The next Brexit crisis

The UK is made of four separate countries in a political union. Only two are fairly closely joined in laws, and that is England and Wales. Scotland and Northern Ireland have a separate legal system, and have a higher degree of devolution.

This political union goes back centuries, but under Tony Blair, a degree of independence was granted in a series of referenda for Wales, Scotland and NI. Meaning the devolved political assemblies and Parliaments had some say over taxation and other laws.

As far as economic union, none of this mattered, as the UK as a whole, and the individual countries were all part of the EU Single Market with unified standards, rules, meaning you could sell an item in London, Cardiff, Glasgow or Larne, just as easily. As easily as you could in Walsall or Warsaw.

In order for the UK Government to negotiate a trade deal for the UK, there has to be a UK-wide single market.

There isn't one.

For there to be one, some of the devolved administration's powers will need to be curbed, or things like minimum unit pricing for alcohol in Scotland, could be in violation with a trade deal with, say the US. Or that the Welsh Assembly doesn't want food standards lowered as it would affect Welsh sheep farmers.

And so on.

So, the UK Government is planning a White Paper on the UK Single Market, and in order for there to be one, is planning a Government appointed quango with the power to veto any devolved legislation if it affects the UK single market.

This is a reduction in power of the independence of the devolved assemblies and reduction in democracy, removing the rights of people who live there.

Shots have been fired by the Scottish Parliament who say they will not participate in such things and will not implement any central legislation that Westminster of the Quango decides. Meaning the UK Government would have to take the Scottish Government to court to find out who has the legal right and who does not.

This is going to be huge, as it has the potential to limit what the UK Government can and cannot agree to in trade negotiations starting with the one with the US, if there is no single UK market, there can be no UK trade deal in relation to weakening of standards, rules, rights if the devolved assmblies don't want it. And if the UK Government forces legislation on Scotland, in particular, with the threat of prison for the First Minister for non-compliance, a year before Scottish Parliamentary election that the SNP were already expected to win a landslide, then who knows what would come next?

This is a result of Brexiteers not understanding the consequences of their policies, and taking back control to protect the Union will have the opposite effect.

Poetic, really.