A FORMER prime minister of Greenland has good news for post-Brexit Britain.
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Lars-Emil Johansen, who took part in the negotiations when the island left the European Economic Community in the 1980s, has recalled that although the three-year exit process was politically difficult subsequent economic growth proved “the prophets of doom wrong”.
In the weeks since the referendum our economy has done very well. But we cannot get complacent. Of course leaving the EU will entail challenges. In dealing with 27 other countries not to mention EU officials in Brussels the Government faces a difficult task.
Not even the most optimistic Leave campaigner would predict that it is all going to be plain sailing.
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However, Greenland’s experience proves that whatever happens along the way we will get a good deal in the end. Given the importance of British trade and security co-operation to the rest of the EU, a sensible agreement is inevitable.
We must have faith in ministers to negotiate well and trust that European leaders will act in their own best interest. Meanwhile we cannot lose sight of the greater prize. Leaving the EU will once again give us control over our laws, borders and taxes.
As Mr Johansen would tell you, that is well worth a relatively brief period of uncertainty.
JONATHAN BUCKMASTER
THE story of the Cedars centre near Gatwick, built to accommodate migrants and opened only in 2011, has been a farce from start to finish. It was absurd in the first place to construct a “palatial” facility complete with a gym, all-weather football pitch, library and computer rooms for people about to be deported.
The facility is now about to be closed because it has been “little used”. So having spent £6.4million on building it officials then failed to use it to its full potential. And while beds lay vacant at Cedars we witnessed towns and villages up and down the country overrun with asylum seekers who were being put up in hostels, hotels and bed and breakfasts instead.
In future ministers must build facilities that deliver value for money and when the construction is complete they need to ensure that they are actually being used.
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KATHERINE Grainger and Victoria Thornley narrowly missed out on gold in the double sculls in Rio yesterday but came away with silver.
Grainger now has four silver medals and one gold making her Britain’s most successful female Olympian.
After decades of excellence it is a richly deserved achievement.
