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The Irish question

(530 Posts)
varian Sun 26-Nov-17 15:09:43

Some of us would like more than anything to remain in the EU, along with our Irish friends, but if we have to leave then at least we hope to remain in the single market and customs union.

If the extreme brexiteers have their way this will not happen. The Republic of Ireland will keep free movement of people, goods and services with the rest of the EU. We will not keep any of these freedoms, so what will happen at the Irish border?

GracesGranMK2 Wed 29-Nov-17 23:14:33

People who are serially incompetent have a greater chance of continuing to be incompetent and you can't get much more incompetent than a Tory government.

MaizieD Wed 29-Nov-17 23:14:02

I think all our large ports might disagree with you.

Well, funnily enough, one of our largest ports paid for video advertising at the tory party conference pointing out the effect of a physical processing of incoming and outgoing lorries (17 mile tailbacks within a short period of time). They weren't behaving as though they had advanced electronic systems in place.

For those who are going on about the movement of people. The essential problem with the NI/ROI border isn't the movement of people, it's the movement of goods, People are always going to be easier.

(And when, BTW, do the e-gates at an airport ever actually work?)

Primrose65 Wed 29-Nov-17 23:09:43

But they are totally different problems and implementations, from a systems perspective. It's like saying you can't cook a stew because your neighbour is useless at football.

durhamjen Wed 29-Nov-17 23:03:01

We haven't got the systems right in over ten years. That's what I mean.

Primrose65 Wed 29-Nov-17 23:00:39

I don't see how they are comparable Jen - what are the similarities?

durhamjen Wed 29-Nov-17 22:49:11

Like we've managed to sort out the NHS system and the Universal credit system?
How much money have we wasted on those electronic systems?

petra Wed 29-Nov-17 22:45:20

MaizieD
I think all our large ports might disagree with you.

Primrose65 Wed 29-Nov-17 22:05:03

Thanks Petra smile

Primrose65 Wed 29-Nov-17 22:01:16

I'd disagree Maizie. We have biometrics already for people at airports, e-gates at Heathrow and I'm sure there's plenty of analytics running for passenger risk assessments. No idea how far we are with implementing the EU Smart Border program though, but I'm sure we could keep up with them on that.

NfkDumpling Wed 29-Nov-17 21:41:05

The trouble is the 'some' people are Messrs Schulz, Juncker, et al.

MaizieD Wed 29-Nov-17 21:33:07

The lesser developed countries do have holdups because they haven't invested in 'new' technology.

But we haven't invested in it yet, either, Petra.

petra Wed 29-Nov-17 21:15:16

primrose65
Russia
Ukraine
Albania
Moldova
Serbia
Turkey
Macedonia
The lesser developed countries do have holdups because they haven't invested in 'new' technology.
Some just want to e bloody awkward (Serbia)
The border between turkey and Bulgaria was ok but the 2 countries have a dispute with permits.

Primrose65 Wed 29-Nov-17 21:12:55

The EU shares borders with 20 countries (according to Wiki). Not all of them are part of the EEA or Schengen.

MaizieD Wed 29-Nov-17 21:07:09

Why is saying the EU want a united nation, a new country, Project Fear Maisie? It's never been a secret that that's been the aim from the outset.

Please don't keep trotting out that one, Nfk. Just because 'some' people wanted it (and Churchill was very much a product of the English colonial system which parcelled out countries left right and centre according to what the English thought was best, so his 70 year old 'wishes' are way out of date now) doesn't mean to say that they'll achieve it. You forget that the EU comprises 27/28 sovereign nations; all proud of their nationhood and culture; all able to exercise a veto; and all highly unlikely to agree to the formation of a European Superstate. It's as much 'project fear' as the non existent 'European Army' and Turkey imminently becoming a member of the EU.

jura2 Wed 29-Nov-17 21:05:26

An electronic solution does not check on people/passengers, their legal status, nationality, or terrorism, or goods carried, legal or illegal !!!

jura2 Wed 29-Nov-17 21:03:57

Primrose- Switzerland does, and with several EU countries- but firstly it is part of Schengen, and secondly it has reciprocal agreements on so many things with the EU...which the UK won't have, as the UK has never been part of Schengen (one of the many things the UK- unlike any other EU country - had been able to negotiate - like not adopting the Euro, etc)... BECAUSE those reciprocal agreements are based on FREE MOVEMENT OF PEOPLE which Brexit refuses.

