Everyone will be affected by UK's latest Brexit recklessness

With much self regard yesterday afternoon, the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster (which for some reason I still don’t understand is a role in the UK Government), currently Michael Gove, repeated the already rather tired mantra today that the UK Government will not request an extension to the transition period.  

But he said “officially’ so it is totally different to all the other times various members of the UK Government have said they will not ask for, and would refuse if it is offered, an extension.

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This is macho bull of the worst order and will damage all our interests. It will add to the coronavirus disaster, and its attendant economic disaster, a further disaster made 100% in the Tory Party and against the will of all of us, especially in Scotland.

We left the EU on January 31. It broke my heart, having spent the last three years trying to find solutions to the conundrum that where Scotland voted overwhelmingly to remain, as did Northern Ireland, England and Wales voted to leave, giving a narrow victory to the Leave side which promptly exploded all over the place.

Under the grubby, shabby Withdrawal Agreement, the UK is presently in a one-year transition period whereby we have left eh EU, but all the EU rules in terms of frictionless trade, tariff free access and freedom of movement roll on, but they are due to end on December 31 this year unless replaced by a new agreement.

Talks have been lacklustre, and for those luckless few of us who have been paying attention there has been depressingly little to report. And that was before the coronavirus crisis hit. It is obvious to me that the UK Government at the highest level is playing a game of chicken thinking it can walk away from previously column commitments. Commitments the EU expects the UK to honour.

It was barely months ago that the current Prime Minister was making all sorts of wacky speeches that there will be no border between Northern Ireland and Great Britain. Then admitted there will be. It wasn’t long ago that the Brexiteers were adamant about taking back control of “our borders” (somehow under the delusion we had lost it) now they admit, without embarrassment it would appear, that the infrastructure isn’t ready and the new customs guards and immigration officials have not been recruited.

It is an unedifying shambles, and it matters because every person’s life will be impacted by these changes. Last week the Scottish Government published its latest analysis on why the transition period should be extended and it is grim reading.

To my mind it is obvious, let us be kind, the coronavirus has, rightly, taken focus of officials and ministers and the talks have drifted. Rolling the transition period on for two years would allow proper time for the negotiations, and avoid the cliff edge (remember that?) that we are heading towards in December.  

The First Ministers of Wales and Scotland yesterday wrote again to urge this sensible pragmatic step. The EU has confirmed, umpteen times, that it is relaxed about such an extension, they have been dealing with corona too.  

The only reason I can possibly see for Michael Gove and the rest to deny it is the worst sort of recklessness, probably coupled with quite a lot of internal Tory Party machismo.

So what now? It is pretty bleak I’m afraid. I think there is scope for if not a deal, then a series of deals to mitigate the worst aspects of No-Deal. On food, on air travel, I think it possible there could be a patch and make mend series of fudges to try and stave off the worst. But sectors will be missed, ask the fishing communities how they feel the UK has negotiated on their behalf.  

I’ll remain stuck in to try and find solutions, but the frustration sometimes overwhelms me. It is all so unnecessary. I have always said it is entirely legitimate to want to leave the EU, but surely if you’re proposing change you should be transparent with the public about the change you want to move to.

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Instead we have seen smoke and mirrors from a succession of increasingly hapless Tory patsies for the malevolent Brexit Party and their backers trying to kid everyone on that it will somehow be alright on the night. Well it won’t. And the tragedy is that the EU has moved on.

The UK leaving was a matter of great regret for the EU, but it has now happened. The trade talks are, seen from Brussels, a middle ranking issue, way down the agenda past the coronavirus, economic recovery, climate crisis, refugee problems.

So while I hope there will be no single disaster, everyone will be worse off. Poorer, meaner, with narrower horizons, for nothing. Well Scotland can do better.

Brexit, in all its chaos, has made the case for independence in Europe both easier and more attractive. Easier because we will be applying as a new state to join from outside the EU (a far clearer route map in EU legal terms) and more attractive because unlike in 2014, people in universities, business, the third sector and everywhere else have seen in black and whit the advantages we are losing as part of the UK, and will regain on independence, as well as joining a global A team of sovereign equals that has proven in its treatment of Ireland that respect and solidarity still exist, if not in the UK.

It is going to be bumpy, but I’m confident more and more people across Scotland will see it is high time to vote Yes and take back control.