Very important thread - reporting of the Northern Ireland protocol is typically inaccurate because it only refers to new East-West barriers (goods), not the new North-South ones (services). It affects both communities.
There is currently no realistic alternative to the protocol.
There is currently no realistic alternative to the protocol.
https://twitter.com/MatthewOToole2/status/1356721295099129863
Maybe negotiable if combined with trusted trader / enhanced market surveillance? Won't change the fundamentals though. And bear in mind it is only two months since the UK government claimed to have fixed issues with the NI Protocol.
https://twitter.com/adamfleming/status/1356878051787874304
Once again the problem of the difference between the Prime Minister denying there are checks on GB-Northern Ireland trade and a negotiation about how the checks should work. And the DUP and Brexit ultras wanting the protocol to be scrapped.
Back to Northern Ireland, the UK's asks on the protocol are at the maximalist end I would suggest. Begs the question though of why these weren't asks of the deal done in December. If I am the EU I ask so what will the UK do in return?
https://twitter.com/JP_Biz/status/1356910120047939585
Thus for example, the EU might say you can have longer grace periods on food as long as you don't make any regulatory changes in that area. Since the two are obviously linked. How does the UK government then respond?
Anyway, my longer read on Northern Ireland, for @BorderlexEditor. How it now has a unique status in the UK, EU, and WTO, which means that policy making has to be extremely careful. The EU failed this test last week, the UK has barely got to grips with it. borderlex.net/2021/02/03/per…
In short, Northern Ireland has become everyone's challenge. But still most of all for the UK. Because regulatory divergence from the EU means regulatory divergence from Northern Ireland. According to international treaties. 
🤦♂️🤦♂️🤦♂️🤦♂️🤦♂️🤦♂️
https://twitter.com/Rob_Merrick/status/1356936986670624771
He appears to genuinely have no idea what he signed with regard to Northern Ireland, what the realities are in modern trade. "absurd way" = modern trade.
Also doesn't realise he already threatened the protocol. A negotiator of rare ineptitude.
Also doesn't realise he already threatened the protocol. A negotiator of rare ineptitude.
https://twitter.com/Mollie_Malone1/status/1356942500469030912
I do think we have to take seriously the possibility that the Prime Minister simply does not understand modern trade and regulation, and therefore does not understand what he agreed to in the Northern Ireland Protocol, and Trade and Cooperation Agreement. It might not be an act.
Frankly looks like an unrealistic wish list faced with the realities of what was previously agreed, and taking advantage of an EU threat that was less serious than the previous UK threat. Yet still not enough for the DUP.
https://twitter.com/nickgutteridge/status/1356950986720481286
Be an interesting test of EU handling of the UK post-Brexit. For the EU I would reply saying that conscious of the delicate situation of course we are willing to discuss these issues but that must be in a framework of understanding of the protocol and EU regulations, and...
The EU would look for a reciprocal commitment from the UK to not change the laws in which checks continued to be eased, and for the UK government to make a statement accepting the principle and responsibility of checks on GB-NI trade. No more denial.
We shall see, but this looks like the UK government trying to make rather a lot of the EU's threat to the NI protocol while ignoring its own previous on the matter. Will be interested in how the EU responds. Not expecting quick resolution.
Short version: The EU threat to trigger the safeguard clause in the Northern Ireland protocol was such an outrage that unless the agreements the UK has previously signed are immediately changed we will invoke the same clause. Sounds like blackmail.
https://twitter.com/lisaocarroll/status/1356955107670245376
Evidently the government learnt nothing from the Internal Market Bill debacle. Threat, probably followed by climbdown. Any ideas when we can expect a statement from President Biden emphasising the importance of peace and for calm reflection etc?
Talking of the Internal Market Bill, the former chief government legal official who resigned over it has a comment on the Northern Ireland protocol renegotiation.
https://twitter.com/SirJJQC/status/1356956322525302786
In other countries a government that negotiated an agreement that a month into implementation turned out to need serious improvement would be under severe pressure from media and opposition.
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