Northern Ireland Protocol
Posted: Thu Jul 22, 2021 4:41 pm
So yesterday the Brits said they wanted to rewrite the agreed Northern Irish Protocol:
And today the EU has expressed a bit more than exasperation:
Like all things Brexit there is no solution to this that keeps everybody happy, somebody is going to have to compromise.
The EU? Hardly likely because they cannot be seen to allow departing members call the shots over the interests of existing members. If the EU don't back Ireland on this, what's the point of the EU.
The DUP/Unionists? Hardly likely, there whole raison d'être is in being uncompromising.
The Brits? Hardly likely, because Boris et al cannot be seen to be bullied by Europe.
So how does this pan out? I'm worried that it will be Ireland that's forced into some sort of compromise, we are back channelled into agreeing with something, so the EU can say "We back Ireland to the hilt, so if they're happy we're happy".
No idea what sort of compromise we might be encouraged to suck up though.
https://www.theguardian.com/politics/20 ... t-protocolEU officials expressed exasperation at the UK’s move, unveiled in a 28-page command paper by the Brexit minister, David Frost, on Wednesday. He told peers the protocol was unsustainable and said the UK “cannot go on as we are” given the “ongoing febrile political climate” in Northern Ireland
And today the EU has expressed a bit more than exasperation:
https://www.irishtimes.com/news/world/e ... -1.4627717European Union chief Ursula von der Leyen has rejected Boris Johnson’s plea to renegotiate the post-Brexit deal on Northern Ireland after a phone call with the prime minister.
The European Commission president said on Thursday that Brussels will “be creative and flexible” over the Northern Ireland protocol “but we will not renegotiate”.
Like all things Brexit there is no solution to this that keeps everybody happy, somebody is going to have to compromise.
The EU? Hardly likely because they cannot be seen to allow departing members call the shots over the interests of existing members. If the EU don't back Ireland on this, what's the point of the EU.
The DUP/Unionists? Hardly likely, there whole raison d'être is in being uncompromising.
The Brits? Hardly likely, because Boris et al cannot be seen to be bullied by Europe.
So how does this pan out? I'm worried that it will be Ireland that's forced into some sort of compromise, we are back channelled into agreeing with something, so the EU can say "We back Ireland to the hilt, so if they're happy we're happy".
No idea what sort of compromise we might be encouraged to suck up though.