Brussels wants to ‘punish’ Britain, so we must stay strong and have a post-Brexit Plan B for when we’re backed into a corner
If Brussels thinks we've broken the rules during the transition period it will ground our flights, suspend single market access and impose tariffs without even a court’s say-so
Brussels clout
REMAINERS used to pretend Brussels had no desire to “punish” Britain. Now it has admitted it.
Any perceived rule breach during the transition period and it will ground our flights, suspend single market access and impose tariffs without even a court’s say-so.
Meanwhile it is busting a gut to lure bankers away from London.
Compare all this aggression with the courtesy David Davis has shown Brussels.
The desire for a “deep and special partnership” is entirely one-sided.
Michel Barnier’s initial negotiating position is obviously unacceptable and a taste of the delaying tactics to come.
Brussels will aim to prolong all talks until we take any deal in desperation to avoid leaving without one.
As the clock runs down, panic will be whipped up by Westminster Remainers, already treating gloomy economic forecasts as fact and clamouring to shackle us to the customs union for all time.
There is a way out. Whatever strategy the Cabinet agrees today, we must get fully ready for a no-deal too.
The Sun would much prefer a free trade agreement, but we MUST have a viable Plan B.
The Government cannot just trust Brussels to see sense.
It intends first to back us into a corner.
Rape failures
WE don’t want to hear Met Police chief Cressida Dick griping about needing more cops to investigate rape cases properly.
Especially if they are diverted from the threadbare ranks on the front line.
Multiple rape trials would not be collapsing if detectives just did their jobs.
Most don’t need an exhaustive social media trawl. Often a defendant flags up posts exonerating them.
These are ignored, or sat on, by police bent on treating all rape claims as inherently “true” and on driving up convictions.
Innocent men then go through months of hell before, with luck, the truth outs.
The accuser, now known to have lied, walks away scot-free and anonymous.
Changing this doesn’t take extra staff.
Just a genuinely open mind on all rape claims and a desire to sort fact from fiction.
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End the secrets
WE salute the candour of parole chief Nick Hardwick over the sweeping changes needed after the John Worboys scandal.
The secrecy around parole decisions is squarely against the public interest.
A parole board must not be able to free serious criminals early without also being allowed to explain why it deems them safe.
Nor should it have to keep victims in the dark, even about parole conditions that could reassure them.
The Sun, with the rapist’s victims and London’s Mayor, has struck the first blow against this injustice.
We will fight hard now to challenge Worboys’ release.
But the Government must end the secrecy over parole — and much else in public life.