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Once Burned, Twice Steep
One almost hesitates when it comes to dedicating space to incremental Brexit news.
And certainly not because it isn't absolutely critical that the UK and the EU cement a trade accord -- it is critical. This week's chaotic headlines documenting the calamitous effect of travel restrictions following Boris Johnson's dark warnings about a more virulent strain of COVID-19 served as a poignant reminder of the UK’s susceptibility to trade route bottlenecks.
Indeed, some commentators cynically (and
I actually think the ‘mutant’ virus here served a slightly different purpose. By creating car parks full of lorries prior to year-end, it has successfully blunted the fallout from the widely-predicted (by ‘remainers’) congestion come January 1st. Any teething issues with the new cross-Channel checks can now be at least partly attributed to Covid. I can’t abide conspiracy theories but this was just a little too neat for my liking.
So the French were helping out the Brexiteers by closing the border for a day?
Maybe the UK chose it’s moment to speak about the mutant COVID. I find a better explanation is that they delayed it until they could delay no more. The border chaos was Frances chance to stick the knife and and if anything focus the mind of the government that this is the trouble coming Jan 1st if negotiations fail.
Note: I did not make a claim here. I simply recounted some narratives being bandied about by others.
Yes, apologies as I didn’t mean to imply otherwise.