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You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2018/oct/03/european-union-lack-of-wit-helped-to-create-brexit-chaos
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| European Union’s lack of wit helped to create Brexit chaos | European Union’s lack of wit helped to create Brexit chaos |
| (30 days later) | |
| Peter Ricketts (Britain needs to learn the EU’s negotiation rulebook, 2 October) is of course right that insulting the EU isn’t going to help bring the Brexit negotiation to a sensible conclusion. But he is a little too kind in his description of the EU approach to the negotiations. | Peter Ricketts (Britain needs to learn the EU’s negotiation rulebook, 2 October) is of course right that insulting the EU isn’t going to help bring the Brexit negotiation to a sensible conclusion. But he is a little too kind in his description of the EU approach to the negotiations. |
| I’m sure that Peter, like me, has participated in many EU negotiations where success finally depended on bending the EU’s tortuous rules to accommodate political reality. Very visible recent examples have been the rows over immigration and the waving through of excessive national budget deficits (at least for big countries). | I’m sure that Peter, like me, has participated in many EU negotiations where success finally depended on bending the EU’s tortuous rules to accommodate political reality. Very visible recent examples have been the rows over immigration and the waving through of excessive national budget deficits (at least for big countries). |
| What is striking has been the complete unwillingness of the EU to look for similar flexibility when it comes to the question of Brexit. Had they had the wit to offer even cosmetic concessions on freedom of movement during David Cameron’s renegotiation, the referendum would very likely have gone the other way. And we seem now to be approaching the reductio ad absurdum of a major member state crashing out, with immense economic costs to both sides because the EU cannot find a fudge on the – by comparison minimal – issue of the Irish border. | What is striking has been the complete unwillingness of the EU to look for similar flexibility when it comes to the question of Brexit. Had they had the wit to offer even cosmetic concessions on freedom of movement during David Cameron’s renegotiation, the referendum would very likely have gone the other way. And we seem now to be approaching the reductio ad absurdum of a major member state crashing out, with immense economic costs to both sides because the EU cannot find a fudge on the – by comparison minimal – issue of the Irish border. |
| So, OK, let’s not insult them. But let us also be clear that, unless they can find a way to tinker at the edges with the fake purity of their principles, we face a major car crash with, I would guess, an extended period of deep hostility thereafter.Tony BrentonCambridge | So, OK, let’s not insult them. But let us also be clear that, unless they can find a way to tinker at the edges with the fake purity of their principles, we face a major car crash with, I would guess, an extended period of deep hostility thereafter.Tony BrentonCambridge |
| • Peter Ricketts reminds us that Britain’s choice is between two broad options: either a very close alignment with the single market and customs union, on the Norway model, or a clean break and in due course a free-trade agreement on the Canada model, with all that means for border checks and hence the Irish border. As the result was 52% out and 48% in, I think that is a clear mandate for being 4% out, and the Norway model would fit that neatly.Martin CooperBromley, Kent | • Peter Ricketts reminds us that Britain’s choice is between two broad options: either a very close alignment with the single market and customs union, on the Norway model, or a clean break and in due course a free-trade agreement on the Canada model, with all that means for border checks and hence the Irish border. As the result was 52% out and 48% in, I think that is a clear mandate for being 4% out, and the Norway model would fit that neatly.Martin CooperBromley, Kent |
| • Polly Toynbee’s advocacy (Here is the vital speech May should have the courage to give, 2 October) of a Finnish solution for the UK in its relationship with the EU rests on a misunderstanding. | • Polly Toynbee’s advocacy (Here is the vital speech May should have the courage to give, 2 October) of a Finnish solution for the UK in its relationship with the EU rests on a misunderstanding. |
| Finland was the only associate member of the European Free Trade Association (Efta) from 1961 to 1986 because of her distinctive vulnerability to the Soviet Union. For the same reason Finland did not join the Council of Europe until 1989. The European Economic Area (EEA) only came into existence in 1994 and contains no provision for associate membership. | Finland was the only associate member of the European Free Trade Association (Efta) from 1961 to 1986 because of her distinctive vulnerability to the Soviet Union. For the same reason Finland did not join the Council of Europe until 1989. The European Economic Area (EEA) only came into existence in 1994 and contains no provision for associate membership. |
| In any case, most of the Efta members of the EEA – including Finland – opted for full membership of the EU. There is little reason to suppose that the remaining Efta members of the EEA would grant the UK associate status.Helen WallaceLondon | In any case, most of the Efta members of the EEA – including Finland – opted for full membership of the EU. There is little reason to suppose that the remaining Efta members of the EEA would grant the UK associate status.Helen WallaceLondon |
| • Ian Birrell (May might yet pull off a deal and buy time for Tory unity, 3 October) apparently wrote speeches for David Cameron. Perhaps if he’d written better speeches we wouldn’t now be undergoing what he calls “the stupidity of Brexit”, which is, after all, largely the result of Cameron’s misjudgments and his apparent inability to argue and fight properly for what he claimed to believe. Malcolm SnellLondon | • Ian Birrell (May might yet pull off a deal and buy time for Tory unity, 3 October) apparently wrote speeches for David Cameron. Perhaps if he’d written better speeches we wouldn’t now be undergoing what he calls “the stupidity of Brexit”, which is, after all, largely the result of Cameron’s misjudgments and his apparent inability to argue and fight properly for what he claimed to believe. Malcolm SnellLondon |
| • I didn’t think Theresa May could outdo last year’s Bob Fleming impersonation at the Tory party conference. But, having just seen her Dancing Queen routine, I’m really hoping she lasts another year. How will Johnson follow this? Northern soul with backflips? Bill Hawkes Canterbury | • I didn’t think Theresa May could outdo last year’s Bob Fleming impersonation at the Tory party conference. But, having just seen her Dancing Queen routine, I’m really hoping she lasts another year. How will Johnson follow this? Northern soul with backflips? Bill Hawkes Canterbury |
| • Anyone getting too excited about the Tories being “screwed for a generation” (What’s killing the Tories? The politics of austerity, 2 October), might glance at the 28 September YouGov poll: Tories 42% Labour 36%.Philip KerridgeBodmin, Cornwall | • Anyone getting too excited about the Tories being “screwed for a generation” (What’s killing the Tories? The politics of austerity, 2 October), might glance at the 28 September YouGov poll: Tories 42% Labour 36%.Philip KerridgeBodmin, Cornwall |
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