Thursday , March 28 2024

Tag Archives: Northern Ireland

Backstop revisited

The new Prime Minister has taken the stance that negotiations for withdrawing from the EU can not start until the EU removes the back stop. The main players in the EU insist that the Withdrawal Agreement (WA) can not be re-opened, therefore the backstop can not be withdrawn. What does it all …

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Against the Northern Ireland (Executive Formation) Bill

This speech was originally made by the author in the House of Lords on 10 July 2019 My Lords, the noble Lord, Lord Cormack, has reminded us of his own deep commitment to devolution, and it is one that I share. In his remarks responding to the Minister earlier, the …

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The EU is pushing the UK towards a No-Deal Brexit

In what seems like Groundhog day, we have had more rude attacks on the UK from its supposed “friends”in the EU. First, Donald Tusk said that Brexiteers belong in hell, in which Guy Verhofstadt chimed in with further insults. They were then followed by Jean-Claude Juncker sharing the contents of a …

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Northern Ireland is no one’s backstop

The treatment of Northern Ireland in the context of the negotiations between the EU and the UK has shown the inconsistency of the EU’s position with regard to nationalism. The EU rightly condemned Crimea’s secession from Ukraine and reunification with Russia. This was not so much because the referendum that …

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Plan B for Brexit

Any “Plan B” for Brexit must take account of the Referendum result.  The 2016 EU Referendum in the UK was held to determine whether the UK desired to Remain in or Leave the European Union. The result of the Referendum was a convincing majority to Leave the EU in England …

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Bank of England gives Green Light to WTO Brexit

Coverage in the media of the fact that the Belfast Agreement does NOT specify open borders with frictionless trade in Ireland has been entirely suppressed (read the Belfast Agreement here if you don’t know this) and the news that the Bank of England has calculated that a WTO Brexit with a 21 …

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She betrays what they fought for

A week ago we commemorated the 100th anniversary of the ending of the First World War. Theresa May laid wreaths on the graves of those who had defended the freedom and democracy of our country while knowing that she intended to surrender both of them. For this alone she must go. …

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The EU Withdrawal Agreement – Full Facts

Many people will have noticed that there has been very little discussion of the contents of the withdrawal agreement between the UK and EU.  Here is a link to the snappily named: “Draft Agreement on the withdrawal of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland from the European Union and …

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I worry about Ireland and this damned EU.

I had a chat earlier with a pal who’d have been reared on the “other side” of the Northern Ireland political divide from myself. Discussing the likely reaction of the Irish to mass immigration, should the EU decide to dump on them next on a large scale, as suggested in …

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Lee v. Ashers Baking Company, A Victory Against Compelled Speech

Today saw a victory against compelled speech and authoritarian government, but fewer and fewer voices on the Left are in the mood to celebrate The Supreme Court of the United Kingdom handed down a decision in Lee v Ashers Baking Company Ltd, the UK’s equivalent of the Masterpiece Cakeshop case in the United …

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No Surrender!

Another day, another cave by Theresa May. Today, it appears that Theresa May is willing to keep the entire UK bound in perpetuity to the EU Customs Union.  It also appears the Prime Minister has plans to betray her allies in the DUP and Northern Ireland by having EU regulations …

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The Northern Ireland Border Issue – The ERG Report

The Government has proposed that the UK should be subject to the full EU Customs Union rules for the trade in goods so that goods can flow between NI and the Republic of Ireland exactly as they do at present.  Is it necessary for the UK to stay in the …

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Considering Project Fear’s No Deal Brexit Plans

Earlier last week, we found out that May had finally decided to get planning for a No Deal Brexit. This was something Brexiteers were very eager for – everybody felt that now, after two years, perhaps we could finally get somewhere and achieve what we had voted for. Perhaps now …

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Solving The Northern Irish Border Problem After Brexit

There will be no border in Northern Ireland which means customs dues will need to be collected elsewhere.  The simplest solution is for customs dues to be declared as part of a quarterly return by Northern Ireland businesses.  Perhaps VAT liable NI businesses could make a return as part of …

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We’ve survived worse

It looks very much as if the Chequers deal has been rejected by M. Barnier. So Theresa May’s softest of soft Brexits isn’t enough. A plan that has outraged much of the Conservative Party, most Brexiteers and caused the resignation of any number of ministers still doesn’t satisfy the EU. …

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With friends like these

I spent my childhood watching reports from Northern Ireland about bombings, punishment beating and prisoners on hunger strike. Most nights the BBC news would have something about some latest horror. The people living in Northern Ireland suffered more than anyone else. It didn’t matter who you were. There was the …

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