Quote Originally Posted by cyril evans awaydays View Post
It is wryly ironic when people who saw our marriage with the EU as a problem now asking people if they have solutions to the divorce. Having a rational solution to the Northern Ireland Protocol that Johnson presented as the centrepiece of the "oven ready" deal that brought the DUP and the ERG on board would be a beneficial step. It will be interesting to see how Johnson and his cronies like Frost, the DUP and the ERG react if Sunak actually negotiates something rational.

Similarly there was a sensible conclave chaired by Gove the other week looking at identifying solutions to the problems that Brexit has caused. It triggered convulsive outrage from those aforementioned groups and the jingoist tabloids at the temerity of seeing issues with Brexit and the thought of softening the purism of our departure. Whilst the New Model Army holds sway in the Tory Party I doubt there will be any sensible steps forward.

The idea that our future prosperity lies with trade deals on far off shores, which if early signs are anything to go by are disadvantageous compared with the benefits to the other party, in a world looking a bit more inwards and shortening supply lines as green measures kick in is a massive leap of faith.

There is plenty of evidence from the OBR, Bank of England and other studies about the underperformance of our economy, we are the only major economy to recover from Covid and our forecasted (I know) future growth is parlous. There could be a range of reasons other than the Schengen in the room why the GDP fairy hasn't sprinkled its magic dust on us of course.

Sensible solutions would involve working on closer mutually beneficial relationships with our closest trading partners. I don't know where burning as much EU negotiated law and regulation as quickly as you can (a bit like sowing kippers into the curtains before the new owners move in) fits with your search for solutions but I am sure as soon as Guido pronounces you can paint it as a positive step.
You've not really offered much in terms of practical solutions there, are deflecting with comments about the ERG (and bizarrely), Guido Fawkes and you seem to imply that all of the UKs problems are tied to Brexit which the evidence j ust doesn't stack up on, which is my entire point. Have you forgotten that Britain post 2008 was not in great shape at all?

There are clearly issues on cross border trade, which need sorting (and they are literally talking about it now) but the vast majority of problems facing the UK are faced by other countries, who also face numerous issues that are less of a concern here (unemployment for example). My entire point is that people need to move away from a binery decision made 7 years ago.

And you didn't answer this question:
If Scotland became independent in Feb 2020 and in March 2020 Covid hit would you say that is a normal environment to make an assessment of the success or otherwise of it? I would be amazed if you thought it was.