Today's Commons debate

I voted to leave for precisely the same reasons Urm! Isn't it a pity that all these clever(?!!) folk on here have to be so flipping patronising?! No wonder others don't join in any more, there's a limit to how much anyone can stand this sort of lofty sneery I know better than you attitude!

quizqueen

Even if the government was doing the best job in the world, the Lefties on here, who are in the majority, would find something to complain about but they never wanted Britain to be a sovereign independent country, who is capable of making its own decisions. They are happy to be vassal slaves of the EU and pay them a sh*tload of money every year to squander as they please.

I'm pleased to find that, as a Leftie, I'm in a majority because over the years people have said that as one gets older one becomes more conservative. Supposedly, because one reaches a certain stage in life - home owner, good pension (not me in this case, still working at 73), I should be thinking of myself first and protecting what I have.

For heaven's sake, what on earth could.or would the EU have been able to do over Hong Kong!!? Offer support?!. Wow that would certainly have terrified China into compliance!! send a stern note? (keep your nose out of China's business just might have been the reply!). Oh I know threaten military action with that EU army that doesn't exist!!!????. Get real!!

MaizieD like some others, you’re not happy unless you’re annoyed or defeatist about the UK. Hopefully you’ll find your optimism next January.

How could you vote for something you couldn’t understand?

Wrong WW I voted to get out from under EU rule. Corrupt. Profligate. Brussels & Strasbourg - translators gravy train. Too big. Fiscal Rules bent (Greece) to allow membership.

Not immigrants. Not blue passports.

So yes, borders would become a necessity. But that wasn’t my problem to solve. That’s what the negotiations were for going forward.

I still think a deal will be struck. They’re all still talking - even though it’s gotten a bit febrile as we come up to the 11th hour.

Realistically what on earth can we do about Hong Kong except issue threats which China will obviously ignore knowing that we are powerless, and making us look extremely foolish!

Had we still been in the EU we might, with its backing, just have been able to put a bit more weight behind whatever we had to say..

I'm glad you recognise that we are now powerless, because that's the way it's going to be, anywhere in the world, from now on.

Jaberwok

Realistically what on earth can we do about Hong Kong except issue threats which China will obviously ignore knowing that we are powerless, and making us look extremely foolish! I don't think sending a warship would have much effect these days!! I'm amazed the treaty with China has lasted for so long! A friend in the Amiralty gave it five years! 23 is astonishing for China!

Nothing - because we have forfeited Our reputation.

Realistically what on earth can we do about Hong Kong except issue threats which China will obviously ignore knowing that we are powerless, and making us look extremely foolish! I don't think sending a warship would have much effect these days!! I'm amazed the treaty with China has lasted for so long! A friend in the Amiralty gave it five years! 23 is astonishing for China!

But don’t you understand that brexit was all about borders?!

How could you vote for something you couldn’t understand?

You haven’t addressed the issue if our breaking international law either. These things matter, and our future reputation is at stake.

It is no good hoping that peace will prevail, we all do, but you must be hard headed about these things and understand Irish history and current situation.

I understand your point WW and I don’t have the intelligence to solve the conundrum of the Irish question. However I really think (for what it’s worth) my post above could still stand? Time will tell how this will play out. The Irish citizens need huge assurances that this is a (soft) border from the EU for trade reasons only. The lightest of touches really, using today’s technologies. Years have passed, people’s attitudes have softened and changed - they are enjoying their freedoms and technology got a whole lot more impressive in the meantime.

Reassurances would be needed but with goodwill on both sides, benefits are possible without a resurgence of religious terrorism. Most people want a quiet life, enjoying their families and lifestyle choices. If the activists and agitators can be silenced by the repeated good words and intentions of the many politicians, hopefully peace will prevail.

ug look at customs borders throughout the world.

Of course the EU will pay for their border, but we will pay for ours.

The U.K. will have just the same borders in Ireland as we will have at all our ports, and airports.

