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Aware that I'm sticking my head in lion's jaws here, but there's something I genuinely don't understand about EU position on the backstop - would love for those who know more to explain.
I get why the EU feels it can't reopen the withdrawal agreement per se. But the absolute resistance to a time limit or withdrawal mechanism feels odd.
It's being treated as if it gives Britain some kind of Brexit cheat code. But surely if we did exit the backstop, we'd still have to (and want to and be legally obliged to) find a solution to the Irish border compatible with the GFA
Or we'd be effectively back in no deal territory, which would (according to all the economists) be worse for us than it would for others.
As it stands the EU's position is that to guarantee no hard border in an entirely hypothetical situation years down the line, it will run the risk of a real actual hard border, plus general economic dislocation, in a matter of weeks.
As I said, am sure there's a good reason, but would be grateful to hear it.
