I’m not a bad loser, anymore than #Farage was. The vote markedby the 52% was never coherent. #Brexit was never defined. Most Brexiteers in 2015 espoused retained membership of EEA/Customs Union, Single Market. They couldn’t all be lying. But post 2016 strife polarised positions.
You can do anything for a day. Many days accumulated may lead to a reversal, who knows? Now, however, to the immediate future. Despite the rhetoric of Britain’s future, so much of #Brexit dwelt on our imperial past.
In a very real sense, it will represent an important lesson. We will soon learn that obsession with a mythical past will bring no succour for the present. If analysts are correct, our keen advantages in financial services have been slashed by this deal.
But really it was never an economic issue. It was cultural. In a week’s time when the transition period ends, I’ve little doubt that ‘Land of Hope & Glory’ will be raucously sung. It’s a great tune. Its composer, Sir Edward Elgar OM came to regret ever composing it.
On Armistice Day, 11 November 1918, he visited the Coliseum with his wife. He wrote: “they played Land Of Hope And Glory not once, but twice; the whole audience joined in. I could not. I regret very profoundly how this song has become an anthem to war."
#Brexit was a civil war without muskets. It was also, for the victorious right, a cultural war against regulations, rights, and essential freedoms, which once were revered by #TheConservatives and rightly so. The ECHR convention was (after all) drafted by them.
So far as 31st December, I will thank Europe. Without it two of my children would not exist, & I would never have met my now naturalised Czech wife. It was very good for me. And #Brexit has been superb for Europe, as unlike Voltaire’s quip it will NOT encourage others to join us
In fact - as kindly pointed out to me - Sir Edward was accompanied by his daughter.

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More from @edwardhenry1

27 Dec
The #Nationalist and anti-immigration agenda that drove #LeaveEU will face many (at least to them) unpleasant surprises in decades to come. If we are to trade with nations from all over the globe we must expect to relax immigration controls. I have no problem with that.
It reveals the abject incoherence in the #LeaveEU cohorts. Free traders, who advocate rigid borders on immigration (some motivated by aversion to diversity or race) are living in a dream world.
Moreover, those who despised a supranational Europe, are now facing serious scrutiny: #NorthernIreland is de facto part of #Europe. Ditto #Gibraltar. Those who claim #Scotland’s quest for Independence is misconceived will be accused of rank hypocrisy.
Read 6 tweets
25 Dec
The Government’s position on #Erasmus post #BrexitDeal is profoundly damaging to future relations. Such a lack of generosity shows Johnson to be mechanically transactional. It’s that base - the Government don’t want to educate Europeans, as more travel to UK than vice versa.
Unfortunately, the EU missed an opportunity to act with true grandeur and magnanimity by allowing gratis participation by British students - NI students not affected owing to different status.
Thus British students are further marginalised. The EU could have exercised soft power by making this unilateral offer, not contingent upon cost.
Read 4 tweets
25 Dec
The rejection of #Erasmus is not a sign of a confident, outward looking UK. Hindering the exposure of our exceptional youth to the myriad scientific & cultural benefits of Europe smacks of fear. The pull of #Europe’s gravity is strong. #Johnson by such vandalism knows it. #Shame
The exclusion of the UK from #Europol and #Eurojust affects our present, as much as the refusal to join #Erasmus blights our youths’ future.
These concerns, so far as #Europol and #Eurojust are objective: Britain is less safe, its resilience weakened and ability to fight crime degraded.
Read 6 tweets
6 Dec
In the 1790s an authoritarian Government led by Pitt the Younger brought a series of treason trials against radicals who were accused of ‘Jacobinism’. Mild mannered individuals faced a grisly public execution.
Some defended themselves ably and well, but for the majority their deliverance depended on Thomas Erskine and his junior, Vicary Gibbs.
Erskine forfeited his office as personal attorney to the Prince of Wales to defend these so called traitors. He asserted his independence, and thus the independence of the Bar.
Read 10 tweets
6 Dec
#Christmas I once met a man who’d killed someone, when he was still very young. He wasn’t released from prison until he was in his fifties, many years beyond his tariff. The problem was, prison exacerbated his anger.
He was, it seemed, a hopeless case. Parole hearings came and went, and he was adjudged to be a danger
That he was released at all was a miracle. But something happened. He started to stitch. The charity that enabled him to do this was @finecellwork
Read 8 tweets
5 Dec
The Bar is a very generous place. A few weeks ago I came to be in a case, pro bono. My junior had no ego. It was a case of some considerable legal importance, raising huge issues of principle. He is a superb lawyer, and a powerful advocate, yet he warmly welcomed me.
Then I contacted another junior, who has a towering reputation in this recondite area of law. He joined our team, pro bono, with alacrity. We all worked as a team. We supported each other, and discussed contentious issues re strategy with mutual respect.
Our wonderful instructing solicitor was delighted by our esprit de corps. Eventually, our pro bono representation was found to be remunerable, but we had all been prepared to work for nothing. We welcomed the opportunity to use what talent we had in defence of a worthy client.
Read 9 tweets

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