YP Comment: Brexit irony of timing over Maastricht anniversary

IT is ironic that today's 25th anniversary of the Maastricht Treaty, the precursor to the European Union, should coincide with heated Parliamentary exchanges on how Brexit should be implemented as Britain and the EU prepare to go their separate ways once Article 50 has been triggered by Theresa May.
Today is the 25th anniversary of the Maastricht Treaty which paved the way for European integration.Today is the 25th anniversary of the Maastricht Treaty which paved the way for European integration.
Today is the 25th anniversary of the Maastricht Treaty which paved the way for European integration.

Even though John Major’s endorsement of this landmark legislation was effectively endorsed by the electorate at the April 1992 general election when the then Prime Minister rallied support from his trusted soapbox, it did not stop the Tory party tearing itself apart during the subsequent ratification process.

And even though last June’s referendum was confirmed when MPs gave Mrs May preliminary approval to implement Article 50, subject to the more detailed Parliamentary debates and votes now taking place, Tory splits have largely been kept in check by the disarray on the Labour benches.

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Unless Mrs May is careful, there’s a danger that MPs from all parties coalesce their respective disagreements around her apparent willingness to lead Britain out of the single market – one of Maastricht’s central components – in order to take back control of immigration policy. As Tory grandee Ken Clarke noted at the weekend, the only person who will be blamed if Brexit impinges upon living standards is the Prime Minister herself.

What is paramount, however, is that the national interest trumps party political considerations, a guarantee that cannot be provided. Now that MPs have formally backed Article 50, the public should trust their elected representatives to secure the best possible deal while also acknowledging the expertise of business leaders. After all, this input will be crucial if Ministers are to negotiate on behalf of all and not just the 52 per cent who vetoed the principles of Maastricht when “a more united Europe” was promised.

The last resort

IT IS to society’s credit that there is increased awareness about mental health issues, not least because of enlightening awareness campaigns and the willingness of younger members of the Royal family to highlight a condition which was taboo until recently.

Take further education colleges. Not only are they identifying students who might be suffering from this affliction, but they’re actively encouraging the individuals concerned to seek medical guidance from their local A&E hospital.

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In many respects, this approach should be welcomed – early intervention can make a critical difference to a patient’s health and wellbeing. The problem is that hospital casualty departments are not supposed to be a ‘one stop shop’ for all medical ailments, hence why the Government was recently forced to relax the four-hour waiting time criteria.

With up to one in six hospitals likely to lose their A&E unit as the NHS looks to concentrate resources at regional centres of excellence, it will be even more important that patients are encouraged to make contact with the services that are most applicable to their specific health needs.

Invariably, this means individuals seeking a consultation from their GP. The problem here is that there is invariably a long waiting list for non-urgent appointments because of either a shortage of doctors or an inflexible appointments society which pays scant regard to the needs of those working, or studying, full-time. Until this changes, people will inevitably use casualty as a first resort rather than only in an emergency.

Picture perfect

DAVID Hockney has always been modest about his achievements – and talent. “The moment you cheat for the sake of beauty, you know you’re an artist,” he once said.

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Yet this has not stopped an appreciation of his art increasing with the passage of time. A new gallery dedicated to his work will open in his home city of Bradford this summer 
while a forthcoming retrospective at the 
Tate Britain is already 
the fastest-selling 
exhibition in the history of the acclaimed London arts venue.

Not only are these events, and many more, fitting tributes to mark his 80th birthday, but they’re also celebrations of a special talent rightly revered as one of the greatest ever Yorkshiremen. His work should be enjoyed – not only does it shed new light on this complex character but it reveals those landscapes, in Yorkshire and further afield, that so inspired an artist whose creativity continues to shine and win new admirers.