In his op-ed “Brexit ball is in EU’s court” (POLITICO, August 23), Belgian MEP Johan Van Overtveldt tries to pin the blame for the current Brexit standoff on the European Union, urging Brussels to show some leniency.
His argument is a tired one, often used by his colleagues in the European Parliament from the British Conservative Party, that fails to acknowledge several crucial issues.
If Britain and the EU have reached an impasse over a potential Brexit deal, responsibility over the outcome lies squarely with the U.K.
Brexit, after all, is not a European problem. It is a U.K. problem, caused by a referendum that ultimately failed its voters because it did not explain what the implications of voting Leave would be — for the British people, but also for Ireland and the Good Friday Agreement, which underpins 21 years of fragile peace on the island.
The replacement of May with Boris Johnson as prime minister does not change the facts of the matter. Johnson’s strategy of labeling the backstop as anti-democratic and demanding it be ripped out of the Withdrawal Agreement, without suggesting any viable replacement for it, is ridiculous. His statement that the U.K. will simply not put up any border infrastructure also fails to recognize the U.K.’s very real responsibilities to the WTO and any future partner.
Throughout this entire process, the EU has worked with its British counterparts to try to find a way forward. The fact that the British government is now backsliding on commitments previously made is disappointing — and entirely of its own doing.
The Brexit ball is squarely in Britain’s court. Only the British can pull themselves out of this mess and avert a disruptive no-deal Brexit.
Because, yes, the economic consequences of no deal would be bleak. But the potential impact of a messy Brexit on the fragile peace in Ireland is far more dangerous. Responsibilities must be met.
Neale Richmond is an Irish senator and spokesperson for Fine Gael and chair of the Brexit committee in the Irish Senate, Dublin, Ireland.