Tag Archives: Brexit

At the border between Newry and Dundalk

The dossier marked “official-sensitive” prepared for the EU Exit Negotiations Board is dated 28 August.

It details how the findings of all advisory groups informing the government on the Northern Irish border are being kept deliberately under wraps to try to avoid hampering Britain’s intended renegotiation of the backstop agreed to by Theresa May.

…..Border solutions the report deems as having the most potential are listed as:

Regulatory and industry assurance schemes.

Trusted trader schemes.

Smarter risking (a technological solution that involves data sharing).

A Northern Ireland sanitary and phytosanitary zone to track contamination and disease.

There were significant concerns about an artificial intelligence option, which experts felt might not detect disease and chemical contamination of food.

Onboard vehicle technology which could track the location, weight and temperature of goods was also considered risky if a lorry might suddenly be taken out of service and goods offloaded into a non-registered vehicle.

Physical goods checks through mobile units could take weeks and involve lengthy periods of quarantine, the report found. The units could also be vulnerable to “targeting” and staff could be at risk, it said….

Irish border after Brexit – all ideas are beset by issues says secret paper (The Guardian)

Rollingnews

Simon Coveney (left) and Boris Johnson in Dublin in 2017

“Boris Johnson is outlining a very clear and firm position but it is a totally unreasonable position that the EU cannot facilitate and he must know that…”

“We all want to get a deal but, at the moment, nothing credible has come from the UK government in terms of alternatives to the backstop.”

Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs Simon Coveney this morning.

Meanwhile…

British Transport Secretary Grant Shapps insisted Britain had made alternative proposals to replace the backstop, and it was wrong of Ireland and other EU countries to suggest otherwise.

“It’s just not true,” he said.

“So it’s a cover when they keep saying: ‘You are not putting forward ideas’- we are putting forward ideas”.

Johnson ‘totally unreasonable’ in backstop dispute – Coveney (RTÉ)

Rollingnews


From top: Oliver Cromnwell (left), Boris Johnson; Fine Gael Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment Richard Bruton and Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation Heather Humphries at Dublin Castle this afternoon

 

This afternoon.

Further to yesterday’s tweet by Minister of State Michael D’Arcy that Boris Johnson’s decision to seek a suspension of the House of Commons was the “most anti-democratic” decision by a prime minister since Oliver Cromwell established a “protectorate government” in the 1600s.

Ireland’s business minister Heather Humphreys said: “First of all, minister D’Arcy has removed that tweet. As far as we are concerned, we are not going to comment on internal British politics.”

The Irish communications Richard Bruton, another member of the Fine Gael party, said: “We are not going to get involved in British politics because they have a lot of decisions to make.”

Brexit: Irish minister compares Boris Johnson to Oliver Cromwell over suspension of parliament (The Independent.co.uk)

Michael D’Arcy slapped down by Helen McEntee for comparing Boris Johnson to Oliver Cromwell (Independent.ie)

Earlier: A Limerick A Day

Rollingnews

From top: UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s letter confirming prorogation (discontinuing without dissolving) of Parliament; Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II

This morning.

Brexit latest news: Queen will be asked to suspend parliament today (BBC)

Meanwhile.

Oh.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson (right) and EU Council President Donald Tusk at the G7 summit in France this week

Via

…I now notice a subtle tone change. In his one-to-one chats in Paris, Berlin and at the G7 with European Council President Donald Tusk, the prime minister has managed to persuade Brussels that:

a) He is serious in his threat to pursue a no-deal Brexit if no agreement with the EU can be found; and b) He would actively prefer to get a deal through parliament if possible.

But this change in perception does not alter facts on the ground.

EU leaders still think a no-deal Brexit is the most likely option right now.

Hmm.

Brexit: Is EU softening over Withdrawal Agreement? (BBC)

Pic: Sky News

 

UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson (left) and French President Emmanuel Macron in Paris, France this morning

Emmanuel Macron tells Boris Johnson backstop is ‘indispensable’ (The Guardian)

Tonight.

Earlier…

UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Tanaiste Simon Coveney in 2017

This afternoon.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson is meeting German Chancellor Angela Merkel in Berlin around about NOW where he is expected to reiterate his call for the backstop to be scrapped.

Via BBC:

Mr Johnson has said the arrangement to avoid a hard border after Brexit is “anti-democratic” and must be removed to secure a deal.

But the EU has rejected the possibility of any changes to the backstop.

Mr Coveney said the government will not abandon its approach for “some kind of promise on the basis of trust”.

“We are not in the business of being steam-rolled at the end of this because a British prime minister has rolled out new red lines,” he said.

Brexit news – live: Boris Johnson accused of ‘steamrolling’ Ireland as EU unites against British PM ahead of Berlin visit (TheIndependent.co.uk)

Earlier:

“The UK government needs to take responsibility for its choices before it is too late. Prime Minister Johnson’s hero is Winston Churchill and he seems to view himself as a modern day Churchill.

“However, in the event of a no deal Brexit, the UK government’s only Churchilian legacy will be –‘never have so few done so much damage to so many’.”

Phil Hogan this morning.

Um.

Phil Hogan launches scathing attack on Boris Johnson: ‘Unelected PM… gambling with the peace process’ (Independent)

Donald Tusk, president of the European Council with Taoiseach Leo Varadkar in Dublin last March


Hmm.

Brexit: Boris Johnson says ‘anti-democratic’ backstop must be scrapped (BBC)

Last night: Contact

Rollingnews

Update:

UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson (left)  and Taoiseach Leo Varadkar have spoken by phone this evening.

Tonight.

On the blower.

“They shared perspectives on the Withdrawal Agreement. The Prime Minister indicated that the Withdrawal Agreement in its current form will not get through the House of Commons, that the backstop would need to be removed, and that an alternative solution is required.

“The Taoiseach reiterated the EU27 position that the Withdrawal Agreement cannot be reopened, and emphasised the importance of the legally operable guarantee to ensure no hard border and continued free trade on the island of Ireland.

“The Prime Minister made clear that the Common Travel Area, which long predates the UK and Ireland joining the EU, would not be affected by the ending of freedom of movement after Brexit.

“They agreed that their teams would maintain close contact over the coming weeks, while recognising that negotiations take place between the UK and the EU27 Task Force.

“They also agreed to meet in Dublin in early September.”

Government statement tonight

Johnson tells Varadkar that Common Travel Area will remain after Brexit (RTÉ)

Pics: Getty