Politics

‘A national tragedy’: Telegraph assistant comment editor calls for Britain to rejoin EU

The Telegraph’s assistant comment editor has called for Britain to rejoin the European Union, dubbing Brexit a “national tragedy”.

Sherelle Jacobs argued that the time has come to “cut our losses and embrace the security of the Brussels fold” in a strongly-worded op-ed.

The Telegraph was a major proponent of Brexit in 2016, boasting that it “stood up to the establishment elite to reflect and push forward the views of the silent majority”.

But signs of Bregret were there for all to see in its latest editorial output, which noted that Brexit has “tipped into the realms of national tragedy”.

Citing Brixham as a case in point, Jacobs said she was compelled to “be blunt” after visiting the fishing village, speaking out where other Leavers might be reluctant to admit that the project has been a calamity.

“Brixham captures everything that is wrong with this country”, Jacobs said.

“Tory Brexiteers promised that leaving the EU would allow Britain to “take back control” of its waters, and enable our fishermen to feast on a “sea of opportunity”.

“Instead, the fishermen of Brixham told me that they are at the mercy on a daily basis “to whatever side of the bed French customs get up on” and are “drowning in red tape””.

And it doesn’t end there.

Jacobs cites trade talks with Canada, alcohol duties and efforts to introduce border checks for animal and plant goods as being proof that the whole thing has turned into a fiasco.

“As Brexit trade chaos worsens, the deregulatory dreams of Tory Leavers fade. In January 2023, we were once again promised a bonfire of red tape. Within a few months, the pledge to scrap 4,000 EU laws had been completely watered down.”

Read her piece in full here.

Related: ‘It’s not me, it’s your friends’: Lord Heseltine schools Tice on Brexit using clips from pro-Leave papers

Jack Peat

Jack is a business and economics journalist and the founder of The London Economic (TLE). He has contributed articles to VICE, Huffington Post and Independent and is a published author. Jack read History at the University of Wales, Bangor and has a Masters in Journalism from the University of Newcastle-upon-Tyne.

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