Concerning the Transition Agreement, the Scottish and Welsh Governments wrote to the UK government complaining that “we cannot accept a way of working in which the views of the devolved governments are simply dismissed before we have had a chance to discuss them”.

Michael Gove replied on the 14th June 2020 on behalf of the government with at least two disingenuous reasons for not extending the transition period
    1. “Not extending was [given S. 33 European Union (Withdrawal Agreement) Act 2020] a question of the rule of law.”
But Parliament would act within the rule of law when later revoking or amending this, or any other, statutory provision.
    2. "There has been discussion, but it is a reserved matter for UK Government decision, and its policy position has always been clear."
But “discussion” implies not closing one’s mind to the possibility of changes to policy (e.g. in changed circumstances, like - let me think… Oh! a Pandemic).

Such disingenuousness adds to the pressures Brexit policy continues to place on the Union (of the UK).

Source: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/letter-from-the-chancellor-of-the-duchy-of-lancaster-to-scottish-and-welsh-governments?utm_source=727310df-fc93-4193-9427-60eceaaa273d&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=govuk-notifications&utm_content=immediate

Glen Plant, member, SW Surrey branch