04 January 2021 - New era for UK as it completes separation from EU
Brexit: What you need to know about the UK leaving the EU
(BBC, 30/12/2020)
After months of negotiations, the UK and European Union finally agreed a deal that will define their future relationship, which comes into effect at 23.00GMT on 31 December.
Brexit is done, now it’s time to rid our nation of EU-worshipping Lords
Leo McKinstry (The Express, 24/12/2020)
Brexit offers a golden opportunity to revitalise our parliamentary democracy. As a sovereign nation once more, we will no longer be ruled by an unaccountable foreign cabal. Yet real change will only be properly achieved if the Government tackles Britain's own unelected monolith at the heart of Westminster, namely the House of Lords.
Brexit trade deal places Europe back at centre of UK politics
Daniel Boffey (The Guardian, 01/01/2021)
In the words of one official in Brussels involved in the Brexit negotiations, the last year “accelerated the grieving process” over the UK’s departure from the EU.
This is not to say the bloc’s institutions will be celebrating the country’s passing from the single market and customs union, 48 years to the day after its accession to the then European Communities on 1 January 1973. It remains a devastating loss to the EU, from which the full repercussions are yet to be seen even four and a half years after the referendum.
Brexit changed the game on Scottish independence
Nicola Sturgeon (SNP, 02/01/2021)
The COVID crisis has reminded us as never before of our common humanity as countries across the world face the same huge challenge of keeping people safe.
With the development of vaccines — in itself an astonishing collaborative international project — we can now look ahead to better days. And as we start the process of rebuilding our economies and societies, that same collective spirit will be more important than ever.
Unfortunately for those of us in Scotland we are, at the same time, at the sharp end of a very different project, driven by very different values: Brexit.