Covid and Brexit: On modern life in the UK

TWO topics of conversation have dominated life in the United Kingdom for far too many months - Covid and Brexit.

The UK shares the global problem of Covid, but we are feeling a bit smug about our progress, having hosted the science that led to the world's first effective vaccine. We are now just about the world leader in rolling it out. And we have really annoyed the European Union (EU) while doing so.

Which brings me to Brexit. It has been many months since it hit the headlines, but it took effect from January this year. The dire predictions of economic disaster have not come true - yet. The pound maintained its value and indeed has strengthened a bit in recent months. The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development has forecast UK economic growth to outstrip not only the EU, but the G-7 as well. This is from a weak base due to Covid, but comparable economies have suffered as well.

The driving force appears to be the global perception that the UK is outward looking, whereas the EU is inward looking and subject to indecision. The UK has either signed, or looks to be able to sign up to, free trade agreements with all major economies and trading blocs outside the EU. The EU is obviously annoyed and also frightened that other members may try to follow the same path as the UK.

So we have a few areas of friction. The biggest is in respect of Northern Ireland and its relationship with Ireland. Northern Ireland was born from the secession of what is now known as Ireland from British rule around 100 years ago. The Northern Irish refused to secede from the UK and a border was imposed. After many years of terrorism and hundreds of deaths, the Good Friday Agreement was signed, which removed the physical border and led to relative calm. Ireland did not give up its claims on Northern Ireland but was willing to live in peace and, with both countries in the EU, free trade took place. The British troops left.

BEMUSING AGREEMENTS AFTER BREXIT

Brexit meant that free trade on the island of Ireland was no longer possible without a new agreement between the UK and the EU. Politically, this proved impossible as the EU insisted that the only way it would agree was for the UK to continue to follow EU rules and be subject to EU law and courts. Brexit was designed to cancel all this.

The EU then insisted that there should be a "border" in the Irish Sea so that deliveries from the UK to Northern Ireland would be subject to EU rules before being allowed to land. The UK's position was and is that modern technology allows pre-certification of goods crossing from Northern Ireland to Ireland without the imposition of a border. Cue total impasse as the EU rejected this solution.

In order to resolve Brexit, the UK agreed to the "Northern Ireland Protocol" for a fixed term while progress was made. However, it immediately breached the Protocol by not sticking to it for delivery of fresh foods to Northern Ireland supermarkets and other domestic trade. Hence the so-called "sausage wars".

Are you bemused yet? I am. The logical conclusion to all of this is an electronic border whereby all goods to enter Ireland from Northern Ireland (that is, the UK) are pre-certified and the EU can monitor the process as it sees fit.

The second area of friction is fish. Fish is a miniscule part of trade between the EU and the UK. Under international law, the UK controls certain waters where EU boats have fished in the past under the Common Fisheries law. After Brexit, these rights are lost and there is a transition period before the UK agrees new rights to foreign fishermen. The EU is now restricting the ability of British fishermen to sell fish to the EU and there have been skirmishes where EU boats have breached the new laws.

Petty or what? The EU is losing face, but because of growing resentment in many of its nations, is determined to be seen to be strong. It has tried this with Covid, insisting that the UK give up its rights under contract to vaccine supply, which it believes should be theirs. Their own members have criticised this ludicrous position brought about through its inability to complete negotiations.

There are cracks between the EU and its members and these are notable in the bigger nations - Germany, France, Spain and Italy. Anti-EU parties are getting strong. The EU has to be seen to resolve the petty arguments over Brexit in a fair manner or risk break-up. The experiment of a united Europe led by an unelected elite is in grave danger.

• The writer is a business communications consultant in the UK.