Politics Today

[angelic upstart]

They really don’t.
I’m getting the feeling that Brussels is almost revelling in the difficultly the U.K. Government is currently having over GB/NI trade in its dealings with the loyalist side in NI.
You don’t play politics in NI, you find pragmatic solutions that both sides of the divide can accept and move forward with.

Margeret Thatcher found the most pragmatic solutions in NI?

It wasn't til John Major put some hours in, anything happened with NI. He was roundly derided at the time. The subsequent labour government built on that good work to find a solution that has mostly endured until today.

 

[Trapdoor]

You don’t play politics in NI, you find pragmatic solutions that both sides of the divide can accept and move forward with.

Pragmatism? That's pretty rich coming from one of the main protagonists of the brexiteer echo chamber that is this thread.
Brexit is entirely unpragmatic, in every possible regard. We've cut our nose off to spite our face, don't now start crying that you can't smell.

 

[Alistair20000]

They really don’t.
I’m getting the feeling that Brussels is almost revelling in the difficultly the U.K. Government is currently having over GB/NI trade in its dealings with the loyalist side in NI.
You don’t play politics in NI, you find pragmatic solutions that both sides of the divide can accept and move forward with.

Having beaten us up over the sanctity of the GFA, peace in Norn Iron etc during the Brexit withdrawal negotiations there is no excuse for the failure of the EU to understand this issue. The quite staggering reaction and the the screeching U turn the other day say all one needs to know about the shortcomings of the EU.

 

[tavyred]

Pragmatism? That's pretty rich coming from one of the main protagonists of the brexiteer echo chamber that is this thread.
Brexit is entirely unpragmatic, in every possible regard. We've cut our nose off to spite our face, don't now start crying that you can't smell.

Brexit is what it is, how you deal with its ramifications is where the pragmatism comes in.
For example, allowing NI to remain in the EU single market and customs union was the pragmatic choice considering the political sensitivities over there, the same is true when you come to NI and it’s trade with the rest of the UK.
BTW, I think this thread is fairly evenly split when it’s comes to the Brexit argument, it might even be slightly more anti Brexit than pro. No problem with that personally.

 

[Trapdoor]

So you expect other people to display pragmatism when it suits you but that rule doesnt apply to brexit itself? Get real.

If you think the EU dont have a right to be as obstinate and as difficult as possible towards the UK you are living in cloud cuckoo land. These are the laws YOU voted for. Put your pragmatism hat on and deal with it.

 

[elginCity]

Interesting interjection from Martin the Irish PM last night. Ireland has concerns that the rhetoric from Brussels needs to be dialled down a bit when it comes to its dealings with the U.K.
As with its faux pas over the Irish border last week, I don’t think the mandarins in the EU commission quite get that politics in NI are fraught with danger and its best to tread gently over there.

“I think the rhetoric of the last couple of days we need to dial down. We need to come back and have calm engagement here and be pragmatic about this,” Martin told Today FM radio, adding “pragmatism and common sense” should be applied to trading arrangements.

No mention of Brussels specifically, Tavares. He could equally have been referring to Gove, and his belligerent letter to the EU.

You're becoming ever more desperate to justify this ongoing clownfest, by deflecting 'blame' onto the EU. Sad, really.

 

[elginCity]

The Irish border and the GFA was always a trumped up argument to try to persuade us to cancel Brexit. Just replay all the urgings of Tusk and Barnier related thereto. Even if there were a border with customs checks was that really going to lead to the Irish going back to violence and killing each other ?

Having beaten us up over the sanctity of the GFA, peace in Norn Iron etc during the Brexit withdrawal negotiations there is no excuse for the failure of the EU to understand this issue....

So, it's all the fault of the EU and its failure to understand this issue. OK, Al.

 

[Alistair20000]

So, it's all the fault of the EU and its failure to understand this issue. OK, Al.

As the EU did not accept the force of my first post that you quoted the second post follows on as a matter of course.

But do carry on your love affair with the EU. Each to his own.

 

[tavyred]

No mention of Brussels specifically, Tavares. He could equally have been referring to Gove, and his belligerent letter to the EU.

You're becoming ever more desperate to justify this ongoing clownfest, by deflecting 'blame' onto the EU. Sad, really.

Brexit: Micheál Martin calls on 'big beasts' of EU to 'cool it'

Micheál Martin says Ireland risks being "collateral damage" in the UK-EU post-Brexit relationship.

www.bbc.co.uk

You’re right Elgy, Martin has indeed called on both sides too cool it, although this BBC story suggests a specific worry about the “Big beasts of the EU”.

The only desperation I see is from you and others desperate for your ‘I told you so’ moment.
The EU Commission has probably had its worst fortnight in its history, only fair that one of its many detractors like me confronts you with its ongoing uselessness.

 

[Trapdoor]

Blue passports and fishing rights. -4% total GDP, increased cost of living and more barriers to jobs. In the age of globalisation and the internet, only the truly uneducated and exploitative would support such things. But I'm alright jack, I'm happy enough to watch the turkeys who voted for Christmas get their just desserts.