I am thinking EU should lift their backstop demand (Irish MNers?)

[YeOldeTrout]

Bear with me, I'm a rabid pro-EU person & Remainer, actually.

But if UK leaves on 'No Deal' we're going to have hard border in Ireland from 29/30 March 2019, anyway. If EU allows removal of backstop, there's (how ever long) transition period of UK abiding by GFA and no hard border, until end 2020 or end 2021 maybe. GFA may be screwed over after that given the parlous talents of UK to negotiate with EU, but at least there's a few extra yrs of peace and stability in Ireland first.

I know it's not EU policy to be like children 'kick the can down the road', but it's the lesser of evils, if removing Backstop demand could get WA approved by UK Parliament now.

EU will only lift Backstop if Ireland agrees. Would Ireland prefer hard-border. Is EU too proud? EU should only do this with mega-plans about supporting Ireland in threatened legal action of GFA violated at end of transition period.

Thoughts from Irish (including Norn) MNers?

In the U.K. we have motorways and what we all A roads which are used by trucks. These are where the info readers would be installed.
It is in the EUs interest to see this go badly to discourage other countries from leaving. And as above the dup have to be seen to take their stance.

@Silkie2 , no other country has the border issue we have - Gibraltar/Spain notwithstanding. Anyone correct me if I am wrong?
Any other country could leave via the A50 route without this problem arising. It is not the E.U. playing fake hardball to discourage other countries from leaving. It is our international agreement with Ireland via GFA. Which was ratified by the will of the people in a referendum. Only they were Irish people in Ireland so it would seem their will isn't as important.

If you put any reader up in NI you are
a) breaking an international agreement (great for your reputation as a dealmaker); and
b) making a target to be attacked by wankers.

{In the U.K. we have motorways and what we all A roads which are used by trucks. These are where the info readers would be installed. }

Now translate that into something like 270 road crossings that must have 'invisible' technology to ACCURATELY scan and evaluate vehicles travelling at speed.
It doesn't exist.

Cameras can't see inside trucks to check what's in them.

Plus there are hundreds of road crossings between NI and Ireland.

It is in the EUs interest to see this go badly to discourage other countries from leaving.

The biggest discouragement to any country leaving is the complete Horlicks the UK has made of it.

But it's really silly to be debating this as if Silkie has anything to bring to the debate that wasn't thought of two years ago. In the same way it's pretty fucking dumb to be reopening this debate in the UK parliament. The technology doesn't currently exist and the backstop will be required until it does.

Silkie2

was so busy, they forgot to mention when they were last in Ireland.

Although I have to bear in mind they could be living in Ireland, after all.

The bottom line is the government doesn't give a shit what Silkie2 thinks. Or any of us come to that. I think a new delineation may be emerging in the great brexit debate ...

in the EUs interest to see this go badly to discourage other countries from leaving

How does that fit with the narrative "German car-makers NEED British buyers so will make sure UK gets a good deal!" (Govey at his finest) But yeah, sure, Leavers all knew what they were voting for, whatevs.

On Éire - if it's not spelled correctly it means something else entirely.

www.teanglann.ie/en/fgb/Eire

A well-placed source in Berlin said that Mrs Merkel was “very hopeful” that the question of the backstop, which is meant to prevent a hard border with Ireland if the EU and UK fail to reach a trade deal that allows fluid movement of goods, could be solved through a combination of technology and a sophisticated customs scheme
Looks like Mrs Merkel has been reading my posts.
Quote from article in the Times @DGRossetti

Looks like Mrs Merkel has been reading my posts

I'll only take note of a cite in a German news source in German, I'm afraid. There's been an awful lot of guff in the English press.

{ if it's not spelled correctly it means something else entirely.}
If anything is said by an MP or cabinet member it probably means something else too.

Apparently someone called Scott Parker started a petition to ask parliament to ask Ireland to "rejoin" the UK www.her.ie/news/petition-ireland-rejoin-united-kingdom-448495

“The RoI left our Union in 1922 after 121 years of being part of the family. We should now ask them to reconsider their position within both the UK & EU as a way of solving the current impasse over the Irish border issue that is holding up the Withdrawal Agreement.
Britain & Ireland stronger together.”

Shame it's been pulled from change.org as we could really have done with the laugh when TM arrived over to suggest to Leo that we rejoin the abusive family we struggled so hard to separate from.

Message from Ireland: Fuck off

Maybe we should reactivate the Angevin Empire and joinup with most of France.
Or maybe the Vikings should make a comeback? Or the Normans? Or the Romans? Or the Ice Age. It would solve everything.

Maybe we should reactivate the Angevin Empire and joinup with most of France. Or maybe the Vikings should make a comeback? Or the Normans? Or the Romans? Or the Ice Age. It would solve everything.

if the negotiations are not agreed Ireland will rejoin the U.K.

You do realise that you appear to be recommending invading or otherwise subjugating an independent state? That you are condoning an act of war?

Hesta54 - what on earth are you talking about? How can Ireland rejoin the UK? It is not part of the UK. That's like saying France can rejoin the UK!!!!!!!

Hesta54 by the same token, why doesn't the UK just merge with France or Belgium until the negotiations are done?

....Ireland can rejoin the uk..

Best ask the independent state of Ireland before pontificating

bellinisurge There’s no need to be like that, Parliament at a standstill, just trying to help out

MargoLovebutter It was once, this would not be permanent, just to the negotiations are over