Brexit, Boris Johnson challenges Europe: UK is at stake for its credibility

The London The returns for September are shown as an unusual capital, with little traffic in the center and more blinds down than usual. It is a great metropolis that little by little awakens from a emergency shutdown not yet finished whose effects are already beginning to be felt. Many clubs, offices, schools, and universities have yet to reopen, and sadly, many businesses will likely not reopen.

In fact, as already reported in mid-August, the country suffered a contraction in GDP during the close of 20.4%. The idea of ​​a second closure certainly scares the country, considering that as in other states in Europe, the UK It is currently in the middle of the second wave of Covid-19 infections. For this reason, those who have returned to work since last July are following the government regulations and recommendations that we already know well: mask Mandatory, wash your hands frequently and keep your distance.

Although cases are increasing, there is no full awareness of the full extent of this increase; As the guardian, many people witness great difficulty in taking a test even when they are in the presence of coronavirus symptoms.

London is also the capital of a country that is about to complete the process of leaving theEuropean Union, already officially started on January 31st. In this transitional phase, Britain is outside the EU’s decision-making bodies, but is still inside the single market and the customs union until 31 December. The trade agreement is the last issue to be resolved between Brussels and London, an agreement that, however, seems to be a long way from being signed, even though the negotiation period is nearing the end.

For this reason, No deal for the moment it is an increasingly concrete reality. In fact, the meeting between the EU and the British delegations from August 18 to 21 ended practically in nothing, as can be seen from the Twitter Comments by Michael Barnier and statements by David Frost. While the situation is already complicated in itself, it does not mean that the latter cannot become even more complex. As they say when quoting a famous scene from the movie Frankenstein Junior, “It could be worse, it could rain!” and in fact, in the rainy country par excellence, it started to rain wet.

Boris johnson In fact, it is proceeding with the blackmail, telling Brussels that if the trade agreement is not reached by October 15, not only will a no-deal be made, but part of an agreement signed by it will also be called into question. himself the year before. , which, among other things, contains a protocol on the management of commercial relations between North Ireland and the UK after Brexit.

This section of the treaty states that if an agreement is not reached between London and Brussels on trade, Northern Ireland will remain in the European single market, to avoid creating a rigid border between Republic of Ireland and the north of the island. This protocol also serves to protect Good Friday Agreement, a painstaking agreement reached between the UK, the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland’s parties and unions in the late 1990s after decades of bloody conflict and terrorism (I invite you to read this BBC article for more information). Boris Johnson therefore runs the risk of reopening a wound for Britain, the consequences of which could be potentially very dangerous.

This statement of yours would be, secondly, an unprecedented move; as the Italian community in the UK points out London poster In a post on Facebook, we are faced with a country that unilaterally decides not to respect a delicate part of a treaty, violating international law, as already stated Brandon lewis, Minister of Affairs for Northern Ireland. An agreement, among other things, that follows a political project such as Brexit, on which the conservative leader built his political career and victory in the last December elections.

The reactions were immediate: as you can read in this article from the Reuters, the governments of Wales and Scotland completely distance themselves from Johnson’s positions, stating that this behavior represents a general tendency of the central government to take away more and more political and decision-making power from their governments, and obviously from Ireland itself. North. The reactions of the parties in the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland are also harsh, but the responses and actions that most invite us to reflect are precisely those of some key members of the British Conservative party.

The permanent secretary of the government legal department Jonathan Jones resigned for this decision and at the same time Teresa May, a former British chief executive, asked the prime minister: “How can the government assure future international partners that the UK can be trusted to comply with the legal obligations of the agreements it signs?” The EU responded in kind to the pulse Left London: European Commission Vice President Maros Sefcovic met with British Minister Michael Gove, who was urged to withdraw the measures proposed by Boris Johnson before the end of the month; otherwise, the EU will proceed with legal procedures.

Therefore, we face a crisis very deep of political power and the institutions that legitimately wield it: violating an international treaty of this magnitude in today’s world means that what Boris Johnson agreed to with the EU a year earlier is not really the case Union next year. This proposal will be voted on today in the oldest parliament in the world, in an atmosphere certainly tense even among the ranks of Johnson’s own party.

It is now clear that the Conservative government has no strategy for Brexit. For this reason, the negotiating dialogue has turned into a dangerous blackmail conflict. At this point it is necessary to ask how safeguard the credibility of British institutions and international law: this would require starting with a strong request for the resignation of the British Prime Minister.