After the Conservative Party was accused of “taking a knee” to the European Union over the despised deal between London and Brussels, Brexit rage has erupted.
On January 1, 2021, Britain formally left the EU, but fierce disagreements over the Northern Ireland Protocol have caused tensions to flare.
Under the premierships of Liz Truss and Boris Johnson, the UK has alleged that the rules governing the province’s post-Brexit trading arrangements are ineffective and has vowed to unilaterally overturn the agreement.
Fears of a devastating trade war between the two sides have been raised as a result of Brussels’ heated response to these threats, which included a warning that it will retaliate as harshly as possible.
However, Ben Habib, a former MEP for the Brexit Party and fierce opponent of the Protocol, has stated that the UK Government is capitulating to the EU.
Speaking with Express, Ben Habib said: “We either have the courage to break with the EU and take control of our own country, in which case Brussels is going to be upset.”
“Mr Habib also took aim against the Tories for not getting Brexit fully over the line, warning the UK is still “joined at the hip to the EU”.
“Britain left the bloc nearly two years ago after the two sides signed an 11th-hour Trade and Cooperation deal that should have sealed the UK’s departure.”
“The UK is still joined at the hip by the EU, so clearly we still don’t have Brexit.”
Ursula von der Leyen, president of the European Commission, alluded to a potential resolution to the Protocol impasse during a trip to Ireland last month.
The head of the EU claimed to have had “encouraging” discussions on the matter with Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, but he also issued a warning that the effects of Brexit cannot entirely be avoided.
The president of the European Commission underlined that if the UK government is open to it, a solution to the protocol may be found.
“We’re listening closely to the business and civil society stakeholders in Northern Ireland, but the consequences of Brexit and the kind of Brexit chosen by the UK cannot be removed entirely.”
“Let me reassure you, Ireland can always count on the European Union to stand by the Good Friday Agreement.
There can be no hard border on the island of Ireland.”