MaizieD Wed 29-Nov-17 20:58:55

It's not alright. Norway is in the European Economic Area (EEA), which means that they are signed up to the four freedoms and are subject to EU legislation and regulation in the relevant areas. This is how they manage a frictionless border with Sweden.

The government has decided that we are not going to be part of the EEA post Brexit,so we cannot run the same border arrangements as those between Norway and Sweden.

Without being in the EEA the UK becomes a 'third country' and subject to a hard border between it and the EU. This appears to be legally unavoidable.

I don't think the electronic solution is possible to set up in the short time we have left before March 2019, but I'm not absolutely certain..

Is this what Leavers voted for?

NfkDumpling Wed 29-Nov-17 20:36:34

Well, Norway and Sweden seem to manage ok. Even before they were in the Schengen area it wasn't necessary to produce a passport, and checks were sporadic. It says on Wiki. And now we have automatic electronic cargo checks and automatic number plate recognition it's even easier. So that's all right then. It can work. Yippee! (Just need to persuade the Irish!)

durhamjen Wed 29-Nov-17 20:26:22

I get very excited and emotional about problems like these, as well as the insurmountable problem of the Irish border.

The sentence you omitted to read, Jalima.

Jalima1108 Wed 29-Nov-17 20:19:00

sorry, not person I meant couple

Jalima1108 Wed 29-Nov-17 20:18:20

I'm not quite sure why the deportation of people from Jamaica, Australia and Brazil has anything to do with Brexit, however wrong these instances are.

I do know a couple, one Brazilian, one English and they can live permanently in neither country together, so I am glad that the person you know are able to live together in Brazil.

GracesGranMK2 Wed 29-Nov-17 20:17:45

I'm afraid I am not surprised by what you have read Jen. They are going for easy but inappropriate cases so that they can claim what appear to be 'good' statistics.

durhamjen Wed 29-Nov-17 20:05:53

Check Norway/ Sweden.

NfkDumpling Wed 29-Nov-17 19:54:41

I suspect people were being 'asked' to leave before the Brexit vote DJ.

Primrose has asked a relevant question - How do other countries with land borders to the EU manage their borders?

durhamjen Wed 29-Nov-17 18:29:03

Like being metaphorically patted on the head.

I have been reading today about the number of people who have been told to leave the country since the Brexit vote.

One woman who moved here from Jamaica to live with her grandmother when she was 10. She was sent to Yarls Wood and then to Heathrow detention centre.
She's never thought of herself as anything but British.

One family where the mother was going to be sent back to Australia as her visa was about to run out. Her husband is British, they have lived here since 2014. They have a son who has a rare disease, and needs looking after by his mother. His father is an emergency doctor.
They were told the mother could do nothing for the boy that the NHS couldn't do!
Fortunately she got a reprieve because her MP is Jeremy Hunt.

A couple, one Brazilian, one British, who have spent thousands and years on trying to get right to remain in this country for the Brazilian. They got the reverse in a week in Brazil.
They have now decided to move to Brazil permanently as they feel unwanted here, which is a shame as they are both in the medical profession; Brazil's gain.

I get very excited and emotional about problems like these, as well as the insurmountable problem of the Irish border.
I know people who move back and forward between Ireland, Spain, Norway and Denmark quite regularly with their various companies, taking their families and living very good lives.
They wouldn't dream of coming to the UK any more.