Thread by @mdouganlpool

Lots of requests for a step-by-step explanation of Johnson's plans to breach Protocol on Irish border.

No problem. And by the end, you'll understand why this man is totally unfit to hold public office.

Voila:

1) For Ireland (north and south) May's red lines / decision to leave Customs Union & Single Market transformed Brexit from "problem" into "crisis": customs & regulatory checks on goods have to take place somewhere; if across Ireland = serious economic, social & political impacts

2) When May came to realise this, she sought to minimise damage of own policy by proposing temporary solution (the infamous "backstop"): whole UK would remain in effective customs union with EU; but some regulatory checks would happen on movement of goods between GB and NI

3) Brexit Loons went bonkers: May's backstop would stop them pursuing long- & dear-held plans to deregulate UK social and welfare standards; & hinder their (laughable) fantasy that "Global Britain" would revolutionise the terms of world trade in its own favour

4) having ousted May, Johnson renegotiated withdrawal deal specifically on Irish border: NI & it alone would remain subject to wide range of EU customs and regulatory rules - with extensive checks on trade in goods between GB and NI; and not just on temporary but permanent basis

5) Johnson's new Protocol was clear & specific about fact that NI will be subject to entirely distinct rules from GB (including eg powers for various EU institutions to decide about NI issues); & that this= significant barriers for NI goods into GB but especially GB goods into NI

6) with NI dumped by the wayside, Brexit Loons were delighted: now free to deregulate UK & sign trade deals with Trump etc. Johnson sold this as his "Great New Brexit Deal" in the election & then passed it through Parliament. Though he was already lying about it even by then...

7) but all along, we warned of real risk that Johnson had only signed his “oven ready deal” to win general election. Having done so, real plan would be to tear up withdrawal treaty, including own NI border plan, ruin talks on future EU-UK relations & blame EU for resulting mess

8) Which is precisely what Johnson went on to do. From outset, made mockery of talks on future relations & also ruled out transition extension = heading for no deal Brexit (on top of pandemic). And very quickly, made clear he would do everything possible to undermine border plans

9) Eg refusing permission for EU to even have an office in Belfast. But culminating in UK Internal Market Bill – which clearly, deliberately and consciously empowers Johnson directly and without any ambiguity to breach two key parts of his own legally binding Withdrawal Agreement

10) First: UKIM Bill empowers UK to ignore controls on goods leaving NI for GB. From point of view of “hard border” that is less serious than if he proposed ignoring controls on goods leaving GB for NI: after all, goods are heading away from EU so no risk of harming Single Market

11) But this is still serious stuff: not only a clear breach of the legally binding withdrawal treaty; also raises questions about WTO compliance if UK is not treating all trading partners equally; & of course makes NI a smuggler and fraudster’s paradise for access into entire UK

12) Secondly: UKIM Bill empowers UK to ignore EU rules that would prevent unlawfully subsidised goods entering Single Market via NI. From “hard border” perspective this is very serious: UK effectively letting NI act as backdoor to engage in unfair dumping of British goods into EU

13) To the Brexit Loons, Johnson’s behaviour might look like it delivers on all the things they ever really wanted: teach Ireland a lesson; scupper relations with EU for years to come; totally free to deregulate UK & realign with hard right allies like the vile Trump

14) But in real world: Johnson’s plans are a serious violation of his own Withdrawal Agreement; resurrect fears of a hard border in Ireland; damage EU-UK talks on future relations in trade and security; undermine rules-based international order; & harm UK reputation and interests

15) And Johnson’s attempts to justify his plans are so grossly dishonest (indeed, offensive) that it confirms him & his regime as full-scale post-truth populists of the most degenerate variety. A risk to peace and stability in Ireland. And a growing threat to UK democracy.