A Brexit deal has been agreed between the UK and the EU with Boris Johnson hailing it as a “jumbo, Canada-style” arrangement. The Guardian asked four people for their thoughts, with some pleased and others not.
‘It’s a complete failure’ Charles Turner from Leamington Spa, a sociology lecturer at the University of Warwick, is fairly certain of his views.
“This deal is a complete failure, it’s very simple. We won’t grow as fast as the rest of Europe, and I think by the first half of 2022, we’ll realise we’ll need a much closer relationship with the EU. The Scottish argument for independence will kick in and bring the economic argument right to the fore.
“Having reached the cliff edge, the UK has decided not to jump off after all.
“Instead it will find a rocky and steep path down to the stony beach below, with a few handrails along the way, and when it reaches the bottom it will walk along for a bit and then realise the best thing to do is to find another path to get it up to the top again, where it will try to resume its journey and possibly catch up with the others who are striding ahead.”
‘I voted to leave and I’m pleased’ Ken Thompson, 75, from the east Midlands, who used to work for the military, civil service and a national environmental charity, is happy about the deal but remains sceptical about the implications of Brexit, despite having voted for it.
“I’m pleased a deal has been struck and that the foundation of a long-term relationship with the EU has been agreed. At least it’s a step forward, everybody can breathe a sigh of relief and we can stop running around like headless chickens.
“As with all deals, there has been compromise, and I envisage multiple interest groups will condemn the prime minister. In this respect I think they are incorrect and premature.
“I wish to make it clear now that I do not support Boris Johnson. I regard him as a mix between a Captain WE Johns [creator of Biggles] character and Billy Bunter, who does nothing for the image of a modern United Kingdom.
“I’m a little concerned about how it is going to affect our agricultural sector. We use so much foreign labour, so that could have an impact on us, and the workers of course.
“We might end up like a vassal state, and will be told what to do. I’m quite happy to adopt some of the good EU legislation that has been developed, but it needs to be tailored to us.
“I know Europe is very much split on sovereignty. While the politicians want to present a united front, I think that’s a veneer. It’s a possibility that, as we evolve, we might go back in! Only time will tell.”
‘It’s no better than Theresa May’s deal’
Charles Lea, 73, from Lancashire, is exasperated. “This deal is a complete and an utter sellout. Right now, we’re still in the EU, so to speak, and the labour we’re trading at the moment is beneficial for both sides.
“The deal Boris has signed us up for is no better than Theresa May’s. I downloaded it this afternoon, and it reads a bit like War and Peace. Boris has given fishing away. He’s not just talking fish quotas. He’s mentioning specific types of fish and has completely destroyed the Scottish fishing industry.
“Nobody signed up for any of this. I just don’t understand why he’s taken this route. We weren’t given the full facts and should have had all the facts prior to the 2016 referendum.
“This is a bad deal not just for the UK as a whole but for the EU and its member states. This is not the time for gloating or self-praise, this whole sorry saga will go on and on for years, and there won’t be winners.”
‘I’m glad a no-deal was avoided, but I weep silently’
Teresa Curtis, 64, from Stockport, a retired midwife, health visitor and university lecturer, is glad a deal has been reached, but has strong reservations.
“Whilst I certainly did not relish a no-deal scenario, I cannot see any benefit to the UK within this agreement.
“We had a sound and mutually satisfactory relationship as a member of the EU where we were stakeholders and had a voice. Now we are merely an appendage, increasingly isolated and irrelevant.
“I am completely outraged at the loss of the Erasmus programme, which I saw at first hand during my university tenure as so beneficial to participating students. The words of Joni Mitchell – ‘You don’t know what you’ve got till it’s gone’ – have never rung so true.
“I am concerned about the restrictions on freedom of movement. Insurance premiums will be higher, especially for the over-60s. Food prices here will rise and of course there will be job losses, which no doubt this unscrupulous government will seek to blame on Covid.
“I fear that the seeds of racism have already been sown and will grow as we become ever more inward-looking, and that the cultural norms we have incorporated into our lives since joining the EU will be eroded.
“I weep silently for all the young people whose lives will be inevitably restricted.”
The Sunday Telegraph says its interview with Boris Johnson is the first he's given since the post-Brexit trade deal was reached on Christmas Eve.
In it, the prime minister says the new legislative freedoms it allows will be used to "deliver for people who felt left behind".
The paper's leader argues that "barring some extraordinary discovery in the fine print, this deal is on balance not just good for Britain, but also an historic breakthrough".
The Observer marks the agreement - and the end of the Brexit transition period this week - with a huge blue panel at the top of its front page, containing the words: "Britain in Europe 1973 to 2020, farewell".
There's a quote from the paper's own leader column, which says: "This deal will one day surely be regarded as one of the greatest ever deceits inflicted on the British electorate."
The passage of the UK-EU trade bill through Parliament makes the lead for several papers, as they report extracts of Boris Johnson's speech to MPs.