Customs officers lost their lives in Ireland as the posts were constantly under threat from being blown up etc, and don’t forget the atrocities that occurred on the mainland prior to the GFA.

It will affect the good Friday agreement because the whole thing was based on there not being any form of border of any sort at all between the two Irelands.

You’d think that wouldn’t you? But talk to anybody living in Belfast and ask about the walls and separation that still exists together with the tension just below the surface.

Don’t forget the Good Friday Agreement is another international agreement and one in which as well as two of our previous prime ministers the USA had a huge amount if involvement in.

They are not taking it kindly, and it is a bi-partisan issue in America, so all representatives will be very cross at us breaking yet one more international agreement.

Quite honestly Hong Kong can now forget any help we may have given as a result if our previous reputation of upholders of the rule of law.

That reputation is now well and truly shot.

I don’t know of Russ WW - actually I even wondered if he was a relative of yours - hence my joke asking for a link
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Thank you for explaining.

Regards Ireland. I bet Boris doesn’t do anything. If the EU ‘want’ a border there it’ll be up to them and to pay for it. Although I think it’ll be the softest ever. It’s their choice. And why should it affect the GF agreement if that were to be the case. The good citizens of that island would appreciate it’s down to the EU and tariffs. Trade regulations. That’s all. Nothing at all to do with sectarian hostilities. Time has moved on and I bet the majority of the good ‘uns just want a decent life, enjoying freedoms without the religious bigotries of their old ‘uns.

Or probably not understood

Whitewavemark2

Jaberwok

Mainland Briton and NI? wheres that going to be, and whose going to police it and how?

In the middle of the Irish Sea.

Brexit is paying for it

Don’t forget that a border in the Irish Sea was explicit in Johnson’s withdrawal agreement.

One in which May refused to have thus inventing the Irish backstop.

The problem is that the internal market bill contains no measures to actually prevent this border. Something that the government seems to have overlooked.

Jaberwok

Mainland Briton and NI? wheres that going to be, and whose going to police it and how?

In the middle of the Irish Sea.

Brexit is paying for it

Urmstongran

Who is Russ?

You know the one who writes the diaries of the governments week.

Oh, and pay for it as I guess it won't be us!

Mainland Briton and NI? wheres that going to be, and whose going to police it and how?

So where is the border going? There are 3. Options

Between the two Ireland’s which will further break international agreement and risk the fragile peace.

Between the mainland Britain and Northern Ireland

Between mainland Europe, U.K. and Southern Ireland, thus dividing the EU ( well that’s never going to happen)

Who is Russ?

I plan to be back soon. November probably. Lockdown & my own Covid fears (train/airports/plane) have delayed my return is all.
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ug will you be coming back to live in the paradise that will be post brexit U.K. ?

In the Assembly, today Mrs Foster said: "The EU needs to stop using Northern Ireland to get their own way.

"We are not the plaything of the European Union and it causes great difficulties here in Northern Ireland when people use Northern Ireland in that fashion."

Mrs Foster urged the EU/UK Joint Committee to make progress, expressing surprise there is still a standoff around the issue of goods being imported to Northern Ireland from Britain.

"I am amazed that that issue has not yet been solved because it's a very straightforward issue," she said.

Mrs Foster added: "That should not be used as a bargaining chip, but instead it should be dealt with as quickly as possible."

On the UK Internal Market Bill, the First Minister said: "The GB market is our largest market so it is important that we have unfettered access into the market and that is what I hope this bill will achieve."

She added: "Sometimes when I listen to EU negotiators and they talk about peace in Northern Ireland, it is apparently only if we have free access north/south, there's very little conversations about access east/west, and of course we do need that in a more fundamental way.

"I can understand why the north/south issue was such a big issue, and I recognise that, but there were other ways to deal with that.

"Those other ways were pooh-poohed and not listened to, and unfortunately we now find ourselves in this situation.

"So there needs to be an acknowledgement that east/west - the integrity of the United Kingdom - needs to be protected as much as having to deal with the north/south trade."

Seriously, who is Russ?