“Brexit was a colossal misjudgment…a fantasy sold by its backers…that will damage our national and personal wealth…hamper our future security …and may even, over time, break up our United Kingdom.” So spoke former Conservative Prime Minister John Major in London recently. Unfortunately current Prime Minister Theresa May, a BREXIT convert, is prepared to lead the British people out of the European Union simply because she could offer no better explanation than “ Brexit means Brexit.” After losing a majority in the last election, she went on a buying spree for votes in Parliament and spent a billion pounds for promises from 10 Members of the Democratic Unionist Party in Northern Ireland. To no one’s surprise, the British border in Ireland remains the ‘last’ sticking point in reaching a withdrawal agreement with the EU.
In Brussels recently PM May pleaded for “…courage, leadership and trust…” to complete the technical withdrawal agreement but has spent two years without a 21st century vision of how Brexit could best serve all in the UK. Instead May’s mantra has been: (1) her Leave proposal is the only serious credible option; (2) the EU wants to carve up the UK and does not respect the constitutional integrity and democracy of the UK; and (3) the EU attitude is to punish Britain’s leaving. Ireland’s re-unification, like Lord Voldemort’s name, must never be mentioned.
Let’s review the whining.
- May insists the British referendum requires more political and legal respect, though tainted by Russian meddling, than the EU’s 27 nation rules based economic compact. She insists her Brexit proposal is the “…only serious credible option” despite her flip-flopping on a ‘back-stop’ Irish border clause. There is no logic or reason or practical option, like the Irish Sea as a customs border, acceptable to her 10 DUP partners who prefer to see Britain crash out of the EU.
- May demands respect for Britain’s ‘constitutional integrity but has none for Ireland. Conservatives contempt for Irish laws and democracy is legendary. They have promoted religious discrimination, violence and lawlessness there for decades. Ignore the democratic vote for independence in 1918? Easy. Dismiss the 2016 56 % vote in NI to remainin the EU? No problem. Undermine the 1998 Irish peace treaty? Done. She now unilaterally claims it has outlived its usefulness. The British have always had a Not-In-My-Back-Yard (NIMBY) attitude toward Ireland’s democracy and laws.
- Britain claims the EU wants to punish them for leaving the treaty but doesn’t say how or why. Playing the victim card won’t work. It should be remembered Britain’s 30 years of prosperity with EU membership has helped make it the world ‘s 5thlargest economy. The EU’ s demands relate to a partitioned Ireland which after Brexit faces serious economic obstacles and to the related effective customs enforcement issue. The British referendum vote to leave (52%) EU hinged on Britain’s dislike of commercial rules and human rights which the EU has adopted to promote the common good. Brexiteers have failed to define what post-Brexit prosperity will look like or how it will be achieved, so May’s blame game is transparently cynical.
Ironically, the weakened May’s partnership with the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) prevents her from seizing an opportunity to forge a new relationship with Ireland and the EU. Her attitude is like that of a predecessor, Churchill, who pronounced “I didn’t become the King’s First Minister to preside over the dissolution of the British Empire.” America must be prepared for pleas from May for sweet heart trade deals, contracts, and favors to save them from the folly of Brexit. The U. S. must counter with its own GFA Treaty demands and for concrete steps from the British to re-unify Ireland. Ireland’s unity strengthens the EU, a bulwark against the menace of Putin. A U. S. President must be prepared , as was President Clinton in the Gerry Adams visa issue, to say: …Enough of this bull____!
Michael J. Cummings, Secretary
American Brexit Committee
Comments are closed.