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Neale Hanvey MP

OPINION: "Brexit is a monumentally foolish endeavour"

“It's an ill wind that blaws naeb’die ony guid” is often used to express the belief that one person's misfortune is another person's guid luck. The phrase was first recorded by John Heywood in his 1546 book of proverbs. Even yon Shakespeare used a variation of it – “Ill blows the wind that profits nobody” in Henry VI, and while it sounds dark and foreboding it reminds us that in the worst of times, there may be unanticipated benefits.


And in that vein, I think we can safely assume that this time is unlikely to feature in many highlight reels of folks’ lives. We’re in the grip of a pandemic and living under public health restrictions that were unimaginable to us this time last year. And, while the impact of the pandemic has had an incalculable human cost in terms of loss of life, distress to loved ones and the separation of so many of us from friends, family and our working lives, what can be counted is the billions of pounds of taxpayers’ money handed over to those with links to the Tory UK Government.


I am doing my best to get to the bottom of this outrageous scandal, and I will not be fobbed off with lame excuses. This outrage shows us who the real scroungers and cheats are sucking up government cash for useless PPE, while health care and other key workers, who’ve made our survival possible, continue to receive poverty wages and suffer job insecurity. This is wrong.


Farming and fishing industries have been betrayed; financial services face uncertainty; air and road haulage are now slowed by red tape; and living and working across Europe just become much more complicated.

Yet, the ill wind blows harder still, as Mr Johnson’s Brexiteer majority rammed through his threadbare deal. His deal is a disaster for Scotland: farming and fishing industries have been betrayed; financial services face uncertainty; air and road haulage are now slowed by red tape; and living and working across Europe just became much more complicated – and expensive!


Scotland resolutely rejected Brexit and rejected the Westminster parties. So, for that reason, and the fact that Brexit is a monumentally foolish endeavour, I voted against Johnson’s shoddy deal.


I’ve had my share of knocks in life, but experience has taught me that even dark clouds have silver linings. The deal gives the UK government no say over Scotland re-joining the EU, and it guarantees an independent Scotland free access to the rUK market. So, let’s use this ill wind to propel us to a brighter future as a full and independent EU member state.

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