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Northern Ireland and Brexit

(364 Posts)
MaizieD Sat 29-Sept-18 10:42:25

An Irishman tries yet again to explain the huge Brexit problem with NI. In response to yet another airy dismissal by Boris Johnson:

Start

Patrick Kielty @patrickielty
And please.... please don't tell me it's "our money" or that the UK government would have done it anyway because I can't be bothered to take you by the hand, lead you to a corner and explain simple things in words of one syllable

1. Northern Ireland is made up of a majority of Unionists (as in the Conservative and Unionist Party) and, believe it or not, a rather large minority of Nationalists (as in Irish Nationalists)

2. These Irish Nationalists don’t see themselves as British but rather inconveniently as Irish (who knew?)

3. For over 30 years we killed each other because of these differences which means Northern Ireland is nothing like Camden or Westminster.

4. The Good Friday Agreement ended that violence by the following devious magic - Unionists were guaranteed that Northern Ireland would be part of the UK until the majority voted otherwise.

The Irish was border was removed and the island linked so Nationalists could pretend they were already living in a United Ireland (yes, Tony Blair did slight of hand much better than you)

5. Some of these Nationalists then accepted being part of the UK as their day to day lives were essentially Irish.

6. This cunning plan was sold to us on the basis that we were all part of the EU therefore fixation on nationality was so last World War.

7. Implementing the Good Friday Agreement was torturous (think Brexit with actual bombs, not metaphorical suicide vests) but we finally made peace. Yet 20 years later NI remains a divided society.

8. Thanks to your glorious Brexit vision Northern Ireland will become more divided as some form of economic border checks will become part of daily lives.

9. If those checks take place between NI and Ireland, the Nationalists who were once happy being part of the UK will change their mind.

10. If they take place in the Irish Sea some Unionists will be livid. However they'll still support being part of the UK (the clue is in the Unionist bit)

11. Your Brexit lies have opened a Pandora’s box for Northern Ireland. It's one reason why the majority of people in NI voted to remain in the EU (almost as if they knew more about the fragile equilibrium of their politics than you)

12. Barely mentioned before Brexit, a border poll is now inevitable thanks to your monumental ignorance.

13. When that poll is eventually held the Nationalists who were once content being part of a Northern Ireland within the UK and EU will vote to leave the UK to feel as Irish and European as they did before Brexit.

14. The poll will be much closer thanks to your Brexit folly and could easily be lost by Unionists, breaking up the UK.

15. Any break up of the Union will be your fault (a tad inconvenient as a member of the Conservative and er, Unionist party)

16. The EU is not responsible for your blundering lack of foresight. Like most people in Northern Ireland they were happy with the status quo.

17. By the time the penny drops that you can’t preserve the Union you want without the one you don’t, it will be too late.

18. You will be remembered not as the Churchillian visionary you delude yourself to be but the ignoramus who triggered the break up of the UK.

19. If there’s any justice all this will come to pass when you're Prime Minister so you can finally swim in the constitutional sewage you've created (though we all know you’ll be in Nice with your trotters up)

20. Meantime, if you’re so concerned about keeping Northern Ireland totally aligned with the rest of the UK where’s your support for our same sex marriage and women’s right to choose? Your silence is deafening.

End

In a nutshell, so to speak grin

jura2 Thu 11-Oct-18 21:21:08

counting 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 ..............

but computer says 'no' and so does Maw.

jura2 Thu 11-Oct-18 21:35:05

Arghh sorry- don't think it is coming, someow ...

Grandad1943 Fri 12-Oct-18 12:35:52

And still no answers from the Brexitiers on how the Irish Border issue is to be solved

It's just as well no one is holding their breath on this one. confused

jura2 Fri 12-Oct-18 12:41:59

Could post this on any of the Brexit realted thread - and wish I could edit the 'Trump was us' for 'Brexit was us'... the best advert I've seen in a very long time:

www.facebook.com/TheIndependentOnline/videos/178707726353758/

jura2 Fri 12-Oct-18 12:59:07

no answers on anything Grandad- none.

varian Fri 12-Oct-18 13:23:32

Brilliant video, Jura. It is scary how much these old Americans resemble the retired Telegraph readers and Daily Mail readers I've met.

Grandad1943 Fri 12-Oct-18 16:12:36

Silence is Golden, or in this case says everything.

jura2 Fri 12-Oct-18 18:50:47

Oh don't be so cynical Grandad- we've only been waiting for 14 days- I'm sure it is coming ...

jura2 Fri 12-Oct-18 18:53:23

To be fair, maybe they have forgotten the question, it was sooo long ago. So I'll repeat it, just in case:

*Just one question to any Leaver- a simple one.

