I know Brexit will be a national disaster. Brexiteers obviously do not agree, but they are wrong. The sheer incompetence and chaos displayed daily by the government, and in particular by ministers at DEXEU, convinces me that I am right and we are heading for a humiliation.
An example of this came from Steve Baker in the House of Commons on Tuesday. He was being pressed about so-called Henry VIII powers to correct what he called deficiencies in legislation that will come about as a result of the Withdrawal bill. These are references perhaps to EU institutions or bodies that we will no longer be a party to for instance. The bill gives a few examples but not an exhaustive list. MPs asked him to provide a complete list. It turns out the government has not even got one. This is what Mr Baker said (HERE - Column 278):
We know that there will be thousands of deficiencies across our statute book and it is impossible at this stage definitively to list all the different kinds of deficiencies that might arise on exit day. To attempt to do so risks requiring significant volumes of further primary legislation on issues that will not warrant taking up parliamentary time. The specifics of the deficiencies will inevitably vary between cases and it will therefore not be possible to provide a definition that accompanies them all, as amendments 264 and 265, tabled by the right hon. Member for Ross, Skye and Lochaber (Ian Blackford), also seek to do. An exhaustive list would risk omitting important deficiencies, so rendering the powers in clause 7 unable to rectify the statute book. To require primary legislation in such circumstances would undermine the purpose of the Bill and the usual justifications for secondary legislation, such as technical detail, readability and, crucially, the management of time.
After eighteen months the ministry responsible for exiting the EU does not know how many "deficiencies" there are. Presumably these will come to light after we exit the EU and will potentially cause all sorts of legal issues, the kind that will keep lawyers busy and rich for years.
I watched Steve Baker on the Daily Politics show last week when a question was put to him about the EU guidelines for any transition period. The presenter, Jo Cockburn, quoted the guidelines to him and he replied, "I never comment on leaked documents". Ms Cockburn looked flabbergasted. The guidelines she was quoting were published by the EU on 29th April this year but Mr Baker did not know it. I knew the words because I have read them a number of times, but a minister in DEXEU clearly didn't. You would think they'd be etched into his mind, but they aren't.
These are the people who are leading our withdrawal. What hope is there?
During the campaign people apparently voted to "take back control" but look at the quality of the people who are to be given the control. Not very reassuring is it?
During the campaign people apparently voted to "take back control" but look at the quality of the people who are to be given the control. Not very reassuring is it?
