Boris whoops with joy when the deal is
sealed
The deal
will no doubt have many imperfections and we can expect a noisy chorus of
strident moaning from the London-centric media and from a bevy of lead-swinging
professional complainers. But the mood of the country is to sign the deal and
that is what will happen on both sides of the Channel. Boris and his government
have had a torrid 2020 dealing with the wholly unexpected Covid pandemic and
the conflicting scientific advice surrounding it, but the EU deal is a bright,
sparkling diamond in his crown.
UK negotiator Lord Frost
EU negotiator Michel Barnier
Although very abrasive at times round the
edges, the official negotiations have been conducted in a civilised manner and
for that we must thank Michel Barnier as well as our own Lord Frost.
The “Noises Off” have not been so civilised.
Elements within the EU have sought to “punish” the UK for having the temerity
to upset the cosy Brussels applecart. Notoriously, German Martin Selmeyr of the
EU bureaucracy targeted Northern Ireland for detachment from the UK, egregious Belgian
Guy Verhofstadt, railed against Brexit at every opportunity, Dutch Premier Mark
Rutte, a self-proclaimed Anglophile, did precisely nothing to help the UK,
while President Macron of France indulged his Napoleonic fantasies by
disparaging England and trying to damage her routine trade. Dating back to the
2009 financial crisis at least, the EU do not negotiate in good faith and are a
by-word for duplicity and ruthlessness.
Opposition in the UK was partly covert, imbuing
the actions of many lawyers, civil servants, academics and teachers – the
guardians of country-hating Wokery. More often it was highly vocal, the daily
propaganda grind in the Times, Guardian, Independent, BBC and ITV.
Naturally the opposition parties have opposed; Labour at least dropped Corbyn
the Trot, but more sane Keir Starmer has yet to win over his hard-Left factions
The sourly pro-Europe LibDems, led by one Ed Davey (who?), actually espouse the
cause of re-application to join the EU, a hopelessly lost cause. More
troublesome, but happily too few to stop Brexit, are the 47 SNP MPs, obeying
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, independence fanatic, loved by many in Scotland
but heartily disliked everywhere else. A bedraggled line of former Premiers, Major, Blair, Brown, Cameron and May maintained a chorus of hostile disapproval.
But the great bulk of the Conservative Party
stayed loyal to Boris and to the Brexit cause. Gove, Rees-Mogg, Patel and Sunak
were eloquent proponents and Boris demonstrated determination and statecraft.
The EU still “does not get it” about Brexit but we know it is the right route
for the UK and a vital programme of eliminating inequalities and injustice lies
before us as does the vital job of rejuvenating our battered economy.
To end on a note of reconciliation rather than
triumph, I attach a clip of the typically wistful ode by Purcell to James II, Britain,
How great now thou art.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CaakHChQgFw&ab_channel=HenryPurcell
Let us start the rebuilding of Britain in unity
in 2021.
SMD
27.12.20
Text copyright © Sidney Donald
2020
