Kirsty Mckenzie
THERE was a depressing inevitability about the latest round of bad news relating to Brexit and the ongoing travel restrictions between Spain and the UK.
The blame for this fiasco lies squarely with an incompetent and disorganised relationship between the two governments.
Boris Johnson and his cronies were part of a dishonest campaign during the 2016 referendum which led to the country voting narrowly for leaving the EU.
In the mess that followed, Johnson refused to back sensible compromises and instead pursued an ideologically rigid Brexit that was oblivious to the concerns of thousands of people who rely on free movement, whether it is to be with their families or boost the economy.
We’re still paying for the recklessness of Brexit – with no end in sight.
And while vaccines will deliver us from the worst of the travel restrictions, the hard truth is that it will take some time before faith in travelling between Spain and the UK is restored.
Brexit has changed our lives massively and will have a long-lasting effect on how we all move between the UK and the EU.
Those without the TIE card are the most affected – a crush to those who want to visit sick family members or seek jobs overseas.
These incidents reported on our front page must not be swept under the carpet or tied up in knots with red tape.
While potential solutions are not obvious, given that Brexit is a done deal, the UK Government must provide as much support to Brits to help them navigate this nightmare – not wash their hands of the problem or worse, direct them to another vague statement on the government website.
The rules need to be clearer, the communication needs to be stronger between the EU and the UK and airlines need to ensure passengers that they won’t be hauled back home on arrival.
We can accept Brexit has happened. But no one agreed to this fear and uncertainty as a result.
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