• Privacy policy
  • T&C’s
  • About Us
    • FAQ
    • Meet the Team
  • Contact us
TLE ONLINE SHOP!
  • TLE
  • News
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Sport
  • Opinion
  • Elevenses
  • Entertainment
    • All Entertainment
    • Film
    • Lifestyle
      • Horoscopes
    • Lottery Results
      • Lotto
      • Thunderball
      • Set For Life
      • EuroMillions
  • Food
    • All Food
    • Recipes
  • Property
  • Travel
  • Tech/Auto
  • JOBS
No Result
View All Result
The London Economic
SUPPORT THE LONDON ECONOMIC
NEWSLETTER
  • TLE
  • News
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Sport
  • Opinion
  • Elevenses
  • Entertainment
    • All Entertainment
    • Film
    • Lifestyle
      • Horoscopes
    • Lottery Results
      • Lotto
      • Thunderball
      • Set For Life
      • EuroMillions
  • Food
    • All Food
    • Recipes
  • Property
  • Travel
  • Tech/Auto
  • JOBS
No Result
View All Result
The London Economic
No Result
View All Result
Home News

‘The rot set in with Brexit, not Boris’, former civil servant says

“It wasn’t Johnson’s arrival in Downing Street that introduced the poison into our system, even if he significantly increased the dose. It was Brexit.”

Andra Maciuca by Andra Maciuca
2021-11-22 10:42
in News, Politics
Boris Johnson Get Brexit Done

Photo: PA

FacebookTwitterLinkedinEmailWhatsapp

A civil servant has spoken out about how his resignation letter reminded him that things were “very bad” even before Boris Johnson became prime minister.

Richard Haviland, who worked with several government departments for 25 years, resigned in March 2019 because of what “ensued” from Brexit. 

Writing for the European Movement in Scotland, a group campaigning for Scotland’s membership of the European Union, Haviland reflected on his resignation saying: “It wasn’t Johnson’s arrival in Downing Street that introduced the poison into our system, even if he significantly increased the dose. It was Brexit.”

Theresa May

Haviland criticised ministers insulting “our European neighbours” and Johnson’s infliction of “catastrophic damage on our politics”.

But he said corruption, lying and xenophobia started with the Leave campaign winning the Brexit referendum, and hit out at Theresa May’s inaction in countering them whilst she was prime minister – the only time Haviland did not find her articulate and sincere. “May’s illiberalism, inflexibility and weakness in the face of zealots in her party all helped get us where we are today.  In particular she bears huge responsibility for the obscene normalisation of ‘no deal’ as a valid political outcome.  

“But she is certainly not corrupt and nor is she a natural liar. Rather, she is someone who found herself so paralysed by the ghastly truths revealed by the hard Brexit which she pursued that she was forced to dissimulate time and again.”

Haviland’s thoughts come after re-reading the resignation letter he wrote over two years ago, when the original Article 16 deadline was looming and a no-deal Brexit was being considered.

RelatedPosts

Sunak and Javid resign: But which Ministers publicly say they are staying…for now

‘IT’S HAPPENING’ trends as Sunak and Javid sensationally quit

Bye bye Boris: Sunak and Javid both RESIGN as PM faces fresh crisis

First major Tory Minister QUITS as PM battles another sleaze scandal

The letter started with criticism towards former prime minister Theresa May: “Nothing in the referendum vote needed to lead us to where we are now. We are here because of the prime minister’s own choices, and her refusal to confront ideologues in her party or to be honest with the British population about the implications of those choices – in particular for peace in Northern Ireland.

“In my view, a government’s first duty is to provide its people both with security and a sense of security.  Any minister who tacitly advocates leaving the EU without a deal, or even allows the perception to exist that it is a possibility, is guilty of an outright dereliction of duty.”

Government promises ‘secondary’ to Conservative Party interests

The letter argued “there was no mandate” to allow medicine shortages, the threat of martial law and jobs losses because of UK businesses relocating to the EU post-Brexit. 

It also highlighted the negative impact of Brexit on national security and credibility, saying that the government saw its obligations under the Good Friday Agreement as “secondary to the interests of the Conservative Party”.

“Had any of this been orchestrated by a foreign power, it would be seen as an act of war,” he noted. 

He added: “The government has caused untold misery and stress to millions of EU citizens living in this country and UK nationals living in other EU countries. 

“It has made deeply offensive comments about our European allies, and whipped up and tolerated xenophobia on its backbenches.

“It has sown division by treating the majority of the electorate who did not vote to leave the EU as losers, rather than as stakeholders in a mature democracy; in so doing greatly risking the future of the United Kingdom it claims to cherish.”

Related: ‘Utterly draconian’ bill could allow Priti Patel to remove citizenship without notice

Tags: Boris JohnsonBrexitTheresa May

Since you are here

Since you are here, we wanted to ask for your help.

Journalism in Britain is under threat. The government is becoming increasingly authoritarian and our media is run by a handful of billionaires, most of whom reside overseas and all of them have strong political allegiances and financial motivations.

Our mission is to hold the powerful to account. It is vital that free media is allowed to exist to expose hypocrisy, corruption, wrongdoing and abuse of power. But we can't do it without you.

If you can afford to contribute a small donation to the site it will help us to continue our work in the best interests of the public. We only ask you to donate what you can afford, with an option to cancel your subscription at any point.

To donate or subscribe to The London Economic, click here.

The TLE shop is also now open, with all profits going to supporting our work.

The shop can be found here.

You can also SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER .

Subscribe to our Newsletter

View our  Privacy Policy and Terms & Conditions

Trending on TLE

  • All
  • trending
Abdollah

‘Rescue us’: Afghan teacher begs UK to help him escape Taliban

CHOMSKY: “If Corbyn had been elected, Britain would be pursuing a much more sane course”

What If We Got Rid Of Prisons?

More from TLE

Top liver surgeon who had online sex chats with a 13-year-old girl has been jailed

Final section of £1.35bn Forth crossing fitted

Relaxing Is A Distant Dream For ‘Switched On’ Brits

London marathon runner breaks world record for fastest marathon while carrying a tumble dryer

Theresa May’s cowardice leaves Northern Ireland in the dark ages

For Your Own Safety, It’s Time To Stop The Wolf-Whistling

EXCL: Brits in EU ‘desperate’ as largest group fighting for their rights folds

Being A Fashionista

French disperse refugee camps amid warning of record Channel crossings

Police board plane after man refuses to wear mask for EasyJet flight

JOBS

FIND MORE JOBS

About Us

TheLondonEconomic.com – Open, accessible and accountable news, sport, culture and lifestyle.

Read more

© 2019 thelondoneconomic.com - TLE, International House, 24 Holborn Viaduct, London EC1A 2BN. All Rights Reserved.




No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Sport
  • Entertainment
  • Lifestyle
  • Food
  • Travel
  • JOBS
  • More…
    • Elevenses
    • Opinion
    • Property
    • Tech & Auto
  • About Us
    • Meet the Team
    • Privacy policy
  • Contact us

© 2019 thelondoneconomic.com - TLE, International House, 24 Holborn Viaduct, London EC1A 2BN. All Rights Reserved.