As the Northern Ireland border / Brexit hot takes continue, a blunt reality that does not get mentioned enough. For good or bad, fair or unfair, whether you like it or not, the bigger players in trade and international relations can and do swing the rules their way. It isn't us.
So the Brexit ultra attitude that they are right on borders and the EU should be forced to follow our way is frequently argued on the first, less on the second, but that's ultimately the important one. The EU with US support are interpreting the rules and there's no real umpire.
Net effect, when the EU say, that's nice data protection or Nissan you have in the UK, be a shame if anything was to happen with it as a result of your choices on Northern Ireland, it is because they are bigger (they probably also have rules more on their side if that's relevant)
Personally I'd think the UK does better by understanding our positioning and trying to work our way through it, rather than denying it. But I can see the attraction of pretending its different. Just that most of us grew out of imaginary worlds.
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