//Well, who'd have thought it ?//
I most certainly would, for three reasons:
First:
Toby Helm- Political editor of The Observer (aka The Grauniad on Sunday)
Robin McKie – Science Editor for The Observer (ditto)
Dunno who the other two are, but I expect they are cut from the same cloth.
Secondly:
This government has singularly failed to take advantage of the benefits provided by Brexit. Agreed, it has had the pandemic to deal with but that is now largely over and they need to crack on. Most government efforts are undoubtedly frustrated by “The Blob” – and amalgamation of Remainers among senior civil servants (probably more than 99% of them) together with various other Remainer factions.
Thirdly:
It was obvious from June 2016 that the EU would do all it could to frustrate our departure and, when it was achieved, do their best to ensure it was not seen as a success. Witness their efforts to ensure Northern Ireland remains firmly in its remit by undertaking 20% of all customs checks on goods entering NI from GB, when only 0.5% of goods (at most) enter the EU by that route.
There is nothing unexpected in any of this. I have repeatedly said that I care not one jot whether there are advantages or disadvantages to our leaving the EU. I waited almost a quarter of a century to cast a vote in favour of leaving. Nothing in that time – particularly some of the claptrap spouted (by both sides) during the referendum campaign – caused me to rethink. We should never have joined the EU’s predecessor in the first place, we’ve now left and long may it remain that way. The EU has plenty of candidate nations willing and eager to take our place. If they get their backsides into gear the 27 will soon be joined by the likes of Albania and North Macedonia (draft negotiating document presented to the members two years ago). There are three other candidates whose applications are not so far advanced (including one which is likely never to join). Of course Ukraine is likely to be “fast tracked” as everything else to do with Ukraine seems to be, s there’s at least three countries who will soon be able to raise the EU flag on their town halls. I’m sure they’ll all be very happy together.