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The pitch is that EU27 leaders will knife another EU27 leaders to save the blushes of an MLA in the only party in NI that wants this deal.
As noted: notions.
As noted: notions.
The fundamental mistake the DUP have taken throughout this is treating it like a Stormont negotiation where just saying no means nothing happens and HMG and the NIE pick up the pieces for them so it doesn’t go wrong.
Their approach is predicated on it being the same at EU level.
Their approach is predicated on it being the same at EU level.
It’s not the same. This is a European negotiation, there are real and nasty consequences, the EU always backs members against third countries and if you don’t have prepared alternatives that can persuade the EU, you get that which suits the EU to allow you, nothing more.
The realisation that the priority for Ireland is staying with Europe rather than NI must also be hard to apprehend. Dublin just wants to avoid damage to the GFA while prioritising the EU. NI’s constitutional status is so far down the list it’d need binoculars to see it.
That against which the DUP defines itself - some supposed first-order push for a Border poll and reunification - just isn’t there, here. Nobody needs that now. It must be hard to take on board that the priority really is the EU - and I think that goes for nationalists, too, btw.
So, pretty much a perfect storm of the wrong people using the wrong approach because reading it the wrong way with the wrong perspective, and all in the balance because Nick Timothy got a notion to call an election.
Sigh.
Sigh.
And God knows, both jurisdictions on this soggy rock have enough to be getting on with to sort out without having to spend all our damn time on nonsense sparked by the fever-dreams from the Home Counties that an act of will could make it 1860 again by mere desire alone.
Seriously. The World Cup is on, for all the 10/12 axis is reeking like a week-dead mackerel, the Pro14 is on, the AIL starts this weekend, we have more important stuff to do, so could we just all tacitly agree not to, and just get on with life in advance of QF defeat yet again..?
