Siren Starmer

Labour’s Keith Starmer, busily setting up his image as “Captain Sensible,” has written to David Davis demanding fundamental changes to the Great Repeal Bill.  Significantly, Starmer wants the Bill softened to include provision for continuing participation in the single market, customs union, and European Court of Justice during an, undefined, transition period.  Feeding from the specious argument that Brexit is exclusively about economics in general and business continuity in particular, Starmer’s compromise of neither in nor out, appears to assuage the fears of those who believe in the cliff edge theory of exit.  But wait, throughout the transition period, UK would:

•  Remain subject to the ECJ
• Continue to pay into the EU budget (at least as much as we are paying now)
• Have no say over how the EU spends
• Be barred from carving out a post-Brexit trading arrangement with the rest of the world
• Continue to endure freedom of movement rules which are not only overpowering our social services but are acting as a huge disincentive to reform our education and skills training system.

In other words, complete limbo.  Presumably, after years of “transition,” Starmer feels we will tire of battling with an intransigent EU and beg to return to full membership, the terms of which would demand membership of the single currency.  Those that say they “respect the result of the referendum (but)” are now beginning to show their true colours. Nigel Biggar, in an excellent article in the Times today, refutes the argument that Brexiteers are deluded by imperial nostalgia.  On the contrary, he argues, Brexiteers are fearful of European imperial ambition.  As the likes of Starmer attempt to lure us onto the rocks, we need to persist in reminding everyone why we voted to leave in the first place.