, which along with France is the nerve centre of the EU, has a badly faltering economy.
Next is probably the biggest and most straightforward reason: we might have Brexit but we are not using it to Britain’s advantage, with thousands of EU regulations still on our statute book, the grovelling attitude of both government and opposition towards the EU and their willingness to align with instead of diverge from it.
Yes, we have some great trade deals, e specially the Pacific one, but government fails to remind people of that or of the fact that British exports to the EU soared last year.
The fourth reason is Northern Ireland, betrayed by May, Johnson and Sunak. There was never any reason for a border in the Irish sea and so long as Northern Ireland stays in the Single Market the wider UK will never entirely be free of EU law. It looks a mess and it is but it need not have been if Brexit had been more firmly negotiated, instead of letting Michel Barnier run rings around us.
Reform UK alone is serious about maximising the advantages of Brexit but whoever runs Britain after the forthcoming election will need to combat perception with fact if we are ever to be a truly sovereign state.
I end with one question: how could the nation which endured the Blitz be so wimpish about visa queues?