Forget Tony Abbott. For Wales, the real story is the Board of Trade’s attack on devolution
We fell for it again. We on the left got very worked up about the stories that Tony Abbott, former Australian PM and a man known for his climate change denial, his sexism and homophobia, was going to have a pivotal role in Britain’s post-Brexit trade set-up. But once the list of members of the newly-constituted Board of Trade was announced, it became clear that Abbott was one among many, and the real story was a bit different.
Looking at that list, one appointment — and a series of non-appointments — stand out. The appointment is that of Daniel Hannan, former Conservative MEP and long-time opponent of the idea of a National Health Service; a man who famously once described the NHS as “a historical mistake”. That’s about as clear an indication as anyone will ever need that the NHS is going to be on the table in the future trade talks.
The appointments that didn’t happen are of the greatest interest to those of us in Wales, and indeed in Scotland and Northern Ireland. Our devolved Governments have no representation at all. The Secretaries of State for Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland are members, but, as we know, they do not speak for their Governments; they are Westminster’s representatives in our countries.
We are already facing the prospect of a UK “single market” for trade purposes; areas of policy which are in theory devolved but in practice fell within EU competence being essentially controlled by Westminster, with the rationale that they will need to be covered by any future trade agreement. The trade legislation removes future trade agreements from any suggestion of Parliamentary — or other — scrutiny. Now, in the composition of the new Board of Trade that will advise and support the UK’s trade negotiators, it has been made absolutely clear that it is the Government’s intention to ensure that the elected Governments of Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland will be no more than spectators, passed information at Whitehall’s whim, when the UK negotiates deals covering agriculture, food standards, environmental standards, and in particular health and social care: all of which are devolved issues. Our NHS in Wales will be for sale, without any consent from Wales. The composition of the Board of Trade is clear an indication that anyone could wish for that the present Conservative administration’s concept of the Union is one in which Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland are free only to do as they are told.
Once again, we outside Brexit England have made the mistake of chasing the dead cat, forgetting to look behind us at what this English nationalist government is trying to do to us by the back door. The composition of the Board of Trade is a powerful reminder that Boris Johnson’s (and Dominic Cummings’) concept of the Union is founded, not in partnership or mutual respect, but on obedience and subservience. And that forms the context to every aspect of political debate here in Wales, or in Scotland, or in Northern Ireland.
