At 11 p.m. British time, the UK will finally break free of the European Union. Brits have fought for it for years, and today is the big day: Brexit Day. They’ll get their sovereignty back. It’s up to them to decide their future, not up to a bunch of Europhile megalomaniacs in Brussels.
It must be a wonderful experience for British voters; many other Europeans would love it if they were in for a similar treat. But alas, every other EU country is governed by diehard Believers who’d rather burn down their own country than give up their European Dream.
In order to make the occasion even more wonderful, Prime Minister Boris Johnson has announced a new tax cut for 31 million people. He does this by increasing the threshold at which workers start paying the National Insurance. It’s currently at £8,628. Starting in April, the new threshold will be £9,500. That’s a £104 ($137 US) annual tax cut for the average employee.
Today is the day the UK is leaving the EU. pic.twitter.com/Zuhzl0l5sT
— UK Prime Minister (@10DowningStreet) January 31, 2020
Later today, Johnson’s office will release a video recorded yesterday of the prime minister saying, “This is the moment when the dawn breaks and the curtain goes up on a new act. It is a moment of real national renewal and change. This is the dawn of a new era in which we no longer accept that your life chances – your family’s life chances – should depend on which part of the country you grow up in. This is the moment when we begin to unite and level up.”
Although Johnson wants the celebrations to be “muted,” Brexit leader (and former UKIP head) Nigel Farage begs to differ. He and his fellow Eurosceptics will celebrate in Parliament Square tonight, although they will have to make do without alcohol and fireworks.
It’s sad — a British celebration without beer?! — but hey, it’s better than not having a party at all.
Meanwhile, the longtime Eurosceptic Leader of the Commons, Jacob Rees-Mogg, says that although he does not want to be “triumphalist,” he also thinks “it would be allowable for some of us at 11pm on Friday to drink some French sparkling wine. I don’t think that’d be unduly unreasonable.”
You’ve got to love British humor.
So, it’s done. Today is Brexit Day. Britain will be a free and independent country once again. Let’s hope other EU member states (the Netherlands first and foremost) will soon follow suit!
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