Thread by @OBAylesbury

A short thread on the Irish Backstop that you might like to raise with your MP.

In our neck of the woods, that would be @DLidington, @VictoriaPrentis, @JHowellUK or John Bercow
1/8

Johnson has said that he wants the backstop removed from the Withdrawal Agreement, to be replaced by "Alternative Arrangements" to be agreed & implemented as part of the negotiations on our future relationship, & implemented during the transition period or shortly after.
2/8

If the future relationship is along the lines of Norway+, favoured by some Brexiters, the UK would remain in the SM & CU, so the backstop would never be triggered, & would therefore not be an issue.
3/8

If "Alternative Arrangements" are readily available off the shelf, & could be implemented during the transition period, the backstop would never be triggered, & therefore is not an issue.
4/8

If the "Alternative Arrangements" need a bit of work, then the backstop would be required, but only for a short period, so once again, the backstop is not an issue.
5/8

If, on the other hand, "Alternative Arrangements" are not readily available, & won't be for the foreseeable future, the backstop might be considered an issue, because part of the UK would be bound to EU regulation & external tariffs, with no say over them.
6/8

Johnson is not stupid. He knows all this.

He knows that the Backstop is only an issue if what he asserts as possible is, in fact, not possible.

So Johnson appears to be lying.

Again.

Trick me once, shame on you.
Trick me twice, shame on me.

#NotMyPM
#NoToNoDeal
7/8

I conclude that Johnson has raised the backstop knowing the EU will not budge. He needs a scapegoat when his crash-out Brexit causes chaos & damage to the UK.
The fault will be his & his alone but he will blame the "intransigent EU"
Ask your MP if there is another explanation
8/8