Did Charles Dickens predict Brexit as govt slammed?

Did Charles Dickens predict Brexit? It is a question that has a lot of people talking.

It comes as The EU has slapped down the UK government after it attempted to bypass Brussels on post-Brexit trade rules.

Peter Mandelson toldThe Independent: “It is tempting to try and go round the commission, but this doesn’t work and is counterproductive. The British government should be doubling down on a good relationship with the commission and building trust. Britain desperately needs this in order to mitigate our losses in trade.”

David Henig, a director at the European Centre for International Political Economy said: “It looks unwise for the UK to have approached the issue in this way, something that could damage the trust we need.” Mr Henig added that the row was “symbolic of a still-struggling relationship – it’s more friction that we don’t need”.

Brexit climbdown

Also products on British shelves are to stay branded with an EU “conformity” symbol after the government announced yet another Brexit climbdown.

The manufacturers’ organisation Make UK welcomed what it called a “pragmatic and common sense decision” but it criticised the government’s handling of the proposed changes.

“This has been an area of policy which has been typified by last minute policy changes, creating unnecessary uncertainty and cost,” said Stephen Phipson, the group’s CEO.

“Industry has long been concerned that the full introduction of UKCA labelling would be damaging by erecting a barrier to trade and adding administrative burdens and cost.

“This announcement will help safeguard the competitiveness of manufacturers and aid the UK as a destination for investment.”

Charles Dickens predict Brexit

So where does all this lead to?

Well, ‘Historian, writer, art critic, cook, BBC presenter but not necessarily in that order,’ Simon Schama shared the passage and wrote: “Dickens on Brexit – he saw everything – Little Dorrit such a tour de force.”

Dickens on Brexit – he saw everything – Little Dorrit such a tour de force pic.twitter.com/o4odPOXOJA

— Simon Schama (@simon_schama) August 1, 2023

Reactions

1.

Fair point?!

But why crease the corner of a page?
Sacrilege and vandalism.
Please use a book mark in future.

— Edward Lewis (@edwarddglewis1) August 1, 2023

2.

https://twitter.com/Stephen24562827/status/1686599982927712256

3.

Dickens on Brexit. Thank you @simon_schama https://t.co/A7bQm1H9GN

— Gavin Esler (@gavinesler) August 1, 2023

4.

Nearly 170 years old, and it's the same old sh*t. No wonder aliens don't want to come here. https://t.co/EyJ4B0aqVV

— Pete Tonkin (@pete_tonkin) August 2, 2023

5.

Could be written today and is almost the daily editorial for some of our shameful media https://t.co/bps3kxs0lS

— Robin Hutchinson MBE (@LordScroley) August 2, 2023

Related: Joe Lycett ‘celebrates’ Brexit as only he can as another EU climbdown announced