Current Affairs Irish Border and Brexit

[Charlie Sweet]

The only people, and I mean the only people who wanted a border were the EU. The application of the border could have been soft or hard, the EU seem to have insisted on an ultra hard border judging by the number of checks made as a % of the whole of the EU….

Wasn't part of Brexit "controlling our borders"? I mean I know it was I just don't have the time or inclination to dig out all the right wing media clips.

If you didn't control your border Pete there'd be an open passage for uncontrolled immigration to the mainland. But you know that.

Separately, and just as relevant, a border is a requirement of any WTO deal. To give equality and not risk this "most favoured nation" concept - if you didn't have a border with Ireland then you'd not be able to check goods or people from any other nation you wanted to deal with on WTO terms. But you know that. Johnson knows that. Truss knows that. Frost knew that which is why he resigned sharpish.

In life Pete do you not ever stop to think about who you're in bed with? Any stance that the likes of the DUP have to be strong armed into by the even more insane TUV of loyalist mobs with Jamie Bryson etc al - is a bloody wrong position to adopt!

 

[peteblue]

You haven't a clue on this subject, and you have proven it over a long period of time. Parroting right wing bigots is not clever. Throughout the whole Brexit debate, this subject was always the circle that nobody could square, so when Johnson tried to bundle an agreement over the line everybody knew that chaos awaited. The choice was to have a border between Ireland and GB, or a border between ROI and NI. Johnson said that the former was never going to happen, then imposed the former. The latter will never happen, as everyone with half an ounce of intelligence knows. I agree with you that it is terrible to watch the EU doing what it has to do to protect the SM, and it is terrible to see Johnson doing what he always does by lying, but there you have it. Whingeing about the big bad EU doesn't cut it anymore. We continue towards a united Ireland, which is economically well underway. Who's to blame for that? Anyone who voted for Brexit-right wing crackpots, DUP, the tory press, Peteblue etc etc

I’m not whinging about a big bad EU and if the people of NI and ROI wish to merge into a United Ireland then that is their choice and no one else’s. However as things currently stand the agreement doesn’t work so it needs amending. The agreement contains an appropriate article to be able to do so and it looks as though that may be implemented.

”
LONDON (Reuters) - Britain will present a summary of its legal advice over new legislation to change the Northern Ireland protocol governing post-Brexit trade rules alongside the bill on Monday, the spokesman for Prime Minister Boris Johnson said on Friday.

“The bill has been agreed by the relevant cabinet committees and will be introduced to parliament on Monday... we will, alongside the bill, publish a summary of the legal advice, so you can expect to see that on Monday also,” the spokesman told reporters.

“The Foreign Secretary’s been pretty clear that we want to reach a negotiated settlement (with the EU), but given the problems that the protocol is creating in Northern Ireland, we believe there’s a necessity to act.”

 

[Toffeepot]

The ‘deal’ needs to work for NI, ROI, rest of the U.K. and EU. and tbh, with goodwill it should. Unfortunately the way that the EU are applying it means it’s not working for the rest of the U.K. nor parts of NI. Now we all know that both the EU and ROI have done this to try and force NI into the ROI and to punish the UK for their own reasons. It really wouldn’t take a lot of effort to come to a sensible accommodation but the ROI and EU are sticking to their agenda’s. Now unfortunately for both of them the ‘deal’ contains article 16, the same article that the EU tried to invoke to stop Covid vaccine going into NI. So the U.K. will invoke the article within the parameters of the agreement and within the law. The EU will be upset and the ROI will be upset, but tbh they are doing nothing to ease the situation because they still want to punish the U.K…..

We do?

 

[woodsyni]

Now we all know that both the EU and ROI have done this to try and force NI into the ROI and to punish the UK for their own reasons.

That's just nonsense! A United Ireland will happen naturally (nowhere near as soon as people think imo) and it's not even clear that the Republic even want to take this basketcase of a country on! Honestly, Pete. It's pure nonsense.

