Thread by @pmdfoster

The big, fat fallacy in @BorisJohnson interview with @JGForsyth @katyballs: that the solutions to the Irish border = same as those at Dover/Calais. Extraordinary and provocative thing to say, when you think about it.

spectator.co.uk/2019/07/a-new-…

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@BorisJohnson @JGForsyth @katyballs I've tried to explain why this isn't so...this stuff matter...but let's put it in concrete terms.../2

https://twitter.com/pmdfoster/status/1146360637582389248

@BorisJohnson @JGForsyth @katyballs For an idea of what 'no deal' border means, take a look at this from the Road Haulage Association @RHADuncanB....this is what is necessary to avoid total chaos at the ports in a 'no deal'...though even then, the RHA still anticipates major disruption./3

rha.uk.net/getmedia/2736f…

Digest those issues raised; imagine a transition period and the 'technology' needed to address these issues - and the infrastructure - and then apply that to the Irish Border in an 'invisible' way? Or a non-invisible way, as it would be in practice. /4

As it happens HMRC own advice to @sajidjavid was that even in the politically benign world of Dover-Calais, solutions wouldn't exist until 2030.

So how do they ever exist Newry-Dundalk before the end of the transition period? Or perhaps pertinently, ever? /5

@sajidjavid The two border are demonstrably NOT the same.

On one, with the RHA's help, everyone WANTS to make the border work, even it will impose costs/delays/frictions and reduce UK competitiveness vis-a-vis EU single market.

Not true on the Irish border. /6

@sajidjavid You'll forgive me for banging on about this, but this whole idea of 'maxfac' founders on the substance....as I've said before, the only hope I can see is to create enough space to allow 'de-dramatised' checks to happen at Larne/Irish Sea to retain the open border /7

@sajidjavid I don't see how pretending that Northern Ireland isn't in a unique situation/requires unique solutions can survive contact with reality for more than five seconds.

And denying this, makes it even harder to establish good faith in 'alternative arrangements' hunt in future. /8

@sajidjavid Dublin is dug in hard enough as it is - it will only dig deeper when it reads this kind of breezing over the question that still blocks #Brexit. /9

@sajidjavid We are nowhere close to the ballpark.

And if you want cheering up, check out this list from RHA of what needs to happen to make 'no deal' work....sobering.

Some choice cuts. 10/ENDS

rha.uk.net/getattachment/…