Crown mutation and Brexit: Britain in Christmas chaos

Brexit, mutant virus and Boris: Britain in Christmas chaos

The British were just cheering for the world’s first crown vaccination. Now, Christmas is falling into the water in and around London due to the mutated variant of the virus. There is no solution in sight for Brexit either.

The UK is going through an emotional roller coaster. Two weeks ago, it became the first country in the world to grant emergency approval for the Pfizer / Biontech vaccine. Margaret Keenan, 90, of Coventry, received the first dose. It was a prestigious achievement for the country in Europe most affected by the virus.

>> Coronavirus: All the news in the live ticker

Now the joy is gone. The number of cases has risen again sharply for about a week. A mutated variant of the virus that was found in and around London is primarily responsible for this. There, Christmas, which has a sentimental meaning for the British, now more or less falls into the water.

But that’s not all: in the negotiations on the UK’s final exit from the European Union (EU), just over a week before the December 31 deadline, no solution is in sight. At the center of this British Christmas chaos is Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who is once again not looking well.

The mutant

Health Secretary Matt Hancock used harsh words on the BBC on Sunday: “It’s out of control and we have to get it back under control.” What is meant is the mutated variant of the coronavirus, which is said to be around 70 percent more contagious than the previously known form and has spread rapidly, especially in south-east England.

East London and parts of Essex are hit the hardest, according to the tabloid “The Sun”. On Saturday, the government pulled the emergency brake, imposed a harsh blockade of the new level 4 throughout the southeast with the capital, consisting of the closure of most businesses and curfews.

People in the affected regions can only celebrate Christmas within their home. That was “disappointing,” Boris Johnson said Saturday, but you have to stick to the science. For the rest of the country, the so-called “Christmas bubble” is still in force, in which people from three households can meet.

Scottish Prime Minister Nicola Sturgeon stopped traveling to the rest of the kingdom due to the crown mutation. Traffic through the English Channel was also suspended. Trucks get stuck in front of the Eurotunnel and the Dover ferry terminal, threatening Britain’s supply of fresh food from the continent.

Transport Minister Grant Shapps stressed on Monday that he wanted to find a quick solution with France. Representatives of the logistics industry called for quick tests for truck drivers. The prime minister, in turn, invited the crisis meeting to discuss “the fluid traffic of goods to and from Great Britain”, as announced by a spokesman.

Brexit

This statement is still ironic, because the final exit from the EU on December 31 will be no less important on the question of how supply chains can be secured through the channel. There will be problems in border traffic one way or another, because Britain is exiting the customs union and “just” looking for a free trade agreement.

Negotiations on this are stalled. On Sunday, a “final” deadline once again ran out without a deal. The biggest point of contention seems to be fishing, of all things, which accounts for a fraction of the volume of mutual trade. But for the seafaring nation of Great Britain, sovereignty over its waters is a matter of principle.

About 80 percent of the fish caught there, especially herring and mackerel, goes to the EU. For their national dish, fish and chips, the British mainly use imported products from Norway, for example. However, they require that only ships flying the British flag can cast their nets within a twelve-nautical-mile zone.

Negotiations continue for the moment, but the clock is ticking relentlessly. In view of the shortage of time, a contract could only enter into force provisionally as a first step. The EU Parliament is not happy about this, but the Europeans do not want to be the first to leave the negotiating table. You know the biggest pressure is on Boris Johnson.

The premier

In the summer, Johnson gave his compatriots the prospect of a “normal” Christmas party. This hope was definitely dashed no later than Saturday. With the virus mutated, the kingdom has completely landed in the third corona wave. Johnson can’t avoid that, but his erratic crisis management has been drawing criticism for months.

And now the Conservative prime minister is also risking a fight with his most important business partner. Boris Johnson is among business circles warning of a no-deal Brexit and hardliners who want to free their country from EU “chains” and conjure a glorious future on world markets.

Johnson doesn’t have to fear for his job yet, but Labor leader and opposition leader Keir Starmer posted on Twitter what many of his compatriots think: “In this national crisis, the British people demand clear and decisive leadership. What we are getting from Boris Johnson is confusion and indecision. “