Northern Ireland And Brexit

[EDDIE51]

Can anyone explain how this could work.



From the BBC less than an hour ago. Surely as NI is a full part of the UK it can not have a separate arrangement from the rest of us?

[ichkeria]

I suspect the DUP will come on board: I don't see that they have a choice.

[Gromit]

jourdain2
A deal is already done, apart from dotting a few i’s.
The DUP will fall into line, and will not be able to veto over Gibralter
Just hope we don’t get turned over on the trade deals like we have been over the money.

[Gromit]

and *Spain* will not be able to veto over Gibralter

[Old_Geezer]

IMO the DUP are not going to fall into line, and neither should the rest of the UK abandon NI either. As for Gib, Spain try to pull that one and we have to take everything off the table and simply go. Meanwhile we need to replace the duff negotiation team. They're clearly not up to the task.

[davegosling]

"Meanwhile we need to replace the duff negotiation team. They're clearly not up to the task."

On that, at least, we are in complete agreement.

[anneasquith]

I agree OG. " duff negotiation team" they look frantic/shell shocked and that includes Theresa may. Blind leading the blind .

[Old_Geezer]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-42231497

"it would prevent Northern Ireland from leaving the EU "on the same terms" as the rest of the UK. Northern Ireland would effectively have remained in the EU's customs union and single market in all but name."

"Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said that if Northern Ireland was allowed to operate under different rules there was "surely no good practical reason" why other parts of the UK could not do the same - a message echoed by Welsh First Minister Carwyn Jones and London Mayor Sadiq Khan."

"Ireland's Prime Minister Leo Varadkar is understood to have insisted on the clause"

Ah, and there was I thinking that an IRA member had to have been the one making the suggestion to split up the UK and unite Ireland. Turns out it was Leo cynically chancing it under the ridiculous guise of creating a soft border.

The UK has already suggested a better, and probably the only, solution with an open border, as today, but with technology monitoring. But those who only use the issue for their own agendas don't like one that doesn't progress what they really want.

[EDDIE51]

Sorry, but I do not see Spain allowing a deal that means what they consider a part of their own country will leave the EU. They make life as difficult as possible for the thousands of Gib citizens who cross the border into Spain every day to go to work anyway, with hours of queues for unnecessary checks If Gib is out of the EU they will make it impossible. Every single one of the 37 EU states MUST individually agree any deal or it fails, so Spain definitely can and will veto the deal unless we give them Gibralter.
Also if Northern Ireland is allowed an arrangement that in practice means that the EEC and customs union can be ignored then Scotland, Wales and London are going to insist on the same deal. The BBC said as much last night.
The BBC also said that there are only two options, the entire UK stays in the EEC and customs union but leaves the EU. Or we abandon leaving the EU altogether. I stress that was what I understood the BBC news report to mean it is NOT my thoughts. Which as you all know is to stay fully in the EU.

[dannyk13]

Eddie which are the ten states who have recently joined the EU?

[Old_Geezer]

If the BBC said that there are only two options then the BBC are writing nonsense.

Surely all are well aware that entire UK can leave the EEC and the customs union (unless the near impossible happens and the EU changes the rules for the union to something more reasonable and trade block oriented - i.e. no 4 impositions, in which case we can debate staying).

The negotiations were supposed to be a change to agree something better for the future, but no one but the UK seems interested. They either bog things down with ransom payments or decide to use border issues for their own ends. Adding control of Gibraltar and Northern Ireland to the ransom isn't going to progress anything.

[Old_Geezer]

... be a CHANCE to... !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[jourdain2]

Thanks EDDIE.

[EDDIE51]

OK, sorry typo , it's 27 states , but they MUST all independently debate it in their own parliaments and then agree or the entire deal fails and we are back to square one. Just ONE failure to agree and the entire deal falls.
Allow Northern Ireland a special relationship of any sort and we MUST also allow Scotland, Wales and London ( plus probably Cambridgeshire) the same relationship. That will be interesting, I live just 20 yards from the Cambridgeshire / Hertfordshire border, and North Hertfordshire voted remain as well.