Royal transit

Watching the main domestic political events in the UK - the "throne speech" in the British Parliament, elections in Northern Ireland and the beergate scandal - Masha Slonim catches herself thinking that everything in this world is in constant motion. The only question is where this transit leads

On May 10, the next session of the British Parliament solemnly opened at the Palace of Westminster. By tradition, on this day, the monarch addresses the deputies and lords with a "throne speech" - he reads out the list of bills submitted by the government, which is planned to be submitted to parliament next year. The ceremony, like all the last 175 years, was colorful and theatrical. But this time it passed without the participation of the main character: the 96-year-old queen was unable to visit Westminster due to "temporary problems with mobility", and she was replaced in this role by Prince Charles. Elizabeth II missed the opening of Parliament for the first time in 59 years (in 1963, she could not read the "throne speech" because she was pregnant).

In the absence of the monarch, the royal throne was empty. Prince Charles, reading a speech, sat on a smaller throne, intended in the past for the prince consort. Yes, and he arrived at Parliament not in a carriage, but in a royal Rolls-Royce without license plates, and was dressed not in a royal robe, but in an admiral's uniform. When addressing the audience, Prince Charles would say "Her Majesty's Government" instead of "My Government" as the Queen used to say. The crown of the British Empire lay next to him - on a pillow on the table: the prince, who only represents the queen, has not yet the right to put it on. (However, the queen does not wear it often either: the crown, adorned with diamonds, sapphires, emeralds and pearls, weighs 1.28 kg, and Elizabeth II considers it “too cumbersome”).

in the very first lines, Her Majesty's Government pledged to "defend freedom and democracy and support the Ukrainian people"

If we move from form to content, then this time the government, through the replacement of the queen, the prince presented 38 bills. They mainly concern the economy, but government plans have already been criticized for the fact that they do not say anything about measures to combat the economic crisis and the rising cost of living for the British. But in the very first lines, Her Majesty's Government pledged to "defend freedom and democracy and support the Ukrainian people."

Elizabeth II, we are told, watched the ceremony on television from Windsor Palace. The imagination paints the details, and, of course, it becomes a little sad: you begin to realize that the transit of royal power has begun in Britain.

PARTY TRANSIT

And ahead, perhaps, is a political transition.

Boris Johnson and Keir Starmer, as befits a prime minister and leader of the opposition, walked into the House of Lords, where the ceremony was taking place, shoulder to shoulder, talking animatedly and even smiling at each other. But both have new and possibly similar challenges ahead. And it's not about the debate on the proposed bills.

Keir Starmer, who vehemently criticized Johnson and called for his resignation in connection with the partygate, got into trouble himself. Journalists unearthed a video filmed by a student through the office window, in which we see Keir Starmer in the company of party colleagues with a bottle of beer in the office kitchen.

The video is dated April 2021. The question of whether the moment captured on it was an evening social event or a break during work is fundamental. According to the lockdown rules of that time, people from different households were allowed to get together exactly in the middle, but not at the end of the working day. The Labor leader insists that he and his colleagues were working in the local elections that day and simply took a break, ordering delivery from an Indian restaurant, and then continued to work.

Sir Keir Starmer, a former lawyer - former director of the Crown Prosecution Service, for which he received a knighthood - after insistent demands to answer for this "misconduct" decided to go for broke, and, according to many, risked his political career and the future of the party. He announced that, as an honest man, he would resign as party leader if the police, who opened the investigation into this episode, decided to issue him a fine for violating the lockdown rules. The ball is now on the side of the Daram County Police, where the beer was drunk.

The story, which has already been dubbed beergate, could have many serious consequences. The Labor Party, having pulled ahead in the latest polls, may lose both the leader and the pace. And Starmer’s decision to resign, if it happens, will put Boris Johnson in an uncomfortable position: questions about whether he, who received a fine for violating the lockdown, should also resign will sound with renewed vigor (however, as practice shows, difficult there are no provisions for the prime minister).

IRISH TRANSIT

The transit of Britain from the EU has formally ended, but its consequences are still felt. And they show up in the most unexpected ways.

In elections to the Assembly - the Parliament of Northern Ireland - the majority for the first time won "Sinn Féin". This party (once the political wing of the terrorist IRA) advocates the reunification of the country with Ireland. This means that with her victory in the elections there is a serious threat to the integrity of the United Kingdom.

The Ulster Unionist Party, which advocates for Northern Ireland to remain part of the UK and has achieved a majority in past Parliaments, this time came second. And has already refused to participate in the work of the Assembly until the "Irish Protocol" is canceled or completely changed. This document, signed by the UK and the European Union two years ago as part of the UK Brexit deal, defines the complex customs trade relationship between the UK and Europe. The main problem is the question of the border. The "Belfast Agreement", adopted in 1998 and put an end to years of bloody conflict between the two Irelands, abolished the "hard" land border between them. However, the terms of Brexit require that there be some kind of border, because Ireland is a member of the EU, but Northern Ireland, as part of the United Kingdom, is not.

the British government is entering a new round of confrontation with Brussels, trying to unilaterally change (that is, violate) the international agreement

The "Irish Protocol" was developed to prevent the return of a hard border on the island of Ireland. It eliminates the need for customs control of goods coming from Northern Ireland (part of the United Kingdom) to the Republic of Ireland (part of the EU). At the same time, he obliges Belfast to follow the rules of the single European market (and Northern Ireland remained in its composition), which means to carry out inspections of certain types of cargo coming from England, Scotland and Wales. The Ulster Unionist Party opposes this, fearing that the "Irish Protocol" weakens the autonomy's ties with the rest of the UK.

Now, in order to restore the fragile balance of power in Northern Ireland and prevent the unification of the two countries (and Sinn Féin plans to hold a referendum on this topic), the British government is entering a new round of confrontation with Brussels, trying to unilaterally change (that is, violate) international agreement. On 10 May, following threats from Northern Irish Unionists to boycott the Assembly until the Irish Protocol was amended, Boris Johnson already declared that "the Protocol is not viable in its current form."

So, although formally the exit of Britain from the EU has ended, in fact this transit is still ongoing. And it is not at all clear where it will lead.

Material published in ZIMA MAGAZINE

Photo: Ben Stansall