The Daily Mail says that at the same time as the votes are held, the deal will be signed in Brussels before being brought to London by an RAF plane for the PM to add his name.
The Queen will be on standby at Windsor Castle and is expected to give royal assent shortly before midnight, it adds. The day will be high on ceremony, the Telegraph says. Or as the Express puts it, it promises to be a "truly momentous day".
'Betrayed': Dover residents furious over building of Brexit lorry park
It was all quiet on the Dover front in the hours after the UK left the EU, as lorries continued to avoid the port.
But just minutes away, beyond the famous white cliffs, the sense of fury over Brexit was palpable as local residents came to terms with a government letter they received on New Year’s Eve telling them that from summer, their rural idyll of farmland and ancient Roman ways would be transformed into a customs clearance lorry park for 1,200 trucks.
The site is in addition to the the Ashford lorry park 22 miles away that barricades fields behind 4-metre fences.
Locals say they feel “betrayed” and “trapped” by the “lies” of the government over Brexit. Just as they were looking forward to a new year, the letter from the transport minister Rachel Maclean arrived advising them that the white cliffs site had been purchased and would be used as an “Inland Border Facility” from July.
Ignore what Boris Johnson says – the British public has never given its consent to this damaging Brexit deal
Boris Johnson is losing the consent of the public on Covid. He’s lost the consent of Scotland. He never had the public’s consent on his Brexit deal. Yet his policies are damaging the public in relation to all three. It’s up to the opposition parties to work together to fix that. As we enter the new normal, Keir Starmer has to prove that Labour is truly under new leadership, and has left tribal party politics behind. If he does, public consent for our politics will be renewed, and our progressive-voting country has a bright future. If he doesn’t, he’s part of the problem.
British expats flying home to Spain are stopped from boarding BA flight from Heathrow to Madrid after airline staff claimed their ID documents are no longer valid after Brexit
Nine passengers were prevented from boarding the Iberia/BA flight from London Heathrow to Madrid on Saturday night.
British companies GIVE UP on cross-Channel trade because of Brexit red tape: Firms rethink how they operate after UK-EU deal leaves them facing increased costs and paperwork Small businesses have cancelled cross-Channel trade in the wake of Brexit deal Firms say an avalanche of red tape is stifling business and adding extra costs Hauliers warned post-Brexit trade red tape will bring 'a mountain of paperwork' Has your business been impacted by the new customs regulations? Email amie.gordon@mailonline.co.uk
Comments
https://uk.yahoo.com/news/brexit-deal-promises-broken-tories-165939745.html
‘It’s a complete failure’
Charles Turner from Leamington Spa, a sociology lecturer at the University of Warwick, is fairly certain of his views.
“This deal is a complete failure, it’s very simple. We won’t grow as fast as the rest of Europe, and I think by the first half of 2022, we’ll realise we’ll need a much closer relationship with the EU. The Scottish argument for independence will kick in and bring the economic argument right to the fore.
“Having reached the cliff edge, the UK has decided not to jump off after all.
“Instead it will find a rocky and steep path down to the stony beach below, with a few handrails along the way, and when it reaches the bottom it will walk along for a bit and then realise the best thing to do is to find another path to get it up to the top again, where it will try to resume its journey and possibly catch up with the others who are striding ahead.”
‘I voted to leave and I’m pleased’
Ken Thompson, 75, from the east Midlands, who used to work for the military, civil service and a national environmental charity, is happy about the deal but remains sceptical about the implications of Brexit, despite having voted for it.
“I’m pleased a deal has been struck and that the foundation of a long-term relationship with the EU has been agreed. At least it’s a step forward, everybody can breathe a sigh of relief and we can stop running around like headless chickens.
“As with all deals, there has been compromise, and I envisage multiple interest groups will condemn the prime minister. In this respect I think they are incorrect and premature.
“I wish to make it clear now that I do not support Boris Johnson. I regard him as a mix between a Captain WE Johns [creator of Biggles] character and Billy Bunter, who does nothing for the image of a modern United Kingdom.
“I’m a little concerned about how it is going to affect our agricultural sector. We use so much foreign labour, so that could have an impact on us, and the workers of course.
“We might end up like a vassal state, and will be told what to do. I’m quite happy to adopt some of the good EU legislation that has been developed, but it needs to be tailored to us.
“I know Europe is very much split on sovereignty. While the politicians want to present a united front, I think that’s a veneer. It’s a possibility that, as we evolve, we might go back in! Only time will tell.”
‘It’s no better than Theresa May’s deal’
Charles Lea, 73, from Lancashire, is exasperated. “This deal is a complete and an utter sellout. Right now, we’re still in the EU, so to speak, and the labour we’re trading at the moment is beneficial for both sides.
