The real start of Brexit

Only a few days into the triggering of article 50, everything’s all of a sudden a million miles away from where it all started, with not much optimism in the air left from the campaign, things feel a little nervy with Brexit now officially a reality.

During the campaign the brexiters promised everything under the sun with a complimentary pot of gold at the end of each rainbow. Things have gone from - everyone would know their neighbours again, no more of a waiting time at the A&E, and that Brussels bureaucrats would finally bugger off. As of now, the narrative is, at best, reducing the risk and consequences of Brexit with things looking like a double-edged sword - the best solution, to the worst possible problem this country’s faced for a long time.

There was a point where Boris Johnson suggested that the EU would be nothing without Britain. David dean claimed he would travel to specific member states to set up trade agreements. And Liam Fox promised he would tie down trade deals with non-EU states. All turned out to be a pack of lies. After the triggering of article 50, draft guidelines released by the Council of European Union, Donald Tusk, denoted that Europe has full control of the negotiation process.

‘’the European Council will monitor progress closely and determine when sufficient progress has been achieved to allow negotiations to proceed to the next phase.’’ In other words, it’s in their discretion as to when they want to stall or move things forward and that the ball is in their court and theirs only. The statement is also a slap in the face to Theresa May and her team. It proves how quickly you could go from big to little fish in a position of disadvantage. All those promises from campaigners and members of parliament, true or false, mean nothing now.

Reality is brexiters and remainers both need to come together, especially those that are a part of the negotiation team and have the responsibility of defining the nation’s economic future, despite the fact that it would be frustrating adhering to a schedule set by a Union you were never fond of or a Union you never wanted to leave. If people were asked whether or not they wanted this uncertainty and position of junior partner in negotiation – the answer would pretty much go one way. Having said that, its imperative that both sides now acknowledge that in the eyes of brussels, the box you have or would’ve ticked doesn’t matter anymore and that remainers and brexiters are now two peas in a pod.