Thread by @Mikepeeljourno, I wrote this week about how most Britons will be barred from [...]

I wrote this week about how most Britons will be barred from visiting the EU once the UK falls out of a bloc-wide pandemic travel plan on Dec 31. It foreshadows the emergence of other Brexit “surprises” which shouldn’t really be surprises. THREAD

(1/7) https://www.ft.com/content/43a5b078-9102-4972-b5a8-b52a0081fb94

EU to bar most Britons from visiting under Covid safety rules

Non-essential travel from UK will not be allowed after Brexit transition ends

https://www.ft.com/content/43a5b078-9102-4972-b5a8-b52a0081fb94

First, suggestions that this is some kind of punishment are misleading. It’s simply the way Brexit interacts with pandemic travel rules the EU (plus Switzerland and three others) set up months ago, with limited exemptions for “essential” travel:

(2/7)
https://data.consilium.europa.eu/doc/document/ST-9208-2020-INIT/en/pdf

Second, the UK is not being treated differently from other countries. All but eight that have very low Covid-19 rates are barred. It feels different for Brits because of their unfamiliar new “third country” status. But that’s how things are now.

(3/7) https://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/press/press-releases/2020/10/22/travel-restrictions-council-reviews-the-list-of-third-countries-for-which-restrictions-should-be-lifted/

Travel restrictions: Council reviews the list of third countries for which restrictions should be...

Following a review under the recommendation on the gradual lifting of the temporary restrictions on non-essential travel into the EU, the Council updated the list of countries for which travel...

https://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/press/press-releases/2020/10/22/travel-restrictions-council-reviews-the-list-of-third-countries-for-which-restrictions-should-be-lifted/

Third, those who dismiss the travel troubles as an elite problem show a lack of imagination and empathy. There are many personal and work reasons why all kinds of people might need to travel - even during a pandemic. They don't deserve scorn.

(4/7) https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2020/dec/11/brits-banned-travel-eu-2021-brexit-covid

An EU travel ban for Britons brings home the sad reality of Brexit | Giles Tremlett

Covid travel restrictions are some of the first real consequences to hit Great Britain – and there are many more to come , says Spain-based correspondent Giles Tremlett

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2020/dec/11/brits-banned-travel-eu-2021-brexit-covid

Fourth, this isn’t even about whether Brexit is a good idea. It’s simply an observation that it has downsides. This point continues to be skirted: see Michael Gove’s comments this week on UK access to EU health insurance and education programmes.

(5/7) https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/brexit-michael-gove-health-education-scheme-b1768576.html

Michael Gove criticised for wrongly claiming EHIC and Erasmus will survive ‘for a period’ after...

‘It’s astonishing that the man in charge of our Brexit policy should completely mislead the public on two major issues of concern’

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/brexit-michael-gove-health-education-scheme-b1768576.html

Fifth, while this travel rule will on day be lifted, there will be many other little thought of impacts of Brexit, especially if there is no deal. You can argue Brexit is still worth it; what you shouldn’t do is pretend these problems don’t exist.

(6/7) https://www.ft.com/content/8d168daf-aa3c-4192-8a14-d6a47ea6d65c

Sectors that will be hit by a no-deal Brexit

FT writers look at consequences likely to flow if Johnson pulls plug on nearly 30 years of EU single market membership

https://www.ft.com/content/8d168daf-aa3c-4192-8a14-d6a47ea6d65c

I write in my book the Fabulists about an almost tragic quality of Brexit: how the unrealistic thinking consistently promoted by its leading backers has empowered opportunists and turned citizens against each other, to the detriment of all. (7/7) ENDS https://oneworld-publications.com/the-fabulists.html

The Fabulists

We are not entering a new era of fake news - we are finally facing up to the world we live in.

https://oneworld-publications.com/the-fabulists.html

You can follow @Mikepeeljourno.

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