The negotiations with the EU have consumed British politics, leaving little time and energy for much else. But this distracts from the fact that the relationship sought with the EU is in itself a means to an end, that end being what sort of country the UK wants to be. That’s what really sits at the heart of Brexit, but which has struggled to get the necessary attention in debates and negotiations. In the last few days there has been some discussion about workers’ rights and level playing fields, which is closer to the heart of the matter than usual. But there’s still a long way to go. Reaching agreement on what Brexit should mean for the UK’s political economy, standing in the world and much more would require seeking harmony and balance, a political consensus that all – or a clear majority – can agree with. That’s been in short supply in British politics and whatever happens in the next few days looks set to remain so.
What sort of person you want to be is also what should sit at the heart of any fitness routine you set out to achieve. Focusing on number of reps, distance run, or weight lost are steps towards changing your behaviour and helping to change who you are. That’s how you change for the better. That change also won’t go far if you forget about your happiness, diet, sleeping patterns, work-life balance, relationships, mental health and so forth. A new UK-EU relationship cannot be a shortcut to a super new deregulated and reinvigorated Britain – a ‘Singapore on Steroids’ as some have ridiculously described it – just like a new gym routine cannot be a shortcut to a new you.
As for me…
Not everyone likes the gym and I remember a time when I felt like that. Over the years it’s become somewhere I switch off and focus on something else in my life, and certainly something that’s not Brexit. Does it help with my fitness and give muscle tone? Yes, and of course I like it for that. More importantly it’s helped me concentrate and reminded me of the importance of putting in the time to achieve something. I’ve continued to work on my pullovers with negative muscle ups. I’ve been working towards performing a set of ten before the end of October. As you can see, thanks to my PT Rhys, I met my goal somewhat earlier than the PM met his.
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