Confused?
Every time I hear (or read) a Brexiteer talking about our negotiating position – how removing ‘no deal’ from the table weakens our position, or how the original referendum was the will of the people that must be met, in my head I shout, ‘remind me, what are the benefits of Brexit again?’
What are they?
Is it about stopping the Romanians from coming over here and stealing our jobs? Is it about all those millions of pounds we send to Brussels which then gets spent unwisely on frivolous projects in Greece and Southern Italy? Is it about stopping the European Court from making half-arsed decisions that overturn those made by our own courts? Or perhaps is the mad edicts, invented by overpaid bureaucrats in Brussels, that straighten our bananas and inflict ridiculous health and safety laws on us. Or that, outside of the largest economic bloc in the world, we will be free to make our own trade deals which will ensure that Britain prospers more than it is at the moment?
Are those the benefits? Are they? That’s what you told us. Remember?
Then why, or why, aren’t the Brexiteers banging those drums now? Why aren’t they reminding us every day of the ‘no lose’ decision (their words, not mine) of leaving the EU? All of the brilliant things that are going to come our way. All the many positives.
Instead, why are they holding up a fading piece of paper which shows that, almost three years ago (a very long time in politics), less than a third of those eligible to vote in this country decided we should leave the EU … based on a hugely misleading campaign underpinned by illegal canvassing methods.
No, it’s no longer about the positives. No. We’re leaving now because we, apparently, voted for it. And not because it has proven to be a really a good idea … because it hasn’t. In the three years since the vote it has been shown that the positives have been overplayed and are now outweighed by the negatives. Reality has blown away the smoke and we can now see the mirrors. The small print is no longer quite so small.
Tell me again, Bexiteers, what are the benefits of leaving EU? I know, I know. We voted for it. I hear you. But, come again. Now that we are at the door, what are the real benefits of leaving? ‘Cos sure as hell, I can list a dozen reasons why we shouldn’t.
Humbug.
Let’s see what calamities befall us in Parliament tomorrow. Hopefully sense will prevail, we extend Article 50 by a year, a new proposal is put together and the people get to vote on it. A meaningful vote. No smoke. And no mirrors. An informed choice.
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Anyhow, for the record, a couple of days of good sewing at Jen’s. We are making some pretty fine stuff. Dad’s in hospital having had a fall. Kevin has been on the spot, which has been really helpful as I thought I was going to have to get in the car and head off the Colchester. Mum’s in a tizz, but there may be some good that comes out of this.
And today I made some more covers for Doris’s seats. Am a seamstress. Well, sort of.
That’s all from me …
