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12-04-2021, 05:41 PM
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UK backing down on the NI protocol

Talks began a fortnight ago after relations with the EU reached a low point, with Brussels launching legal action against the UK for taking a unilateral decision to extend the grace period for checks on supermarket goods going from Great Britain to Northern Ireland.

A cabinet source played down the row, claiming the dispute was a result of an unfortunate “mismatch in the communications last month”. This reflects revived urgent efforts to sort out the situation and a recognition in London that a joint approach is the way forward.

This is a change in policy from February when*Michael Gove demanded the protocol be delayed until 2023.

Last week the Northern Ireland secretary, Brandon Lewis, told political parties in Belfast that the protocol would not be scrapped, despite demands by the Democratic Unionist party and others, and seven consecutive nights of*violence in Northern Ireland.
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12-04-2021, 05:56 PM
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Re: UK backing down on the NI protocol

Here is the report in full (it's from the Guardian).

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/...rthern-ireland
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12-04-2021, 06:01 PM
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Re: UK backing down on the NI protocol

Originally Posted by Bread ->
Here is the report in full (it's from the Guardian).

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/...rthern-ireland
For those who prefer the finacial times, they report it too. https://www.ft.com/content/8aad1abc-...IND_Brexit_CDP
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12-04-2021, 06:50 PM
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Re: UK backing down on the NI protocol

Originally Posted by Solasch ->
A cabinet source played down the row, claiming the dispute was a result of an unfortunate “mismatch in the communications last month”. This reflects revived urgent efforts to sort out the situation and a recognition in London that a joint approach is the way forward.
Thanks for the interesting link. I wonder if more than 1 person in the cabinet can agree in calling it an "unfortunate mismatch in the communications last month".

There was an unfortunate mismatch in the communications in February when EU officials debated about invoking article 16. That was not seen as an unfortunate communication in the UK, remember? It was regarded as actually having invoked the article.
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12-04-2021, 07:00 PM
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Re: UK backing down on the NI protocol

Originally Posted by 7779311 ->
Thanks for the interesting link. I wonder if more than 1 person in the cabinet can agree in calling it an "unfortunate mismatch in the communications last month".

There was an unfortunate mismatch in the communications in February when EU officials debated about invoking article 16. That was not seen as an unfortunate communication in the UK, remember? It was regarded as actually having invoked the article.
I don't think breaking the GFA could be interpreted as a "breakdown in communications" by anyone.

The government are perfectly in their own right to extend the grace period if they wish, it seems to me the EU got mighty upset and it was them who came back to the UK to try and resolve a permanent solution. The UK unilaterally extending the grace period would be politically damaging to the EU because it would expose them for causing the problems in the first place, as it has done.
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12-04-2021, 07:07 PM
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Re: UK backing down on the NI protocol

Originally Posted by Bread ->
I don't think breaking the GFA could be interpreted as a "breakdown in communications" by anyone.

The government are perfectly in their own right to extend the grace period if they wish, it seems to me the EU got mighty upset and it was them who came back to the UK to try and resolve a permanent solution. The UK unilaterally extending the grace period would be politically damaging to the EU because it would expose them for causing the problems in the first place, as it has done.
Indeed, the british are neither grateful nor graceful.

Quote:”UK-EU talks aimed at resolving Brexit’s Northern Ireland protocol are “constructive” but “significant differences remain”, No 10 has said.”


The NI Protocol is part of the Withdrawal Agreement which Johnson has called his “oven ready deal”. This is the agreement Iain Duncan Smith didn’t want to scrutinize, when he stated that Members of the House "had more than 100 hours in committee over the last 3 and a half years ... If there is anything about this arrangement that we have not now debated, thrashed to death, I would love to know what it is."

How can there be any problems? Implementing the NI Protocol should be the easiest thing in the world.

Or – perish the thought – was johnson lying through his teeth just to become PM?
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12-04-2021, 07:18 PM
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Re: UK backing down on the NI protocol

Originally Posted by Bread ->
Here is the report in full (it's from the Guardian).

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/...rthern-ireland
And exclusively for jbr, the belfast telegraph says this:

https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/n...-40301624.html
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12-04-2021, 07:28 PM
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Re: UK backing down on the NI protocol

Originally Posted by Solasch ->
Indeed, the british are neither grateful nor graceful.

Quote:”UK-EU talks aimed at resolving Brexit’s Northern Ireland protocol are “constructive” but “significant differences remain”, No 10 has said.”


The NI Protocol is part of the Withdrawal Agreement which Johnson has called his “oven ready deal”. This is the agreement Iain Duncan Smith didn’t want to scrutinize, when he stated that Members of the House "had more than 100 hours in committee over the last 3 and a half years ... If there is anything about this arrangement that we have not now debated, thrashed to death, I would love to know what it is."

How can there be any problems? Implementing the NI Protocol should be the easiest thing in the world.

Or – perish the thought – was johnson lying through his teeth just to become PM?

We grossly underestimated the dishonesty of the EU, that's why.

Other countries are taking note.
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12-04-2021, 07:37 PM
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Re: UK backing down on the NI protocol

Originally Posted by Bread ->
We grossly underestimated the dishonesty of the EU, that's why.

Other countries are taking note.
Probably, all the more reason to hand you no special favours (yes, I know that is not common practice in britain), but to stick to the rules that also apply to other third countries. In common speak, britain is no more special than other countries. You should wish not otherwise.
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12-04-2021, 08:21 PM
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Re: UK backing down on the NI protocol

Originally Posted by Bread ->
We grossly underestimated the dishonesty of the EU, that's why.
.
Apologies make cynical history, but Boris Johnson has a big one to make, and fast. He must apologise to Northern Ireland’s unionists that he did not mean it last year when he*pledged “no border”*down the Irish Sea. As the Good Friday agreement negotiator, Jonathan Powell, wrote on Sunday,*this was a lie. Johnson had just told the Irish government that the Good Friday deal held and there would be no border on the island of Ireland. Given Britain’s intention to leave the EU’s customs union, the two statements were incompatible, and Johnson knew it. Every truck on the Belfast ferry knows it, too.

Boris Johnson was not honest about the Irish border. What is he going to do about it? https://www.theguardian.com/commenti...eland-politics
 
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