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Important point: why the EU really does have limited room for manoeuvre on the Irish border. There has to be an effective regulatory and customs border round the single market. Otherwise the trust in which the SM depends breaks down.
Ireland can’t be outside that border. Few believe that the politics or technology (both have to be considered) currently permit the Irish border to be that border. So either that border has to be between NI & GB or the whole UK has to be bound to sufficient alignment with the EU.
And for an excellent reminder of what the backstop is and why it is there see .
Finally: this issue does not go away on “no deal”: it will need to be sorted. “No deal” just kicks the can down the road while poisoning the atmosphere, weakening the UK’s position, and damaging lives and the economy in the meantime.
