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Northern Ireland-only backstop given a token rebranding, but essentially the same as was totally rejected by UKG in March 2018, is now only plausible landing point for a deal, including one that might get okay from Ireland and European Parliament.
No 10 don’t need DUP any more..
No 10 don’t need DUP any more..
... I’m not sure it is plausible to get that through the Commons though. would have to be on back of dozens of Labour votes if they believed it was the only alternative to No Deal. But you would get support from even some of the fired Conservative MPs.
... in practice would mean Great Britain having a Canada style deal, and unfettered freedom to sign trade deals. A form of Irish Sea border, when UK diverged from EU regulations/ signs those deals.
Not sure how you make that palatable across House - maybe a time limit - unlikely
Not sure how you make that palatable across House - maybe a time limit - unlikely
Understand that some visiting delegations have indeed been told in Brussels that NI-only backstop could be produced “overnight” has backing of EU27, Parliament, Commission - while clearly does not have Unionist support, many NI biz groups have backed it...
At this point it’s worth pondering the actual process that the Government has going in trying to find alternatives to backstop - some of the most workable ones, according to leaked documents, sound rather backstop-like - thread:
.. the Ni-IE “SPS” zone is already a third of the way there to the NI-only backstop... and then if you ponder at this point an electoral strategy sees victory in a laser-focus on winning English Labour leave voters over...
... and there’s this from that Alternative Arrangements document too:
There are also some efforts to flesh out the democratic ability of NI to have a say in such arrangements - as hinted at by Gove last week on Marr - the phrase “without a stake in it”... 
..on that “best ever free trade deal” change to political declaration - bigger issue I wrote about after first set of informal contacts last month - tariff & quota-free EU-GB super FTA offered last March depends on “level playing field” now doubted ... bbc.com/news/amp/busin…
This strongly perceived rowing back on the Hammond/May level playing field commitments by Frost in particular is now far more common currency - has huge implications. In a way, ERG should be reassured. Labour “Dealers”, less so.
"need to find a way to make sure UK not locked into backstop while reassuring Ireland" says PM in Dublin when asked what his actual plan is - refers to technological alternative arrangements and an All Ireland SPS (animal products) zone (about a third of the backstop issue)
"need to find a way to make sure UK not locked into backstop while reassuring Ireland" says PM in Dublin when asked what his actual plan is - refers to technological alternative arrangements and an All Ireland SPS (animal products) zone (about a third of the backstop issue)
NB leaked Government document from a few days ago:
NI/IE SPS zone "comes with many challenges of the backstop" including "East-West implications" - ie Irish sea border... "implications for international trade" - NI exempt?.. "democratic accountability"
NI/IE SPS zone "comes with many challenges of the backstop" including "East-West implications" - ie Irish sea border... "implications for international trade" - NI exempt?.. "democratic accountability"
Key bits Varadkar-Johnson presser:
- Taoiseach saying PM faces “Herculean task” in achieving FTA with EU in 3 years, that needs to be ratified in 31 parliaments
- cant replace legal guarantee with a promise -havent received realistic workable legally binding proposals to date
- Taoiseach saying PM faces “Herculean task” in achieving FTA with EU in 3 years, that needs to be ratified in 31 parliaments
- cant replace legal guarantee with a promise -havent received realistic workable legally binding proposals to date
This is what Gove hinted at on Marr last week, as I said upthread:
so could they try to junk the “anti-democratic backstop” by replacing it with an, errrr, “democratic” one?
As Gove said after Marr asked if it was just backstop: “..that part of the WA that imposes on part of the UK, European laws without a stake in it”.
As Gove said after Marr asked if it was just backstop: “..that part of the WA that imposes on part of the UK, European laws without a stake in it”.
So Varadkar offering to be Athena to PMs Hercules.
Perhaps ref to Athena stopping an insane Hercules killing his father by knocking him out and tying him to a pillar, but only after he’d killed his sons and wife?
Its that or scaring off some birds, or returning some apples.
Perhaps ref to Athena stopping an insane Hercules killing his father by knocking him out and tying him to a pillar, but only after he’d killed his sons and wife?
Its that or scaring off some birds, or returning some apples.
Not sure Euripides could have scripted the “Twelve Labours of Boris” though...
More:
Yep:
DUP's Dodds tells @Maitlis that NI only backstop would breach good Friday agreement, "maybe some areas" where arrangements could be made subject to "consent of NI assembly"
DUP statement post No10 meeting yday worthy of look: rejects NI only backstop, obviously.
But specifically takes issue not with the regulatory border - but with the “tariff border” that would be created in Irish Sea. On democracy - says that not one unionist MLA supports it...
But specifically takes issue not with the regulatory border - but with the “tariff border” that would be created in Irish Sea. On democracy - says that not one unionist MLA supports it...
