Were it not so dangerous, there would be a delicious irony in Brexit.
Michael Gove and Boris Johnson, now battling it out to be the leader who will set Britain off on a free trade future, convinced voters in 2016 that £350million a week could be saved for the NHS by leaving the EU. Now we know who they were saving the money for.
The simple demand of the US in post-Brexit trade talks, whether Trump is there or not, will be that US service and pharmaceutical companies have access to NHS contracts and much else besides, as the president made clear.
The Tories might wail that the NHS is not for sale but they haven’t exactly proved themselves to be master negotiators in decoupling the UK from Europe over the past three years. The NHS is not safe in their hands.
Neither would Scotland necessarily be exempt from health service profiteering.
True, the Scottish Government runs the NHS but the UK Government controls trade terms. – so when tenders go out to contract in Scotland, they do so to EU standards.
In future, it’ll be to UK Brexit standards.
Unless devolved governments have a say in writing these rules, the NHS could be left very exposed indeed.
Get it sorted, Nic
Scotland can’t afford to lose out on money intended to tackle poverty.
Too many of our communities are blighted by unemployment and inequality.
So it’s worrying in the extreme to learn the EU has been forced to freeze more than £20million that should be helping the disadvantaged.
The European and Social Fund cash has been suspended after auditors flagged up concerns about the administration of the scheme.
The criteria and processes involved are complicated and it is still unclear exactly what has gone wrong.
But we know the Scottish Government administers these funds and ultimately the buck stops with them.
Meanwhile, councils and voluntary organisations face uncertainty over whether promised funding for vital projects will actually materialise.
Nicola Sturgeon must get a grip on this situation before the SNP suffers another dent in their reputation for efficient government.
Happy Lee ever after
Scotland goalie Lee Alexander is a safe pair of hands – and just as well.
She’ll be carrying the hopes of a nation when the Women’s World Cup gets under way at the weekend.
But Lee’s biggest match will be until next year when she ties the knot with Scotland kitman David Gibson.
No doubt, this football-daft couple are pitch perfect.
