"There should be no extension, offered or taken. We should pursue the line that makes sure security is there for everyone in business and trade that we are leaving the European Union along the deadline already set", Woolfe said.
The coronavirus crisis has only heightened the need for the UK to remain steadfast during trade negotiations with the EU, it has been argued, with the nation's economic security being dependent on fully exiting the bloc's judicial and customs framework this December.
"We should ignore any claims from Remainers who will continue their campaign for us to either not leave the European Union or re-enter in the future. But this coronavirus crisis, this economic malaise that's followed has shown us very clearly that it was right to decision to leave the European Union in order to secure the future of the United Kingdom in a post-coronavirus world", Woolfe said.
The ex-lawmaker opined that the crisis had further highlighted long-standing issues with the structures of the EU in the process making the case for Brexit all the stronger. This had arguably been demonstrated by the recent clashes between Germany, Holland and Portugal and others on the use of so-called corona bonds — effectively a means to implement EU-wide debt sharing as a means to provide financial assistance to vulnerable states — a controversy which Britain is now safely removed from.
According to former MEP, the European Union "has always used crisis as an opportunity to consolidate its power within the nation states" and will now once again try to come up with some sort of help to countries like Portugal which clamor Eurobonds. He said the pandemic highlighted troubles associated with the EU trying to "consolidate economic power in the European Central Bank and not allowing EU member states to control themselves."
"It's clearly better for the United Kingdom to have left the European Union and be economically secure in control of our own interest rates, the bond markets and the ability to secure and save our own businesses. That is one of the benefits of not being in the European Union and that is one of the things that will save us when the European Union collapses", Woolfe added.
Former member of the UK parliament David Lidington, widely regarded as the de facto deputy Prime Minister during former prime minister Theresa May's tenure, claimed this week it was "inevitable" for an extension to be granted, telling Dutch newspaper NRC Handelsblad that there was not enough "bandwidth" for politicians on both sides to tackle both Brexit and the pandemic.
Similar sentiments have also been expressed by Angus MacDonald, member of the Scottish parliament from Falkirk East, who claimed on Monday that Scottish businesses, specifically, would be further imperiled by the advent of a hard Brexit, a scenario that could only compound the fallout from COVID-19.
The UK remains locked in as yet inconclusive negotiations with the EU on the UK's future relationship with the bloc following the termination of the transition period agreed up on 31 December. Politicians on both sides have, however, voiced concerns that the COVID-19 pandemic has fundamentally changed the nature of the situation, claiming an extension to the transition period should be granted.
