No Deal Brexit and Nerve Gas Attack Inaction

Book designing; Oral history, Critical Brexit White Paper; Nerve gas effects.

A day of designing book covers, with me completing the April Quekett Bulletin and Jane the cover for "Alfie Bear Goes to Work".

The highlight of the day was interviewing local Milton resident, Tony Stubbings, about growing up and living in Cambridge and Milton during WWII and after, right up to present. From avoiding fighter plane strafing on Newmarket Rd to a passion for rmusic and scouting gang-shows.

Unexpected memories and interruptions from the 21 strong audience, many of whom knew Tony.

The 3rd report of the Exiting the European union committee, "The Government's negotiating objectives: the White Paper" was published today, though a third of the panel (all Brexiteers) walked out on the final setting of the report. There were many points covered in the report, but the one they objected to had already been well summarised in a Foreign Affairs Committee’s recent conclusion. It was that the no deal exit"represents a very destructive outcome leading to mutually assured damage for the EU and the UK”. The 3rd report asked that "The Government should therefore conduct a thorough assessment of the economic, legal and other implications of leaving the EU at the end of the Article 50 period with ‘no deal’ in place. This should be published."

Brexit news was overtaken by the aftermath of both the attack on the St Petersburg  metro and the apparent poison gas attack by Syrian forces on rebels.

The most likely agent used in Syria is sarin, a nerve agent. According to Wikipedia, initial symptoms following exposure are a runny nose, tightness in the chest, and constriction of the pupils. This is followed by difficulty breathing, nausea and drooling. You continue to lose control of your bodily functions and salivate, weep, urinate, defecate, have strong stomach pain and vomiting. Your eyes and/or lungs may also blister and burn. You then begin twitching and jerking,  followed by epileptic fits. You then die by asphyxiation, because it is impossible to control your breathing. And if you survive, you will have permanent neurological damage.

War is appalling, but gassing is a particularly abhorrent action. Whether there will be any immediate as a result of this abomination is unlikely. President Trump is more concerned with blaming previous administration. However, evidence will be collected, samples analysed and the results kept. And maybe, when war gives way to a political solution, some perpetrators can be held to account.