Merry Christmas

By Richard North - December 25, 2021

It seems hard to believe that, this time last year, we were embracing (if that is the right word) the EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement, agreed at almost the eleventh hour on 24 December 2020, but not actually ratified until 30 April.

Somehow, it seemed quite important then and, in the grander scheme of things, I suppose it still is. But much of the euphoria that attended the EU referendum result (such that existed) had already long dissipated and we were already steeled to expect the train-wreck that Johnson had created out of Brexit.

Now, with Covid, the dinghy people and immigration generally, the growing energy crisis and much else, Brexit has become a tedious footnote, awaiting the new dawn of a government led by a prime minister who is up to the task of re-shaping the UK in a post-EU world – if that is even possible.

At the moment, though, on the one day of the year when we momentarily pause, and down tools to enjoy the festival of Christmas – the eighteenth consecutive year I have done so since starting up the original EU Referendum blog – it is not the right time for reflection. I will turn to that in the posts leading up to the New Year.

Rather, I will reserve this post to do what I have done for these past 18 years – to wish all our readers a Merry Christmas and thank you all for your attention and support – and especially those of you who have contributed selflessly to the expenses of the blog, without which we would simply be unable to function.

With that, despite the difficulty (for me) of coming to a screeching halt, I will do my best to relax through this day. I will enjoy the food so carefully prepared by the ever-patient Mrs EU Referendum and partake in a glass (or two) of fine wine, thinking kind thoughts about goodwill to all – without actually putting it into practice.

Soon enough, hostilities will resume after the Christmas truce, and we can resume beating our heads against the metaphorical wall, as we attempt to divine some sense from this utterly mad world.