,
11 tweets,
3 min read
Read on Twitter
NEW: Ministers’ private concern over US Congress siding with Dublin. Specifically Cabinet sources point to impact on any US-UK trade deal should UK be seen to renege on commitments to Dublin.
In particular the Democratic Party takeover of the key Ways and Means Committee, the House of Representatives Committee with most influence over trade policy, that has in the past demanded trade deals be renegotiated, and in particular key Irish American Congressmen /2
Eg here is Chairman @RepRichardNeal of that key congressional trade Committee visiting the Irish border just a few weeks ago with Sinn Fein politicians - he also secured Gerry Adams an invite to the Obama inauguration /3
Another Irish American member of the Committee @RepBrendanBoyle told Sky News “we’re v sensitive about anything that could possibly threaten the GFA, so specifically that the backstop was removed- the thing that was guaranteeing that there would be no return to a hard border“ /4
Rep Boyle raised without prompting UK-US trade deal: “If you renege, or you go back that does not affect just this current issue, but all future issues. You lose your credibility..we’re going to be looking at US-UK trade deal, so we’ll remember how good one’s credibility is.” /5
*** But I can also reveal that some Conservative Brexiter parliamentarians have been lobbying the PM directly in No 10 for her to phone President Trump and get him to put pressure on Ireland to back down on the backstop /6
Not aware that this proposal was taken particularly seriously, or that even if it did happen that Trump would want to help. But it is interesting... /7
Irish deputy PM Coveney is on Capitol Hill today, it is worth saying.. /8 irishtimes.com/news/politics/…
Also worth noting that specific further concerns were expressed by Congressmen in the wake of the PM’s decision to whip against the backstop she had negotiated... /9
Also this Congress resolution has been introduced: congress.gov/bill/116th-con…
Also this Congress resolution has been introduced: congress.gov/bill/116th-con…
Also noteworthy that Barnier came to DC and met the Irish American congressional caucus last July, at the same time the Cabinet was resigning over Chequers... /10
FULL Story: news.sky.com/story/minister…