“The deal Boris has signed us up for is no better than Theresa May’s. I downloaded it this afternoon, and it reads a bit like War and Peace. Boris has given fishing away. He’s not just talking fish quotas. He’s mentioning specific types of fish and has completely destroyed the Scottish fishing industry.
“Nobody signed up for any of this. I just don’t understand why he’s taken this route. We weren’t given the full facts and should have had all the facts prior to the 2016 referendum.
“This is a bad deal not just for the UK as a whole but for the EU and its member states. This is not the time for gloating or self-praise, this whole sorry saga will go on and on for years, and there won’t be winners.”
‘I’m glad a no-deal was avoided, but I weep silently’
Teresa Curtis, 64, from Stockport, a retired midwife, health visitor and university lecturer, is glad a deal has been reached, but has strong reservations.
“Whilst I certainly did not relish a no-deal scenario, I cannot see any benefit to the UK within this agreement.
“We had a sound and mutually satisfactory relationship as a member of the EU where we were stakeholders and had a voice. Now we are merely an appendage, increasingly isolated and irrelevant.
“I am completely outraged at the loss of the Erasmus programme, which I saw at first hand during my university tenure as so beneficial to participating students. The words of Joni Mitchell – ‘You don’t know what you’ve got till it’s gone’ – have never rung so true.
“I am concerned about the restrictions on freedom of movement. Insurance premiums will be higher, especially for the over-60s. Food prices here will rise and of course there will be job losses, which no doubt this unscrupulous government will seek to blame on Covid.
“I fear that the seeds of racism have already been sown and will grow as we become ever more inward-looking, and that the cultural norms we have incorporated into our lives since joining the EU will be eroded.
“I weep silently for all the young people whose lives will be inevitably restricted.”
https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/uknews/a-step-forward-or-a-failure-britons-react-to-the-brexit-deal/ar-BB1cdN4m?ocid=msedgntp
The Sunday Telegraph says its interview with Boris Johnson is the first he's given since the post-Brexit trade deal was reached on Christmas Eve.
In it, the prime minister says the new legislative freedoms it allows will be used to "deliver for people who felt left behind".
The paper's leader argues that "barring some extraordinary discovery in the fine print, this deal is on balance not just good for Britain, but also an historic breakthrough".
The Observer marks the agreement - and the end of the Brexit transition period this week - with a huge blue panel at the top of its front page, containing the words: "Britain in Europe 1973 to 2020, farewell".
There's a quote from the paper's own leader column, which says: "This deal will one day surely be regarded as one of the greatest ever deceits inflicted on the British electorate."
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/blogs-the-papers-55456431
The Daily Mail says that at the same time as the votes are held, the deal will be signed in Brussels before being brought to London by an RAF plane for the PM to add his name.
The Queen will be on standby at Windsor Castle and is expected to give royal assent shortly before midnight, it adds. The day will be high on ceremony, the Telegraph says. Or as the Express puts it, it promises to be a "truly momentous day".
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/blogs-the-papers-55480749
It was all quiet on the Dover front in the hours after the UK left the EU, as lorries continued to avoid the port.
But just minutes away, beyond the famous white cliffs, the sense of fury over Brexit was palpable as local residents came to terms with a government letter they received on New Year’s Eve telling them that from summer, their rural idyll of farmland and ancient Roman ways would be transformed into a customs clearance lorry park for 1,200 trucks.
The site is in addition to the the Ashford lorry park 22 miles away that barricades fields behind 4-metre fences.
Locals say they feel “betrayed” and “trapped” by the “lies” of the government over Brexit. Just as they were looking forward to a new year, the letter from the transport minister Rachel Maclean arrived advising them that the white cliffs site had been purchased and would be used as an “Inland Border Facility” from July.
https://uk.yahoo.com/news/betrayed-residents-furious-over-brexit-153215933.html
Boris Johnson is losing the consent of the public on Covid. He’s lost the consent of Scotland. He never had the public’s consent on his Brexit deal. Yet his policies are damaging the public in relation to all three. It’s up to the opposition parties to work together to fix that. As we enter the new normal, Keir Starmer has to prove that Labour is truly under new leadership, and has left tribal party politics behind. If he does, public consent for our politics will be renewed, and our progressive-voting country has a bright future. If he doesn’t, he’s part of the problem.
https://uk.news.yahoo.com/ignore-boris-johnson-says-british-113033027.html
Nine passengers were prevented from boarding the Iberia/BA flight from London Heathrow to Madrid on Saturday night.
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-9108199/British-expats-flying-home-Spain-stopped-boarding-BA-flight-Heathrow-Madrid.html
Small businesses have cancelled cross-Channel trade in the wake of Brexit deal
Firms say an avalanche of red tape is stifling business and adding extra costs
Hauliers warned post-Brexit trade red tape will bring 'a mountain of paperwork'
Has your business been impacted by the new customs regulations? Email amie.gordon@mailonline.co.uk
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-9121359/British-companies-cross-channel-trade-Brexit-red-tape.html