Sunak’s fast-tracking of the retained EU law bill shows that the road away from Europe is one-way, and paved to the lowest possible standard
The sign on the door says “Brexit delivery department”. Inside, an official fetches boxes overflowing with documents labelled EU red tape and EU legislation. A pause; a grunt of consternation; a cracking of knuckles. Then, to the exultant strains of Beethoven’s Ode To Joy, the papers are fed into a shredder.
The video wasn’t subtle, but subtlety isn’t the field where Tory leadership races are run. Rishi Sunak was losing and he felt his campaign lacked the happy clap of Brexit evangelism. So he pledged to review or repeal every bit of retained European law lurking in British statutes within 100 days of taking office.
Rafael Behr is a Guardian columnist
