Re: Theresa May’s speech

 Progressive European Party

The impression I get from May’s speech is, it's going to be hard, it's going to make problems, but we can get through it. Well we all know that but there is no explanation as to why a prime minister of this country would want to do this to our nation. Where are the benefits. Where is the land of milk and honey, what about the taking back of control, the extra money for the NHS, the regaining of sovereignty, the control of our borders. And all the rest we were promised. There was some vague description of how it might look, what we would stay in and what we would stay out of. But not one word of how any of this would advantage the country in any way.

There is no way we will have regained the control of our borders if the Irish border does stay open. Ireland is not in Schengen, I presume for the same reason that they joined the EU simultaneously to us. In order for our two nations to be in compliance because we have that border. After Brexit there is no reason for them not to join Schengen some time in the future. How will an open border work then. Labour’s vague proposal of us staying in a customs union with the EU is a step forward but would still need passport controls. The border between Norway and Sweden is often put up as an example of how it might work, however they do have the freedom of movement so no passport checks but because Norway is not in the customs union they stop and search vehicles to stop smuggling. Is May’s Government saying that they will turn a blind eye to all smuggling. And what I find the biggest travesty of all she made no mention of the border between Gibraltar and Spain. Make of that what you will

 

   Philip Notley   #progEuroparty