Has the backstop back-fired on Ireland? | 69 comments (69 topical, editorial, 0 hidden)

Who put these idiots in charge? (none / 1)

Nobody in Ireland (or at least v.v. few) want the violence to return, or even to use the threat of violence as a bargaining chip in the Brexit negotiations. But it wasn't Irish people who put the border back on the agenda by their wanton disregard of the effect of Brexit on Ireland and the flippant reference to "new technology" as a means to solve all problems.

The DUP knew well enough the potential of Brexit to restart the culture and sectarian wars in N. Ireland, but carried on regardless even after Brexit had been decisively defeated in the referendum in N. Ireland. Theresa May either didn't know or didn't care what the effect of aligning herself with the DUP would have on the politics of the island, and consequently on her negotiations with the EU.

If the outcome is a "no deal" Brexit all these chickens will come home to roost. Ongoing conflict between the UK and EU, a possible trade war, economic decline in the UK, political instability in N. Ireland, and perhaps a return to violence. Who put these idiots in charge?

Is It Derry or Londonderry?

Index of Frank's Diaries

by Frank Schnittger (mail Frankschnittger at hot male dotty communists) on Tue Jan 22nd, 2019 at 12:10:12 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Who put these idiots in charge? (4.00 / 3)

Let's remember that any Brexit, no matter how soft, undermines the peace process because it removes the shared layer of EU citizenship.

Whoops.

by Colman (colman at eurotrib.com) on Tue Jan 22nd, 2019 at 12:43:00 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Who put these idiots in charge? (none / 1)

And yet many, although by no means all, Northern Unionists were happy enough to ditch that shared citizenship, presumably because they were not pushed about sharing anything political with nationalists at all... even where it did not impact on their precious Union with Great Britain.

Index of Frank's Diaries

by Frank Schnittger (mail Frankschnittger at hot male dotty communists) on Tue Jan 22nd, 2019 at 01:30:06 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Who put these idiots in charge? (4.00 / 2)

Sure, because they miss the fucking civil war. Their glory days.

by Colman (colman at eurotrib.com) on Tue Jan 22nd, 2019 at 01:59:05 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Who put these idiots in charge? (4.00 / 5)

And yet many, although by no means all, Northern Unionists were happy enough to ditch that shared citizenship ....

[As I expect you are aware], some "signifcant" unionists (strangely) recognised the value of continued EU citizenship in 2016, despite campaiging for 'Leave'.

Apply for Irish passport if you can, advises DUP MP Ian Paisley

Pity about their subsequent actions and of their friends.

by oldremainmer48 on Tue Jan 22nd, 2019 at 06:04:03 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Schizophrenia (4.00 / 2)

There is a syndrome, perhaps best described as political Schizophrenia, whereby Unionists, and even hard line unionists, see no contradiction between lambasting nationalists and the Republic at every opportunity, and yet send their kids to Trinity College Dublin, go to rugby matches in Dublin, and generally spend quite a lot of their business and leisure time "down south".

Most are uncomfortably aware that the south is thriving economically while the North is stagnating, and that their favourite stereotyping of the south as a priest ridden papal fiefdom is increasingly out of date. But never let the facts get in the way of a good slogan or a bit of "other bashing". Brexiteer bashing of the EU is very tame by comparison.

Index of Frank's Diaries

by Frank Schnittger (mail Frankschnittger at hot male dotty communists) on Tue Jan 22nd, 2019 at 09:10:53 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Has the backstop back-fired on Ireland? | 69 comments (69 topical, 0 editorial, 0 hidden)

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