I've Said It All Along...put The Backstop In The North Channel

[DTCwordfan]

What Boris has been discussing with Ireland and the DUMPs.

Put the Backstop in the North Channel

More control over shipped goods
Aircraft - well today we have to show ID so what's the difference?
Potentially a bridge.causeway to be built - okay its 21 miles, relatively deep in the middle, old bombs and munitions but that's surely insumountable, Boris could cancel HS2 and get better returns on the investment.
Beef up Stormont (once they are back to work) to have some more executive power and give them credibility in front of Dublin and one economic zone.
Makes a hell of a lot of sense

So why all the shenanigans and posturing - just get on with it, Boris (the opposition), Northern Ireland, Dublin and the EU wallahs? Then give us all a rest from bloody Brexit.

Front page of the D-Tel, even more positive than this https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2019/09/11/boris-johnsons-all-ireland-backstop-could-answer-wont-easy/

[Zacs-Master]

'surely insumountable' Yes, DT I suspect it is. ;-)

[mushroom25]

//Beef up Stormont (once they are back to work) //

Stormont is Dormant. if they haven't been able to sort the fall out from the renewable heat scandal in the past 2 years, there's clearly no hope for them.

[ichkeria]

This has been touted before: I couldn’t see the point of it then and I still don’t.
Aside from the unfeasibility of a hideous bridge from the North Antrim coast to the Mull of Kintyre, I don’t see how it solves the political issue. What’s the difference between a border in the Irish Sea and one in the North Channel.
And customs checks halfway across a monstrously long land bridge??

[mushroom25]

//And customs checks halfway across a monstrously long land bridge?? //

why halfway across Ich? do they customs check truck on channel ferries? or on shuttle trains?

[jim360]

DUP object to it, would encourage calls for a united Ireland, etc etc.

Non-starter.

[Ken4155]

Boris has a bridge fetish.

[Zacs-Master]

I think he's burnt all his, Ken.

[ichkeria]

Well checks at either end.
The DUP actually support it: it doesn’t solve the customs issues in any way I can see but it does bring Ireland and the UK physically closer which many like the idea of.
But I don’t think it would be in place before the backstop kicks in.
And look where HS2 is now ...

[ichkeria]

Ireland and GB

[Gromit]

The Republic and Northern Ireland could agree to a localised customs Union. Nothing to do with the EU but an island agreement.
It would just agree to ignore borders and tariffs and carry on as if Brexit hadn’t happened.
If we do have a hard border, the tariffs on either side will be very similar, so it will be pointless anyway.

[Gromit]

While it is not 100% comparable, Cyprus is an island divided between a EU member, and a non-EU member (Northern Turkey). In 2004 the EU made the whole Island part of the EU free trade area, and the Green Line became free of Tariffs.
We should explore a similar approach.

[Old_Geezer]

Should be a non-starter. One doesn't allow external powers force your nation to split, in fact one doesn't even consider putting borders in and treating one part of your nation differently to another. Too much of that sort of thing going on already.

[New Judge]

//The Republic and Northern Ireland could agree to a localised customs Union.//

Could they? I didn't know customs and tariff arrangements were a devolved matter (even if NI had a functioning devolved government).

I agree with OG. There is no reason why a foreign supranational political organisation should insist on a customs barrier to separate one part of a sovereign nation from the rest of it.

[ichkeria]

The PM was suggesting a common agricultural area I think: Gromit’s idea is very sensible but politics, esp in N Ireland, always get in the way of common sense.

[Marshwarble]

And you can keep saying it. It won't happen.

[vetuste_ennemi]

The hard border issue was always yet another contrivance by the EU to bully Britain. With good will on all sides this ought not have been an issue.

Quite disgusting that the Taoseach whose country is potentially the greatest loser in all this prefers to stand brdide big brother Tisk and sneer at his biggest trading partner.

Any Project Fear advocate recocgnise that argument?

[vetuste_ennemi]

...beside...Tusk.

[Gromit]

VE,
We were told that on leaving the EU we could again take control of our borders.
And then when it looks like we are leaving, the British authorities are running away defending our only land border with a foreign country.
And their only reason for not enforcing the border is ‘it is too difficult’.
Before the UK and Ireland joined the EU, we had an open border (apart from during the troubles).
Restoring NI devolved Government would help, but even that is proving very difficult.
Clinton and Mitchel were influential it getting all parties to agree to the Good Friday Agreement. Unfortunately, the present administration in the States are not up to a similar task.

[New Judge]

//And then when it looks like we are leaving, the British authorities are running away defending our only land border with a foreign country.
And their only reason for not enforcing the border is ‘it is too difficult’.//

No it isn't. The answer is as you've gone on to say:

//Before the UK and Ireland joined the EU, we had an open border (apart from during the troubles).//

Apart from during the Troubles there has not been an effective border in Ireland for 100 years. Any border arrangements that were in place were of our choosing and usually in agreement with Ireland. Restoring control of our borders means enforcing them as we choose and the UK does not choose to enforce border controls (from south to north) in Ireland. What Ireland and their EU masters intend to do in the opposite direction is their affair. In fact, if they told the truth, they have no intention of installing a hard border either, making the matter a non-issue which has simply been weaponised by the EU in an attempt to keep us bound to their protectionist institutions.

[tonyav]

Switzerland is surrounded by five EU countries, why no hard borders there ?