 

[peteblue]

That's just nonsense! A United Ireland will happen naturally (nowhere near as soon as people think imo) and it's not even clear that the Republic even want to take this basketcase of a country on! Honestly, Pete. It's pure nonsense.

I believe it to have been Varadkars intention from the very beginning. I too believe that given time the two countries will join at some point, but unfortunately I fear that his plan is pushing it too quickly….

 

[Ruairi77]

We do?

Yea, that highlighted bit shows a complete lack of awareness of the mindset in the RoI.

 

[peteblue]

We do?

Indeed we do…

 

[peteblue]

Yea, that highlighted bit shows a complete lack of awareness of the mindset in the RoI.

How so….

 

[Ruairi77]

I believe it to have been Varadkars intention from the very beginning. I too believe that given time the two countries will join at some point, but unfortunately I fear that his plan is pushing it too quickly….

Then you know very little about Fine Gael or irish politics.

 

[Ruairi77]

How so….

id imagine forcing a United ireland via brexit was actually the last thing any gov. Involving FG wanted.

 

[Ruairi77]

Now if it were SF in power you might have a point

 

[woodsyni]

I believe it to have been Varadkars intention from the very beginning. I too believe that given time the two countries will join at some point, but unfortunately I fear that his plan is pushing it too quickly….

I don't think the Republic is in any way ready, nor preparing for a United Ireland. They know it's coming and will deal with it when it does.

 

[Armaghtoffee]

The ‘deal’ needs to work for NI, ROI, rest of the U.K. and EU. and tbh, with goodwill it should. Unfortunately the way that the EU are applying it means it’s not working for the rest of the U.K. nor parts of NI. Now we all know that both the EU and ROI have done this to try and force NI into the ROI and to punish the UK for their own reasons. It really wouldn’t take a lot of effort to come to a sensible accommodation but the ROI and EU are sticking to their agenda’s. Now unfortunately for both of them the ‘deal’ contains article 16, the same article that the EU tried to invoke to stop Covid vaccine going into NI. So the U.K. will invoke the article within the parameters of the agreement and within the law. The EU will be upset and the ROI will be upset, but tbh they are doing nothing to ease the situation because they still want to punish the U.K…..

To view everything through the prism of foreigners are anti UK is really very short sighted.

The EU/UK/Ireland have all acknowledged that the Protocol does need to evolve as issues present themselves as is basic common sense. What the Tories are doing is not in the spirit of co- operation and goodwill as you well know.

Yet again NI has become a pawn in internal Tory politics when there isn’t a single one of them who gives a damn about our lives and what is best for us.

 

[Charlie Sweet]

I believe it to have been Varadkars intention from the very beginning. I too believe that given time the two countries will join at some point, but unfortunately I fear that his plan is pushing it too quickly….

Northern Ireland isn't a country Pete. Nor is it a province or "Ulster'. Its 6 counties - 3 of which are already lost in any popular vote.

It's ironic that Varadkar was at the helm when this came up. Dont be foold - he's actually a pretty standard Irish Conservative from a long line of them.

 

[Drumblue]

The U.K. supports the GFA….

The ‘deal’ needs to work for NI, ROI, rest of the U.K. and EU. and tbh, with goodwill it should. Unfortunately the way that the EU are applying it means it’s not working for the rest of the U.K. nor parts of NI. Now we all know that both the EU and ROI have done this to try and force NI into the ROI and to punish the UK for their own reasons. It really wouldn’t take a lot of effort to come to a sensible accommodation but the ROI and EU are sticking to their agenda’s. Now unfortunately for both of them the ‘deal’ contains article 16, the same article that the EU tried to invoke to stop Covid vaccine going into NI. So the U.K. will invoke the article within the parameters of the agreement and within the law. The EU will be upset and the ROI will be upset, but tbh they are doing nothing to ease the situation because they still want to punish the U.K…..

EU have never invoked article 16 threatened to invoke it ..yes!