With the onset of Winter, it is hoped not one of discontent, but with the obvious effects of Covid and Brexit there is an air of frustration and anger in the stupidity of it all, when so many had raised the questions but were dismissed as scaremongering.
Covid has blindsided every nation, but evicting our European NHS staff and facing a vile virus at the same time seems like a perfect storm. A storm we are all being pummelled with. I know many within the European communities in Scotland feel they are no longer welcome here, although Scotland voted to stay in, and MSPs have been promoting a positive message on Europeans remaining. Sadly, as not all their rights are devolved to the Scottish Parliament, it means they have had a struggle to decipher the language coming from Westminster compared to Scottish Ministers. The rhetoric being quite different and, frankly the Speaker at the time should have disciplined more than one member in the Westminster chamber on their bizarre speeches preaching the benefits of funding the NHS etc with the savings in withdrawal from the EU. However, what they failed to state, or maybe these decision makers didn’t know, we will still be paying for our departure for years, which is probably why our whole NHS budget has suffered.
People cannot complain about “foreign” workers then moan about the lack of lorry drivers, nurses and fruit pickers. For those who celebrated Brexit the realisation, of what so many of us warned against, that life could change for the worse, held no gratification from me, but had the homework been completed before the vote, instead of winging it, then the outcome could have been something to negotiate and clarify instead of the shambles it became.
But it’s the Covid effect which has helped highlight the chinks in the wall, there are not enough fingers to plug the holes and, although we are not drowning yet, the tide of anger is rising.
There are many within the Independence movement who wanted departure from the EU, but many I have spoken to have been gravely disappointed at the outcome, and rightly so. Not many Governments have let down both sides at the same time, but give Cameron and Boris their due, if they had wanted to conjure up a Winter of Discontent, they’ve done a good job. I doubt they will be worried about their gas bill, food shortages or National Insurance hike, I’m sure they will not starve. But the measure of good Governance is the ability to keep its people fed, watered, safe and sheltered, let’s see how that pans out, but for those who lose out, it’s not the storm that kills them, it’s the arrogance of those who should know better.