by Gabriele Bonafede
Even Lord Frost, UK Minister of State for the Cabinet Office, is now acknowledging that Brexit is unsustainable.
“It’s clear from my visit that the [Northern Ireland] protocol is presenting significant challenges for many in Northern Ireland. Businesses have gone to extraordinary efforts to make the current requirements work, but it is hard to see that the way the protocol is currently operating can be sustainable for long.
We’re committed to working through the issues with the EU urgently and in good faith. I hope they will take a common sense, risk-based approach that enables us to agree a pragmatic way forward that substantially eases the burdens on Northern Ireland” he said in a statement to the press.
Of course, Lord Frost is vague on “pragmatic way forward” easing the burdens on Northern Ireland. Does he mean the removal of the protocol as DUP suggest? In this case, “problems for many” in Northern Ireland will grow in more problems for many more in Northern Ireland, the Republic of Ireland, the UK and beyond.
Does he mean the removal of a border between NI and UK? In this case he is suggesting the removal of Brexit itself, or at least the removal of current deal. A deal – it is worth to remind – that has been sold as a “success” by the current UK government.
Acknowledging Brexit as unsustainable
The fact is, Brexit caused the protocol to exist and Brexit caused the deal to exist. Thus, when Lord Frost is saying that the protocol is unsustainable, is telling too that Brexit is unsustainable. Thank you, Lord Frost, we knew it. Since long.
One might argue – who knows – that Lord Frost is not a Brexiteer. He is a diplomat. Yet, he is serving a Brexiteers’ government. Actually, he is serving a hard-Brexiteers’ government, to be precise. In his position, he has a mandate to speak for Brexiteers.
Are Brexiteers acknowledging that Brexit is unsustainable? The answer is yes, for many. Not only happy fish and unhappy fishermen are acknowledging this simple fact. Not only businessmen and firms with their exports ruined by Brexit are now acknowledging that Brexit is unsustainable. But dinosaurs at DUP and ministers in London are admitting it too.
