Sunday, 16 February 2020


About an article by Ian Mc Ewan 

On the occasion of the UK's exit from the EU, Ian McEwan has written an article in The Guardian (Sat 1 Feb 2020) explaining some of his ideas regarding the fact.

Ian and I already know each other. Apart from reading several of his books, we have swapped occasional emails talking about the Catalan issue, la cuestiĆ³n catalana, and we have views that do not match.
The same thing happens with Brexit. On the one hand there are things that we agree on, such as when he describes the smile of Jacob Rees-Mogg, as ‘mocking grin’ and that simply causes me heartburn. Okay, I agree with you: make people believe that all problems come from something outside (migrants, for instance). Okay, also agree with you: that all this crazy process began with a cat fight of the Tories that went out of control and that if you travel enough to the left you end up stumbling with the right and vice versa.
Yes, you're right Ian when you mean the loss of open borders, the promotion of individual rights and freedom of expression. It is also true that effective union between countries is needed to stop the progressive increase of what you call 'a world crowded with loud-mouthed strongmen' and of course I am with you in that many of the measures taken by the UK were not imposed by the EU and I liked it a lot when you exemplify, with the change of colours, the British passport.
But, on the other hand, I don't share what you write in paragraph 4 'What did we learn in our blindness? ...’ We will have overcome that not in fifteen days, but in a couple of years.
And I don't agree that we will all be poorer. Although I must admit that I have some concern that the PM continues smiling across walls with the excavator that those swine businessmen have given him. Will he know how to distinguish between the thick walls of the houses of rich people and the thin walls of those of the poorest?
I must also accept that the 'take back control' is true because the English people - I say English people - have always acted like this. We have done well to look at Europe from our island and step on the continent when we were interested. That's what McEwan refers to when he writes ‘The Brexit impulse had strong elements of blood-and-soil, with hints of empire nostalgia’.
Perhaps the turmoil in continental Europe leads to serious problems, but there will be the English government that from a distance will choose to look the other way or get into the mud.
Mr Columnist believes that there is no evidence of being under the boots of Brussels. Really not? Let's say it to the Portuguese - whom I think I know a little - or to the Spanish, for not naming the Greeks or the Irish, whom we despised as PIGS a few years ago. Come on Ian! The food, architecture and languages are very good, but regarding the economy you cannot deny that all the measures adopted by the EU have been appropriate.
And this says one who was born very close to the River Trent and who voted against Brexit.
From my Borstal.
LDR



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