Four years on

Four years ago today was the referendum.

At the time there was no plan beyond the vote, there is strong evidence that winning was never part of the plan. But win they did, which is why pictures of Johnson and Gove looking so glum sitting on the infamous red battle bus is so telling.

No one has really ever defined what Brexit was to be. At various times it was said to be better than being a member of the EU, to have no downsides, just considerable upsides, and sunlit uplands.

What the referendum was won on, was securing a deal with the EU, the details were always sketchy, but there was to be a deal, and triggering A50 was only to be done when all the discussions and agreements were done.

This did not happen.

Johnson was re-elected in December on a ticket to implementing the WA he negotiated.

He and his Government have spent the last six months trying to roll back from that, but that WA and the associated PD was what was supposed to be the basis of a trade deal with the EU.

Brexit is a tale of broken promises, by Brexiteers and Government politicians.

Brexit has already cost the UK in lost GDP more than 43 years membership of the EU, and that will only accelerate.

Businesses have had to prepare, at great cost, for two no deal Brexit dates, and as they struggle with COVID-19 are being told to prepare for the end of the transistion period, but not what they should prepare for.

Johnson and his Cabinet of incompetents have no idea what they're doing. They have little idea of what is needed to be done to prepare the country for 1st January 2021, but if what hasn't been done at Dover is anything to go by, then we are screwed.

But there is no turning back; the UK HAS left the EU, and can only rejoin in accordance with Article 49, if they would have us back, which under currernt crcumstances is very unlikely. As a country, we have to get to grips with the reality, that trade with any other country or combination of countries will not replace trade with our nearest and most affluent neighbours.

Trade with the EU will have to happen, even after January 1st next year, and it is vital that that is a frictionless (remember that term?) as possible.

Reality will not change.

We have a Government that likes announcements. Always with the announcements, but there is never any follow up, or if there is, it fails and is brushed under the carpet.

A Government of journalists who like headlines and making headlines, make statements, but with no plan or project management skills. And a bus-full of broken promises. This was not the easiest deal in human history, the German car industry did not come running to our aid to save themselves, we did not hapld all the cards, unless they were all deuces and jokers. There has not been a Brexit dividend. And now the same people who failed to negotiate a deal with the EU will try with the US, India, Japan, Australia and so on, and will be shocked that the other side has objectives and red lines too.