The now-enacted will of (some of) the people

[darrenm]

Just wait for no 10 to contradict this

[LondonLax]

Presuming this means some sort of deal can now be announced after Johnson rides in personally to save the talks?

[darrenm]

As far as I can tell, the international law breaking bits in the internal market bill were mainly around the Irish border. That we would renege on the backstop if we wanted to.

Now we've said "actually, we'll keep the backstop in place and not make any domestic law which allows us to break the agreement"

So, we've just gone back to putting the border in the Irish sea? With the DUP out of the way, Johnson has that option.

Unless we have a customs union and pretty much all of the freedoms of the EU internal market, there has to be some border infrastructure required. Which is a no-no to Ireland, the EU, the USA and the Good Friday Agreement. So basically not going to happen.

Great Britain will be left with divergence to the EU on everything and will have a Canada style FTA. Ireland and Northern Ireland will be in the EU together. Effectively reunifying the island of Ireland.

Or have I got this wrong?

[Enda]

39 minutes ago, darrenm said:

Great Britain will be left with divergence to the EU on everything and will have a Canada style FTA. Ireland and Northern Ireland will be in the EU together. Effectively reunifying the island of Ireland.

Or have I got this wrong?

[ml1dch]

1 hour ago, LondonLax said:

Presuming this means some sort of deal can now be announced after Johnson rides in personally to save the talks?

One way of looking at it. Alternatively, Gove is making himself look diplomatic and statesmanlike before Johnson still doesn't concede on the main point, thus collapsing the talks anyway.

Making it more of a Gove hatchet-job on Johnson rather than the party rallying-round to give Johnson the moment of victory.

Precedent would point more in the direction of this reading.

[OutByEaster?]

Would it not be easier to just give Northern Ireland back?

It's been nothing but trouble since we got it.

 

[Enda]

Just now, OutByEaster? said:

Would it not be easier to just give Northern Ireland back?

It's been nothing but trouble since we got it.

You’ve had it since the Elizabethan conquests. ‘Bout time you gave it back!

Not being silly, but it’s not GB’s decision anymore. One of the quiet bits of the Good Friday Agreement is confirmation that NI’s status is a decision for NI. This has always been assumed to mean the removal of London’s veto, but I suppose it works the other way too.

[ml1dch]

17 minutes ago, Enda said:

Not being silly, but it’s not GB’s decision anymore. One of the quiet bits of the Good Friday Agreement is confirmation that NI’s status is a decision for NI. This has always been assumed to mean the removal of London’s veto, but I suppose it works the other way too.

But also, isn't the trigger to make that happen at the behest of the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, at the point that (s)he feels a vote would result in reunification?

So while they may not explicitly have a veto, the decision for the wheels to be set in motion or not is still made in London.

Edited December 8, 2020 by ml1dch

[StefanAVFC]

 

[Enda]

12 minutes ago, ml1dch said:

But also, isn't the trigger to make that happen at the behest of the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, at the point that (s)he feels a vote would result in reunification?

So while they may not explicitly have a veto, the decision for the wheels to be set in motion or not is still made in London.

Correct. It’s an awkwardly worded compromise when the SoS must trigger a referendum when she believes it would pass.

[Wainy316]

Given Northern Ireland back, offer British Citizenship for anyone there that wants it.  Tell them they should be grateful considering their accents are nowhere near as pleasant as their Southern Counterparts.  

The End.

[Chindie]

32 minutes ago, StefanAVFC said:

 

All going to plan.

Pip pip.

[Amsterdam_Neil_D]

A bit cynical from me but The EU leader is relatively new to the Job & Boris has had a nightmare recently.

Could just be a optics exercise.  The 2 top people get involved and a few days later,  amazing,   a deal.

 I'm sure this meeting is planned a while ago,  seems odd they have spare days to spare in their jobs. 

...I don't trust anything anymore 

[Amsterdam_Neil_D]

1 hour ago, Wainy316 said:

Given Northern Ireland back

In terms of the EU and trade I have a oven ready idea,  wouldn't it be easier for the UK to take the Southern bit of Ireland as well,  then everyone is happy and no border at all to worry about,  Call it Great Ireland ?

tis a joke 

[Enda]

7 minutes ago, Amsterdam_Neil_D said:

In terms of the EU and trade I have a oven ready idea,  wouldn't it be easier for the UK to take the Southern bit of Ireland as well,  then everyone is happy and no border at all to worry about,  Call it Great Ireland ?

tis a joke 

As you’ve clearly shown yourselves incapable of self-government, it would be far more humane for Ireland to subsume GB.

[OutByEaster?]

1 hour ago, Enda said:

As you’ve clearly shown yourselves incapable of self-government, it would be far more humane for Ireland to subsume GB.

With our expert negotiating team you'll end up with Wales and some fish.

[Mark Albrighton]

 

[HanoiVillan]

Can't help but be reminded of this classic moment:

[Davkaus]

46 minutes ago, Mark Albrighton said:

 

I can't even laugh at this anymore. These rocket polishers has secured power by appealing to morons. There's no logic for this. There's no sovereignty. There are no considerable upsides. There is no £350m per week for the NHS. They've harmed the future prosperity of the UK and the opportunity for its people, to appeal to a part of the demographic to secure election wins, and now trumpet the benefits of the EU to people in NI. It's absurd. And we may never recover to be in as strong a position as we were before this madness started, **** the tories. 

Edited December 8, 2020 by Davkaus

[snowychap]