EU Trade Policy is in Safe Hands With Sabine Weyand.

  Phil Hogan made a mistake but in public life mistakes can be fatal. It is to his honour that unlike Boris Johnson’s aide, Dominic Cummings or his Housing Minister, Robin Jenrick, both of whom seriously violated lockdown rules. Johnson allowed them to stay thus demonstrating hypocritical double standards at the highest level of British public life. Phil Hogan went quickly and smoothly after a short delay. It reflects well on EU Commission President Ursula Von Der Leyen and on Irish government ministers that they did not delay the inevitable sanction.

Ireland has plenty of ace EU diplomat specialists and some first rate MEPs who could be slotted into this role. It would be no bad thing if another woman could join the Commission.

Sabine Weyand, the Director of the EU Commission’s trade directorate, is one of the best trade negotiators in the world and of course knows the Brexit dossier better than anyone in London. So whoever becomes Trade Commissioner will be in very safe hands.