‘Brexit had NO advantages!’ Ex French Ambassador defends scaremongering ‘it was fact’
Brexit 'has no advantages' says Sylvie Bermann
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France’s former ambassador to the UK Sylvie Bermann has defended Project Fear scaremongering in the build-up to the 2016 Brexit referendum was “fact”. Discussing events following the end of the transition period, Ms Bermann claimed the violence seen in Northern Ireland, increased support for Scottish independence and the customs barriers experienced by business meant that Brexit “has no advantages.”
Ms Bermann told LBC: “I am afraid I have not changed my view, what we have seen this the beginning of January is that there has been a drop in exports of 40 percent.
“Which is not insignificant and a lot of companies had to find a solution to set up offices in the EU.
“The fishermen are complaining and if you can see the risk of breakup also, you have a difficult situation, to say the least in Northern Ireland with some riots.
“And it has been said before the referendum and of course Brexiteers said it was scaremongering but everything was said in fact.”
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She continued: “And the situation in Northern Ireland, the situation also in Scotland where they want a referendum and now the polls are more in favour of independence.
“So I don’t see any advantages of Brexit.
“But it is only three months so we don’t know what is going to happen after.
“But since the beginning of the year, it can’t be considered as a success.”
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Ireland’s Foreign Minister Simon Coveney demanded the UK Government fix issues with the Northern Ireland Protocol within the next three weeks amid talk with the EU Commission.
Mr Coveney told RTE: “The last thing we want to see is moving into a marching season this summer, without Covid-19 restrictions keeping people in their homes, without many of these issues resolved politically.
“So, I think there is a pressure that we find a way to come up with solutions by some point in June, and I think the Commission is very much aware of that and I’m sure the British government is too.”
The Irish minister added: “It’s not for me as an Irish minister to be setting deadlines.”
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He continued: “My role in this is to work as part of the EU, but also to reach out to colleagues in London as well, and of course in Belfast, to find a sensible, pragmatic way forward here that everyone can live with.
“The British position has been clear for many months that they would like to see equivalence of standards recognised in the UK and the EU’s position is equally firm and clear that they can’t do that legally without setting a precedent for a whole load of other third countries that the EU has a relationship with, so instead what they want is alignment with EU rules on sanctuary and phytosanitary veterinary standards.”
“There is going to be a need for a solution that is somewhat different to both of those purist positions if you like, and I think that’s what technical teams are looking at the moment, and whether it’s possible to put that together. We’ll have to wait and see.
Mr Coveney added: “There are various ideas being discussed, but it isn’t a straightforward issue and a lot of countries in the EU are watching how the Commission resolves this because, of course, the most important issue for the EU is that we protect the integrity of our own single market and the member states within it.”
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