Any sense of triumph that may exist over the Brexit deal must not blind us to the fact that we need to learn much from the many, many flaws there have been in the whole process and how these have continued to be reflected in the final deal.
Something as momentous is this should not be carried through simply on ‘the numbers’. There should not be continuing division on the outcome – at least not on this scale. On something this big – especially for Northern Ireland – there should be consensus or something far closer to it.
This outcome has shown nothing so well as that we still act like children in trying to resolve these matters and it is time – more than time – to claim our adulthood in relation to such things. If we can’t see that, we really are blind.
This whole process makes the case for reform as to how we go about arriving at decisions through the political process and how this is outdated and no longer fit for purpose. There should not be a carve up, or a metaphorical punch up, but something far more adult and constructive.
We only tolerate this because we have become so accustomed to it that we think there can be no alternative. And yet somewhere we know this is not good enough and we now need to do better. It’s just inertia – or vested interests – that perpetuation the old system which would try to convince us otherwise. It really is like The Emperor’s New Clothes.
The Emporer's New Clothes 