Tell me, how is it over there in the sunny uplands on this first day in so-called Global Britain? What does it feel like checking the EU map to see the familiar outline of the UK no longer a part of the union of nations? Turned to beige or grey as a neutral country, a third country, amidst the comforting united blue.
Now that Brexit has been ‘done’ and the tea-towels on sale, are the good burghers of England greeting all and sundry with a merry quip and a chorus of Land of Hope and Glory.
Are rosy-cheeked children skipping along cobbled by-ways clutching their Union flags and dreaming of a future when, like Colossus, they will bestride the world?
Were you out on the streets last night as flags were brought low at 11pm – our midnight? Were you cheering along with the puffed-up pouter pigeons of jingoism, perfect encapsulated by the dim-witted Mark Francois?
Did you rise this morning feeling sovereign, in full control, "free of the heavy yoke of the European Union" as Jacob Rees-Mogg put it?
Maybe you rode the tube and gave vent to the joy of re-owning your country by abusing the odd foreigner who still hasn’t got the Not Wanted message. Told them they’re in Engerland now and to speak effing English. Job done. Pride restored.
Did you even pause for a moment to think of the millions directly affected by all this; those abroad who used their Freedom of Movement rights to settle, raise families, grow old, be old; those in the UK forced to prove their status and worth to be allowed to remain in their homes? To do the work you consider beneath you?
No, of course you didn’t – collateral damage is a fact of war. And to you this was a war, as you referenced so often in both Parliament and hustings.
For the more astute among you there is probably a slight feeling of anti-climax. Is this it now? Is this all there is?
What happened to those 40 trade deals promised by Liam Fox the second after midnight? Ah, yes, another of the many broken promises and lies used to trick you – although of course you can never admit that, can you?
So what if the Scots and Northern Irish voted against leaving? Who cares what they think – bloody nationalists who talk funny – know what I mean?
We won. We won. Get over it.
Indeed, you did. Let’s look at the glittering prizes. Not much to show at the moment or indeed for the next 11-month transition period.
As of midnight, sorry 11pm, you actually were less sovereign than you were when in the EU. The status quo is still preserved except there is no place reserved for the UK at the debating table when votes and ultimately laws are passed which will continue to affect you. No power of the veto which was often used when the UK wasn’t happy – which was surprisingly often.
In fact, the UK falls out of all EU decision-making bodies. Diplomats no longer have access to Brussels' internal database – unable to see and evaluate the draft legislation and memos that pass between nations with a combined working aim.
But that was the point, wasn’t it? Going it alone. Plucky little England who fought them on the beaches, in the skies…oh, you know the tiresome speech by now.
Well, now the fun starts or rather it ends. For now, begins Brexit. You thought it was over and done? Oh, dear me, no. A Government which has for three plus years, one way or another, run on rhetoric, lies, evasions and most likely carried out an illegally procured referendum, now has to justify it all at the negotiating table.
It has to face probably the best legal minds and skilled negotiators in the world who abide by a set of rules designed to keep its union intact for the good of all, working as one.
Men and women who have long prepared for this when it was clear what was coming down the line. Who protect their weakest, not ditch them.
Dominic Cummings and co have seen to it that the Civil Service, made up of serious Mandarins who form arguments not pipe dreams, has been demoralised; its best side-lined or gone. It will be a most unequal, unedifying battle as bluster and bullying meet cold, applied logic and joined up thought.
Johnson, the court jester, prancing with his fools in the halls of those who’ve guarded the hard-won peace and prosperity of Europe for 47 years.
Perhaps in the coming months of transition more firms will go to the wall, more companies collapse, more services leave for welcoming shores.
Jobs will be lost in those areas captured by the Tories with glass beads and fire-water – their dismal towns boarded up further as they sink into a morass of unemployment and fear.
But, hey, today is your Independence Day, as you call it. Have another sausage roll, look out for a bendy banana, slurp your way through your pints of bitter or English wines, have a Vera Lynn knees up.
Enjoy yourselves. Every dog deserves its day.
Why are you making commenting on The Herald only available to subscribers?
It should have been a safe space for informed debate, somewhere for readers to discuss issues around the biggest stories of the day, but all too often the below the line comments on most websites have become bogged down by off-topic discussions and abuse.
heraldscotland.com is tackling this problem by allowing only subscribers to comment.
We are doing this to improve the experience for our loyal readers and we believe it will reduce the ability of trolls and troublemakers, who occasionally find their way onto our site, to abuse our journalists and readers. We also hope it will help the comments section fulfil its promise as a part of Scotland's conversation with itself.
We are lucky at The Herald. We are read by an informed, educated readership who can add their knowledge and insights to our stories.
That is invaluable.
We are making the subscriber-only change to support our valued readers, who tell us they don't want the site cluttered up with irrelevant comments, untruths and abuse.
In the past, the journalist’s job was to collect and distribute information to the audience. Technology means that readers can shape a discussion. We look forward to hearing from you on heraldscotland.com
Comments & Moderation
Readers’ comments: You are personally liable for the content of any comments you upload to this website, so please act responsibly. We do not pre-moderate or monitor readers’ comments appearing on our websites, but we do post-moderate in response to complaints we receive or otherwise when a potential problem comes to our attention. You can make a complaint by using the ‘report this post’ link . We may then apply our discretion under the user terms to amend or delete comments.
Post moderation is undertaken full-time 9am-6pm on weekdays, and on a part-time basis outwith those hours.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel