Thread by @MPIainDS

1) Section 13.8 in the #NIProtocol makes it very clear that both sides are committed where necessary to 'replace either in whole, or in part' if it doesn't work or areas cause trade diversion and/or political instability which is damaging for the Good Friday Agreement.

2) Any agreement signed under Article 50, cannot be forever it's a temporary arrangement, this was always going to be a transitional agreement. The EU should have been sitting down properly to discuss what was necessary, but they have been intransigent from day one.

3) There's an alternative to the #NIProtocol; it's called ‘mutual enforcement’ (originally proposed by a member of the commission). It’s the idea that you both take responsibility for what crosses your border for each other, if somebody sends goods across the border that are not

4) meant for Ireland/the EU, they would be prosecuted in the UK courts under the criminal code, and the EU would do the same backwards. It means you don't require any checks because you assume that all goods, which is pretty much what happens are destined for Northern Ireland.

5) The vast amount of trade crosses East/West in Ireland to the UK and vice versa, the border in Northern Ireland is at 0.2% of total trade. It's the worst place to try and smuggle stuff into the EU as you'd have to go back through the UK again which is impractical/expensive.

6) If the idea exists that this is leading towards forming a single Ireland, the latest polling is clear: the majority of people in Northern Ireland do not want to leave the United Kingdom, what they want is a settlement of the key issues affecting the existing #NIProtocol.