Tag Archives: Brexit


A statement (above) released by DUP East Antrim MP Sammy Wilson (top) this morning.

It follows Taoiseach Leo Varadkar producing a 1972 copy of the Irish Times which included a picture of an IRA bomb attack on the Newry Customs Office, at a dinner with EU leaders in Brussels on Wednesday.

Nine people died and six people were injured in the attack on August 22.

Sammy Wilson hits out at ‘vile Varadkar’ over ‘despicable, low and rotten’ border violence claim (Belfast Telegraph)

Pics: News Letter and Sam McBride

Previously: Eagle Droppings

 

Scenes from the meeting between UK Prime Minister Theresa May and Taoiseach Leo Varadkar in Brussels, Belgium last night

Leo Varadkar and EU chiefs have given Theresa May two more months to come up with a Brexit solution or face getting turfed out of Europe with no deal.

This would be disastrous for both Ireland and the UK and would almost certainly see the return of a hard border between North and South.

However, the 27 remaining EU heads of State on Wednesday were supportive of Ms May in her efforts.

Ms May will have to come forward with fresh proposals at the next summit in mid-December outlining the British position ahead of formal Brexit in March.

Leo Varadkar and EU chiefs give Theresa May two more months to come up with Brexit solution (irish Mirrror)

Earlier:

…the Prime Minister acknowledges the European Union’s backstop drafted in the December withdrawal agreement can not feature an end date.

Senior EU officials revealed Mrs May made the admission to Leo Varadkar before briefing the remaining EU leaders on her latest Brexit strategy.

Mr Varadkar insisted a “legally operative backstop” that would come into effect immediately after the transition period must still be included in the withdrawal agreement in order for it to be acceptable to Ireland.

This has remained a Brussels demand as the bloc’s leaders seek assurances Brexit will not create a hard border on the island of Ireland.

Mr Varadkar did, however, move to offer the Prime Minister an opportunity to make the backstop more palatable in Westminster by using creative wording.

“There can’t be a time-limit to it,” said one official. “But we can try to find a wording to show it’ll never be used.”

Hmm.

REVEALED: What May told Irish Taoiseach Leo Varadkar that will ENRAGE Britons at home (Express)

Pics: GIS

The Irish Border visualised street by street via Google Streetview

How the border looks on Google Streetview.

A fascinating ribbon of rural back roads offering hope, sanctuary and unlicensed diesel.

Keith writes:

A while back you posted an animation we made which visualised the Irish Border from above, well here’s something else I put together which tries to visualise the border on the ground using StreetView at the crossing points.

View the border here

Previously: Land Of Constant Sorrow

Tanaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade Simon Coveney speaking at the launche ‘Getting Ireland Brexit Ready’ public information campaign at Government Buildings last month

Otis Blue writes:

Are you still trying to work out why the Good Friday Agreement matters in the Brexit negotiations? Read on…

Rollingnews

“Talking to colleagues across Europe, I now hear for the first time that there is actually suggestions being made that the Irish backstop issue should be postponed. I think that’s very dangerous for us and it’s something that we have to resist.

“But it was highly predictable. I think there is still solidarity from all the discussions I’ve had certainly from social democratic colleagues in relation to this matter but I’ve no doubt that that will become a focal point over the next number of days.

“So there has to be a very clear determination set out by the Irish Government that the backstop issue, and that is a permanent backstop – the whole idea of a backstop being a temporary measure is bizarre, even as a suggestion.

“And that that matter should be put to bed so there can be no discussions on any long-term arrangements with the United Kingdom until that matter is determined in accordance with the agreement that is set out by both the European Union and the UK authorities last December.”

This afternoon.

Labour leader Brendan Howlin speaking to journalists on the plinth at Leinster House.

Howlin: Europe is ‘considering’ postponing Brexit backstop (RTE)

DUP threat over Brexit backstop deal (BBC)

From top: Senator Neale Richmond; This morning’s ‘The National’

“If the Scottish people decide they want to be independent then of course we would welcome another small independent English speaking country into the European Union The strength of Europe is the strength of its diversity

It’s not just reliant on the strength of its two big economies of France and Germany, or indeed the UK, we look at small member states and what they bring.

Scotland is very similar to Ireland. You could argue that Ireland has been the most benign influence over the European Union in our 45 year history in it.

And from our point of view [another] small English speaking country with a dynamic workforce, which is very inclusive, very welcoming buys into what Europe is really about.”

It’s not just about trade, it’s not just about economics. It’s not about building walls. We as a member remaining in the EU have to think about what a future EU should be.

We have to make sure a future EU is warm, tolerant, open and welcoming. We don’t want walls going up, we don’t want fences and we don’t want the rhetoric of people like Victor Orban [the Hungarian prime minister] or Marine Le Pen [leader of the Front Nationale in France] – that is really retrograde.

As long as Scotland embraces the European mindset – as it is doing – Scotland would bring so much to Europe.

I believe a border poll would be a disaster, at the moment. One day sure I want to see a united Ireland but I’m not in a hurry for it and I’m not sure if the Republic can afford it economically. I think if we rush it through and did it in a bad way it would lead to civil disobedience.

Northern Irish politics at the moment is quite toxic. It’s not in a good place. I am very worried about [political stability there].

I am worried Brexit has thrown a very divisive wedge at the two communities. The vitriol between hard core loyalists and hard core republicans has increased.”

Fine Gael Senator Neale Richmond, chairman of the senate Brexit Committee, speaking to Scotland’s ‘The National’ newspaper as he attended the Scottish National Party (SNP)  conference in Glasgow.

Irish senator Neale Richmond says an independent Scotland would be welcomed back into EU (The National)

This afternoon.

Brussels, Belgium.

Top, from left: Taoiseach Leo Varadkar, Michel Barnier, European Chief Negotiator for the United Kingdom Exiting the European Union and Phil Hogan (European Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development) following a bilateral meeting on Brexit.

European Council President Donald Tusk said:

“…the task of the EU’s negotiator is to defend the interest of the EU as a whole and of all the 27 member states. We very much regret the UK has decided to leave, and we hope for the best relationship in the future.

“But no-one can expect that the EU will give up its fundamental values and key interests. Let me make this clear, the EU wants a relationship with the UK that is as close and special as possible.“

Tusk says UK’s Soviet Union remarks ‘unwise’ and ‘insulting’ (RTÉ)

Yesterday: ‘Put Some lead Into The Collective Pencil’