Brexit has delivered none of the benefits its cheerleaders promised back in 2016. Small businesses now find it increasingly hard to trade with the EU because of the massive amounts of red tape involved.
Holidaymakers flying to places like Spain from the UK must queue in airports to have their passports stamped, while EU residents can stroll through electronic barriers.
In almost every conceivable area, quitting the EU has made life more complicated and often downright harder. Many of the anti-EU pledges were not worth the paper – or buses – they were printed on.
There has been no extra cash for the NHS because the UK abandoned its influence in Brussels. Brexit proponents claimed it would reduce immigration. It hasn’t.
They insisted it would boost the country’s fishing industry. The opposite has happened. The result of the 2016 referendum had to be respected. But now the dust has settled, it’s clear this was the wrong direction to take.
It’s in Scotland’s best interests to now pursue closer ties with the EU. The right-wing fantasy of a free trade deal with the USA is up in smoke now a protectionist-minded Donald Trump is back in office.
John Swinney is right to say rejoining the EU should be a priority. No one expects Brexit to be reversed soon. But it should be an aspiration we can all work towards.
Boosting the country’s economy and raising living standards should be the Government’s aim. Returning to free trade with the EU is clearly the best way to achieve these life-changing results.
Talk for change
It is important the First Minister and Justice Secretary are meeting the families of two young people who took their own lives at Polmont Young Offenders Institution.
Swinney is doing the right thing by speaking to their relatives and hearing about the change they want to be put in place. Young offenders need to be treated with care and – where possible – given a second chance to rebuild their lives.
Instead, a fatal accident inquiry has found that major red flags before the deaths of Katie Allan and William Lindsay were ignored. It is clear that these young people were let down by the justice system.
Politicians and the justice system must learn from these events and to ensure that nothing like this happens again. The families of Katie and William deserve the right to be heard.
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