Please demonstrate a viable solution for the Irish Border. Please.* in bold, so it is not so easily forgotten.

Grandad1943 Fri 12-Oct-18 19:34:41

Right, jura2, now we have the question fully refreshed no doubt numerous answers will be received within a very short time. Then, we can all look forward to the fabulous bounties of Brexit.

I would never have believed it could be so simple. wink

jura2 Fri 12-Oct-18 20:34:49

Oh Grandad, be quiet- youve interrupted their flow now ...

Grandad1943 Fri 12-Oct-18 23:08:20

jura2, oh sorry, my deepest and sincerest apologies if I have.

paddyann Fri 12-Oct-18 23:12:43

maybe they'll close another motorway and make a vast carpark in NI where everyone can congregate and have their vehicles checked ,no border just everyone in one place .Seems like tory logic to me

Grandad1943 Fri 12-Oct-18 23:44:24

Yes Paddyann, they could all assemble in one place and swap their goods about just like a giant car boot sale except it would be held every day.

Great idea.

Grandad1943 Sat 13-Oct-18 07:21:15

Here is a link on Bloomgergs move to Europe:-

www.dutchnews.nl/news/2018/05/bloomberg-moves-eu-trading-units-to-amsterdam-ahead-of-brexit/

Grandad1943 Sat 13-Oct-18 07:25:57

Apologies, post in wrong thread above, please ignore for this thread.

jura2 Sat 13-Oct-18 16:32:49

'jura2, oh sorry, my deepest and sincerest apologies if I have.'

no need of course grandad - it was a 'joke' as clearly you did not interrupt them not providing any answers.

MawBroon Sat 13-Oct-18 19:19:32

I think the phrase is “Get a room”.

POGS Sat 13-Oct-18 20:38:57

grin

Grandad1943 Sun 14-Oct-18 12:25:11

So, David Davis wishes to see a cabinet rebellion against Theresa Mays Chequers plan for Brexit. He criticises the handling of the negotiations over the last two years while seemingly forgetting he was the person overseeing those negotiations throughout that time.

His incompetence in those negotiations has meant that Theresa Mays Brexit plan is the only one on the table for the European Union to consider. The cabinet all agreed that plan at the meeting held at Chequers, and then some stabbed the Prime Minister in the back immediately they found that agreement was not popular with some of their cronies.

So, to plunge the country even deeper into the Brexit mire is entirely acceptable to Davis and others in their sole selfish quest to have Theresa May's job and in that to hell with the rest of the population.

You could not make it up could you, Disgusting

paddyann Sun 14-Oct-18 17:04:15

Mundell and Davidson say they'll resign if SNP try to convince the electorate that a no deal is the wrong way forward.Let them resign !! They dont have the interest of their own people at heart ,only the Tory party,so let them go.

jura2 Sun 14-Oct-18 18:44:15

And she is threatening to resign too. Well she has changed here tune- another one, like Johnson, who would sell her grandmother to go up a few steps. Listen to her during the campaign:

youtu.be/pkrdEmtii78

Diana54 Sun 14-Oct-18 18:59:28

A "majority" of the cabinet agreed the Chequers plan, then some betrayed the collective decision, what kind of democracy is that!.
Apparently TM is relying on arithmetic to outvote her own rebels, she needs the DUP plus 14 Labour MPs to push Chequers through. Nothing like optimism is there.

varian Sun 14-Oct-18 19:20:02

Very few of our elected politicians seem to care a fig about the future of our country. They only seem to be interested in advancing, or at least hanging on to their positions, and personally cashing in while millions of Britons suffer the consequences of their irresponsibility.

Grandad1943 Sun 14-Oct-18 23:27:08

The leave negotiations breakdown once again even after a special flight and unscheduled talks today (14/10/18) initiated by the UK's Brexit secretary. Yet again, one of the major problems was the Irish border issue that still seems to be unsolvable within a negotiated settlement.

The above situation should be compared to the statement on the day of the article fifty document signing when the then Brexit secretary stated that "these will be the easiest negotiations ever concluded."

What a joke by this bunch of leave clowns that clearly never thought through the agenda that they lied about and sold to the British people.

Within those lies it is now obvious that each of those leave leaders had their own agenda that had nothing to do with benefits to the British people, but more to do with benefits to themselves.

Control, wealth and power for the few is clearly what those at the front the leave campaign sought and now it is there for all to see.