Dominic Raab has been on the charm offensive in Washington all week calling around members of congress, trying to dispel fears over the GFA. One congressional source the Foreign sec spoke to tells me he was not reassured: "It’s still shocking to me the current U.K. government..
...(or frankly the government of any western democracy) would break a treaty it negotiated and signed just under 1 year ago."
Raab is currently in a private meeting with Pelosi
Raab is currently in a private meeting with Pelosi
Doesn’t sound like Raab had much better luck with Pelosi
“if the U.K. violates its international agreements and Brexit undermines the Good Friday accord, there will be absolutely no chance of a U.S.-U.K. trade agreement passing the Congress. “
“if the U.K. violates its international agreements and Brexit undermines the Good Friday accord, there will be absolutely no chance of a U.S.-U.K. trade agreement passing the Congress. “
And now Biden weighing in too. Not the greatest ever diplomatic triumph
https://twitter.com/joebiden/status/1306334039557586944
Underpinning all of this (and something those overplaying their hand would do well to grasp) is the fact that a US /UK trade deal is so far down the list of priories here as to not even really register. Yes it matters, but it’s dwarfed by the sanctity of peace in NI
As one Representative texts:
“Literally the only time the topic comes up is in the context of protecting the GFA. Otherwise, no one here cares.”
“Literally the only time the topic comes up is in the context of protecting the GFA. Otherwise, no one here cares.”
For four years now, the British government has been consistently outmaneuvered by quiet Irish diplomacy. When the chips eventually settle, @simoncoveney @DanMulhall et al will have have a lot to be pleased with
The writing was on the wall when Pelosi flew across the Atlantic with the entire Irish caucus last year to send a simple message about the GFA
https://twitter.com/zachjourno/status/1118134540810240005?s=20
Reminder: @RepRichardNeal was a central figure in negotiating the GFA and chairs the Ways and Means committee which has authority over any trade deal.
ergo its a pretty tough diplo nut to crack
ergo its a pretty tough diplo nut to crack
Raab's team will say they knew all this going in and they're exactly where they were at the start of the day.
But they didn't need the Biden tweet.
But they didn't need the Biden tweet.
Isn't there a Seamus Heaney quote about trying to make hope and history rhyme that could be applied here?
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