Boris and Leo Varadkar “see pathway” to a deal

[elprup]

www.theguardian.com/politics/2019/oct/10/boris-johnson-and-leo-varadkar-say-they-see-pathway-to-brexit-deal

What are your thoughts? Does this mean Brexit is going ahead after all?

I agree with whyamidoingthis. That's a disgusting comment.

@Mookins14 - Why do British people think this something ROI want? The vast majority do not. As has been said again and again.

I think many Irish people would ultimately like to see a united Ireland. However, very, very few want a united Ireland under the current circumstances. It is something that needs to happen organically and that we need to gently move into, rather than an abrupt solution to a problem not of our making.

@whyamidoingthis apologies, I didn't mean to be insulting at all, not to NI.
I meant to be insulting to Johnson, my immediate reaction to hearing he might be making progress was to wonder what trick he's used to get this. I was probably subconsciously linking to May's bribing of the DUP

I do assume most/all politicians are to some extent corrupt and lacking in integrity. I am always pleasantly surprised when one turns out not to be.

@Owlsintowels - apologies, I didn't mean to be insulting at all, not to NI.

Apology accepted. Very gracious of you to do so.

Just to clarify though - you said you didn't mean to insult NI. Was that a typo? Varadar is not northern Irish. He is the Irish taoiseach and, while he cares about NI, it is Ireland, rather than NI, he represents.

Yep typo, quickly scrolling and replying at work

To be really clear I don't feel qualified to talk about the integrity of any Irish (or NI) politicians, I am woefully ignorant of the situation, though trying to become less so.

I feel very qualified to accuse pm johnson of being corrupt, dishonest, inept, lacking in integrity, and many other things as well

My comment was only meant to highlight that I find it hard to believe he can make any progress without bribing, strong arming or lying.

Not a fan

Varadkar is just playing nicely, to take the wind out of de Pfellels sails when he completely fails and tries to blame all and sundry for his failure.

The tone of the reporting in Ireland is much more optimistic since Varadkar and Johnson released their statement. It looks like talks between the UK and the EU are a little more hopeful today www.irishtimes.com/news/world/europe/barnier-gets-green-light-to-begin-intensive-talks-with-uk-on-brexit-deal-1.4047447

Maybe this is a cunning plan by Ireland and the EU not to look like they are being unreasonable (which I don't personally think they are being). It stops the hideous guff being pumped out by Cummings and his team that the EU are getting in the way of a deal. Maybe?

The most amazing thing is that nothing has been leaked.
Probably the first time since Ooh, about 2003 that something has not been leaked by our disloyal MPs.

I suspect there is absolutely nothing to be leaked! It's all just friendly words. De Pfeffel obviously has nothing to offer.

Cunning plan yes of course that is what it is! Its not like Ireland or the EU are in the right of course.

Nothing has been leeked presumably cos nothing happened. I can almost guarantee Leo came out smiling only because laughing directly at blowjob would have been seen as rude.

Customs checks could bring some well needed jobs to ferry ports in NI and U.K.

Nothing has been leeked presumably cos nothing happened.

Brilliant typo. I'm just imagining the carrots getting involved now as the leeks aren't doing their job.

Brilliant typo. I'm just imagining the carrots getting involved now as the leeks aren't doing their job

I hear the Brussel sprouts are a bit dubious though.

Just trying to bring the Welsh into conversation... ahem

.

I hear the Brussel sprouts are a bit dubious though.

There are certainly some turnips involved in the talks.

@ghostofharrenhal - I think that lad and his leek could concentrate a lot of minds in Westminster.

So difficult to know who or what to believe. If there is a deal around some sort of variation of the NI only backstop will the DUP and ERG back it - probably not. Then what? Will

Or is all of this just part of a Johnson/ Cummings plot. I just do not trust them one bit.

How can NI be a burden on the UK? Without NI there is no UK, but just Great Britain.

@Peregrina Anything that gets in the way of delivering the Brexit unicorn is a burden.

Maybe this is a cunning plan by Ireland and the EU not to look like they are being unreasonable (which I don't personally think they are being). It stops the hideous guff being pumped out by Cummings and his team that the EU are getting in the way of a deal. Maybe?

Honestly, neither Ireland nor the EU give a stuff about whether the UK government, or the UK media, try to portray them as unreasonable or not. Unless you’re living here in Ireland, it’s hard to properly convey the absolute can’t-take-your-eyes-off-it car-crash nature of how the Brexit debacle is being portrayed. It’s the single most unifying issue in Irish politics in decades. As others have said, satisfaction with the government here at the moment is artificially high directly as a result of how they’re handling the Brexit negotiations. If No Deal happens, we know exactly who to blame, and it’s not our own politicians.

Peregrina - it was a United Kingdom of England and Scotland, Ireland entered the union much later, but kingdom of Ireland was ruled in personal Union with the English King from the 1540s.

it was a United Kingdom of England and Scotland, Ireland entered the union much later, but kingdom of Ireland was ruled in personal Union with the English King from the 1540s.

The acts of union of 1801 resulted in the united kingdom of great britain and ireland, which then become the united kingdom of GB and NI. I don't think GB was ever called united kingdom of england and scotland, even though they were united in an act of union.

"Ireland entered the union"
You can't make this up😂😂