In the department of "shit that could actually have been predicted ages ago" here's a blogpost I wrote almost two years ago. Here's what it says about the Irish border question: 1/
1europe4all.wordpress.com/2018/10/20/fbp…
"The abhorrent debate over the Irish border has been particularly vexing in this regard. The basic problem is not particularly hard to grasp, yet it is recurrently obfuscated through ignorance, negligence, selfishness, or even plain malice. ... 2/
If the UK leaves the EU, the Irish Border is an external border for the EU. Relinquishing control of it, would amount to giving up control of what happens in all EU-territory. If the UK establishes a trade deal with the US that lowers safety standards, food standards, ... 3/
worker’s rights, environmental standards´ etc. etc. then sub-standard products can then be imported with impunity from the UK to the EU. In other words: An open border with a deregulated market dominated by the US means giving up even a pretense to control. 4/
It will lower safety standards, food standards, worker’s rights, environmental standards´ etc. within the EU. ... 5/
Also, it means that in a situation where control with immigration is key to maintaining the EU—and is also the recurrent attack point by budding or roaring fascist movements within and outside the EU—the union would be without control of one of its outer borders. ... 6/
Therefore, not only is it fair for the EU to stand firm with Ireland on the issue of the Irish border, it is a case of life-or-death for the union. 7/
However, in the UK-debate the question is frequently treated as if it was a point where the Irish could just be a little more flexible and all would be fine, or simply seen as a non-problem weaponized by the EU against the UK. 8/
... Moreover, the UK leadership has yet to come up with a workable solution; indeed, the UK-leaders have yet to prove themselves marginally trustworthy on this point. ... 9/
The situation is, quite obviously, infuriating. I cannot fathom how Michel Barnier keeps his cool, but I guess that’s why it’s him, not me, who conducts these negotiations." (QUOTE ENDS) 10/
Take note, please, that I wasn't in possession of any skills of prophecy. I was actually quite late to the party. Better analysts than me had said something akin to this many times over before me. 11/
It's frickken obvious. And only very dumb and/or very disingenuous debaters can claim they didn't see it. 12/12
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