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The EU is the sick man of Europe with a crippling cash crisis, bankrupt bureaucracy and infighting - despite leaders insisting it's Britain that will be left behind after Brexit
Let us imagine that, come the eleventh hour, a Brexit trade deal is announced tomorrow night.
Leaving aside the feelings of diehard Remainers who will never accept our departure from the European Union, and of diehard Brexiteers who will bemoan a ‘sellout’, it’s fair to say a mood of relief would sweep Britain.
Wearied by the ‘stop-start’ negotiations, threats and counter-threats, the game-playing and brinkmanship, most of us want a resolution and businesses want certainty so that as a nation we can move forward and start to repair the economic damage of the pandemic.
No 10 will present the deal as a triumph. As indeed will Brussels, with Eurocrats congratulating themselves on having pushed Boris Johnson to the limit.
Let us imagine that, come the eleventh hour, a Brexit trade deal is announced tomorrow night +7
Let us imagine that, come the eleventh hour, a Brexit trade deal is announced tomorrow night
But in my view — and whatever the details of a deal (if there is one) turn out to be — the celebrations of Macron, Merkel, von der Leyen & Co will be premature, to say the least.
For weeks now, the focus on both sides of the Channel has been on what a deal or no deal would mean for Britain.
The assumption is that, whatever the outcome, the EU will maintain its progress and prosperity without us.
According to this myopic narrative, we are the ones facing a storm as we strike out alone, while the EU, united and purposeful, sails on serenely.
In fact, nothing could be farther from the truth.
But in my view ¿ and whatever the details of a deal (if there is one) turn out to be ¿ the celebrations of Macron, Merkel, von der Leyen & Co will be premature, to say the least.
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/debate/article-9045299/MARK-ALMOND-EU-sick-man-Europe.html
