EdgeCase wrote: » If they're insisting on having a Brexit and want a special status for NI, the DUP are the only stumbling block really. They won't allow any kind of pragmatic arrangements for NI and its their red line that's preventing an exit from the EU. So really all of this goes back to Mrs May and her government's refusal to accept reality. Going into bed with the DUP has tied them to a single side of the Northern Irish political world. My view of it is that if the UK wants to Brexit, give NI a poll not on a border (too controversial) but on having special status that effectively would give them a version of the status quo. If the DUP tried to block it, they're not letting their own people speak.
robinph wrote: » Getting into bed with any party from NI in order to try to resolve an issue that they should have already known was mostly going to revolve around issues to do with NI/ Ireland is one of the most monumentally stupid things ever done. It makes the Brexit secretary not realising that the Dover - Calais route was actually quite important or calling a snap election that they manage to lose despite winning seem like really clever things.
MarkHenderson wrote: » A hard Brexit is now looking like the most likely outcome but our government fails totally in it's plan to prepare. We need action now.
Leroy42 wrote: » They want to move away from a dying Europe and open up the UK to the wider world, a world that is growing.
Metroid diorteM wrote: » It seems to me (please rapidly correct me if I’m way off), that if we the Irish were to agree that we would erect a “light border” in the north, this might serve to reduce the backstop issue and the UK could have a soft brexit instead of a complete crash out resulting in our need to put up a full border anyway.
Amprodude wrote: » A hard border is going to cost more.
Leroy42 wrote: » Guy Verhofstadt has come out and tweeted that any A50 extension would be limited to short of the European Elections (May I believe, not sure of the date).https://twitter.com/guyverhofstadt/status/1085458645280788482 The other thing to note is the language. "The mess". Clearly the EU is totally fed up with the whole thing. I would read this, and other statements, as very much the EU sending out the signal that they are not going to compromise so that the promised last minute deal of the likes of Davis, is simply not going to happen.
nc6000 wrote: » Great, how are we going to pay for that?
downcow wrote: » I think you’ll find that currently in the Eu we don’t have any choice but to drink chlorinated water
Call me Al wrote: » I think the ROI are working on the expectation that things will deteriorate significantly quicker for the UK in the event of a no deal. The difficulties we will have here 're a border or customs checks will be nothing in comparison with the cross-channel border through which the bulk of their economy is maintained. This situation will force the British gov't back to Brussels asking for help. I'd imagine the value of the backstop to the ordinary English voter would pale into insignificance under those circumstances.
Zubeneschamali wrote: » This is really tiresome. When Corbyn says: “Labour believes that a general election would be the best outcome for the country if this deal is rejected tonight.” he is literally repeating Labour policy, which I just stated. Slanting this as "Corbyn offers no hope to Remainers" is just more anti-Corbyn propaganda. Only if the No Confidence vote fails does the policy support a referendum, and Corbyn is not going to pivot to that unless and until the vote actually does fail.
Metroid diorteM wrote: » Right but unless UK remains, a gradual hard border is better than an instant hard border. The EU might be happier with a soft border soft brexit than hard border hard brexit. It’d be crap for the north but maybe they should start asking for a border poll cos right now it’s looking bad for them
An Ciarraioch wrote: » Not quite - the GFA says that if there is to be a Border poll, then it has to be held both North and South simultaneously:https://www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/explainers/irish-reunification
Leroy42 wrote: » No, we have cancelled our territorial claim to NI as part of the GFA and only the UK can trigger a vote.
Itssoeasy wrote: » What was Arlene foster saying yesterday about there not being a hard border on this island before ? I didn't see it live and I've seen a clip(so possibly not getting the full picture) but she was saying it was to keep out cemtex and terrorism(which it didn't stop btw) I found it all very strange and just goes to show how some sections of both the British political class are just not getting brexit and what it entails.
Metroid diorteM wrote: » Don’t we get a say in when there’s a border poll? The north voted against brexit
LeinsterDub wrote: » The hypocritics of the Tories are on the floor now. Somehow arguing that a government which was absolutely destroyed yesterday and who's leader only 2/3 has support of her own members have full confidence in the government and TM.
Professor Moriarty wrote: » Here is former British Prime Minister John Major on what a hard border would mean for Ireland: “A hard border, now or at the end of a long transition period or at any time would be disastrous. Peace isn’t secure, it never is and any new border would be a focus for the wild men on the fringes to reactivate old disputes and hatreds that should be laid to rest forever.”
