Boris and the Backstop

[VenusOfWillendorf]

Why is there not more outrage in the UK over Boris and his governments demand to throw out the Backstop?

I find it absolutely sickening that he is so determined to be free to walk away from the international peace treaty the UK signed to PROTECT ITS OWN PEOPLE. And he is fully prepared to risk the British economy and stability for years to come in order to be allowed to do this.

If it was so easy to come up with "Alternative Arrangements", then why has nobody in the past three years been able to come up with something that actually exists and is credible?
It's not easy. It will take years to sort out - which is why the backstop is so vital.

I see him again today on BBC talking about how the EU needs 'see reason' when what he wants is so beyond reason, it beggers belief. He is so arrogant he actually seems to think this is possible. I find the whole attitude repulsive.

UK has trade deals with the US. Think you might be referring to a free trade deal.

Many in UK seem worried that NHS might be sold off and food products of lower standard, particularly the dreaded chlorinated chicken, appears in the UK which includes NI. If there is no border between NI and ROI then the dreaded chlorinated chicken can end up in the EU.

The UK does not have its own trade deals yet with the US - but as part of the EU it has a number of Mutual Recognition Agreements, which reduces some of the barriers in certain sectors. It is not automatic that those MRAs will be rolled over.

Despite the lack of a FTA, Germany somehow manages to export more than double what the UK does to the USA (and only imports about half that value), whereas the UK imports roughly the same value that it exports. Whose fault is that? Maybe it's because Germany has products that the US wants (like its cars), whereas the UK doesn't have a decent manufacturing industry any more due to lack of investment both in infrastructure and training

Trump hates that the US is running a trade deficit with the EU. Do people really expect him to construct a trade deal that would increase UK imports to the US without also expecting a much higher level of US exports to the UK?

US negotiators have explicitly said that they don't like negotiating with the EU because with most countries, the US can say, "This is the deal, take it or leave it" , whereas the EU has sufficient clout to say, "We don't like that" or "We expect this in return" .

....and that's overlooking the inconvenient detail that Congress has to approve all trade deals and has said it would refuse to do so if the UK compromises the GFA

The UK does not have its own trade deals yet with the US

UK has individual bilateral agreements under NAFTA with: US, Canada and Mexico in addition to those via the EU.

Maybe Trump support of a no deal Brexit is that it is more likely to lead to a break up of the EU? Then EU has no clout as there is no more EU.

Congress saying no to a US-UK free trade deal is not the card some like to think. Many in UK fear that such a deal will result in NHS being sold off and food products of lower standards (the dreaded chlorine chicken) appearing in the UK.

In UK leaves the EU without a deal (not the best scenario, but looking likely) they will have to trade with EU under WTO, but ROI as an EU member would have to follow EU rules on borders with non EU countries and perform checks. If not then ROI may have to give up the Single Market. The regular poster Bellini has a thread on that subject. Varadkar has also acknowledged that for ROI to preserve the GFA they may have to concede the single market.