N. Ireland Protocol receives democratic mandate | 20 comments (19 topical, 1 editorial, 0 hidden)

Useful idiots (4.00 / 2)

Fintan O'Toole finally gets the message about what is really at stake over the protocol conflict: Truss's latest take on NI protocol reveals what is really going on.

Basically his take on Truss' recent speech is that she wants to use N. Ireland as a back door for southern hemisphere food conglomerates into the Single market. She is trying to negotiate trade deals with them and has few carrots to offer, so she is offering back door access to the Single Market in return for "Global Britain's" access to their markets.

Surprisingly, the Commission is not enamoured with the idea... Neither should N. Ireland farmers be too keen on the idea if they weren't so blinded by their need to maintain their "British" identity. This was never about N. Ireland or its best interests. The UK government can't afford N. Ireland to succeed while the rest of the UK fails for lack of access to markets. That might show up the fallacy of Brexit.

But as usual, the UK government can rely on the DUP to act as useful idiots.

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by Frank Schnittger (mail Frankschnittger at hot male dotty communists) on Tue May 17th, 2022 at 04:09:27 PM EST

Re: Useful idiots (none / 1)

Frustratingly, the Irish Times seems to have switched to a "zero free articles" policy.

_{It is rightly acknowledged that people of faith have no monopoly of virtue
- Queen Elizabeth II}

by eurogreen on Wed May 18th, 2022 at 06:08:17 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Useful idiots (none / 0)

I didn't know that. I have a policy of publishing relevant excerpts or giving a summary of the gist of an article rather than just plastering links about the place, so I hope that helps.

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by Frank Schnittger (mail Frankschnittger at hot male dotty communists) on Wed May 18th, 2022 at 08:07:15 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Useful idiots (none / 1)

It's huge, if it's true, so if you have anything concrete to back up O'Toole's hypothesis, I'm interested...
I suppose it's beef from Australia and milk products from New Zealand he's talking about, but it's so outrageous that it would never get off the ground (and might lead to the formation of a EU navy, in order to establish the necessary physical blocade, which would seem to be the obvious tactical negotiating response)

_{It is rightly acknowledged that people of faith have no monopoly of virtue
- Queen Elizabeth II}

by eurogreen on Wed May 18th, 2022 at 08:13:51 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Useful idiots (none / 0)

One of the major benefits of Brexit, and reason for leaving the SM and CU, was to be rid of the EU expensive food policy and able to import freely from much cheaper third world and antipodean producers. British agriculture will be destroyed, but is only a very small % of GDP and essentially doesn't matter to Tories who prefer to use the countryside for hunting shooting and horse riding. It is relatively much more important to the NI economy and dominated bu unionist landowners who don't seem to have gotten that message even though the Tories only promised to maintain CAP level subsidies for the lifetime of this parliament. I expect a sea change in their attitudes when those subsidies reduce or stop and they are competing against CAP subsidised southern Irish farmers who will retain access to the UK market.

Index of Frank's Diaries

by Frank Schnittger (mail Frankschnittger at hot male dotty communists) on Wed May 18th, 2022 at 08:23:52 AM EST
[ Parent ]

N. Ireland Protocol receives democratic mandate | 20 comments (19 topical, 1 editorial, 0 hidden)

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