The Guardian view on the Brexit aftermath: the price of dishonesty

The EU blundered over vaccines and Northern Ireland, but the UK is deep in denial about the deal it has signed

Twice in as many years, Brexit has been declared done" without being done. The UK's membership of the EU formally expired in January 2020. The change in status was camouflaged by transitional arrangements that expired at the start of 2021. Even now, there is a three-month grace period" waiving aspects of the Northern Ireland protocol of the final deal.

Now the UK wants more time. Michael Gove, the Cabinet Office minister, has written to the European commission demanding a much longer transition to ease the bureaucratic burden for goods crossing the Irish Sea. His combative tone has not gone down well in Brussels.