The Irish Question revisited

Who is Jim?

Talullah

It appears to have gone far better than one would have thought after reading comments on here and other media. Jim seemed to enjoy Boris's company and it was rather strange seeing such happiness at a summit. So much smiling. I had been told there would be handbags at dawn with Joe reprimanding Boris, so I waited to see this dressing down and it didn't come.

??? it doesn’t happen in public, politicians always put a good face on things that is their job.

It appears to have gone far better than one would have thought after reading comments on here and other media. Jim seemed to enjoy Boris's company and it was rather strange seeing such happiness at a summit. So much smiling. I had been told there would be handbags at dawn with Joe reprimanding Boris, so I waited to see this dressing down and it didn't come.

It is normal that the host and the senior guest - in this case the president of the USA give joint press conference, but yesterday that didn’t happen.

Oh how the Johnson side must wish Trump was still president!

So yesterday went well?

Johnson and Frost got a thick ear from Biden, then Macron weighed in saying that a treaty agreed by all sides was signed off in December after years of “blood sweat and tears”(well he didn’t actually say that but you know that is what he meant).

When two sides sign a treaty there must be an element of trust that both will abide by the agreed treaty. You can’t sign off then a few months down the road say that you want to renegotiate, and expect the other side to simply fall into line. It doesn’t work like that.

So tough.

Johnson’s press resorted to pictures of Johnson’s latest sprog in order to divert attention, and Johnson did his usual blustering and obfuscation calling it all “a breath of fresh air”

Kali2

lemongrove

Let’s hope Biden stays as matey for the rest of the stay in Cornwall.

I certainly hope he does not. Johnson needs to be told what is what, and very firmly.

I think he has

@thetimes
"President Biden ordered US officials to issue Boris Johnson with an extraordinary diplomatic rebuke for imperilling the Northern Ireland peace process over Brexit, The Times can reveal."

He knows ‘what is what’ already.....probably much more than Biden does ( for all his much publicised Irish roots.)

lemongrove

Let’s hope Biden stays as matey for the rest of the stay in Cornwall.

I certainly hope he does not. Johnson needs to be told what is what, and very firmly.

Yes, it’s the dominant position in a male hierarchy, here’s the dictionary definition.
the dominant male animal in a particular group.
"two of them trotted over to greet the alpha male, a black wolf with a greying muzzle"
a man tending to assume a dominant or domineering role in social or professional situations.
"two alpha males constantly competing to be the best"

Do we still talk about Alpha Males?

But Boris is an elbow bumper extraordinaire lemongrove, you see him on TV doing it almost every time he’s on. I do agree that it’s not good practice but what’s good for one politician is good for another.

Let’s hope Biden stays as matey for the rest of the stay in Cornwall.

People are still trying not to be too close to each other Casdon, even politicians.
Perhaps it’s just Americans, they are more ‘familiar’ with people, Trump,Reagan,Bush,Clinton all spring to mind.

There’s no difference in Covid risk between a hand on a shoulder and elbow touching as a greeting, in this situation it just says so much more.

GG ???

He shouldn’t be touching! Alpha male indeed ?I noticed at his inauguration he was touching various people, even a quick hug here and there.Perhaps he forgot.

Spot the Alpha male.

lemongrove I did point that out to Whitewavemark2 earlier on this thread, but so far the poster has chosen not to reply/ignored this fact.

Casdon

It isn’t bullying when an agreement is signed, and one side repeatedly tests the boundaries to its own advantage, but isn’t allowed to get away with it by the other parties. . The UK signed up to both the Good Friday Agreement and the detailed Brexit arrangements for Northern Ireland. This is our bad.

I agree. Not thought through enough.

GrannyGravy13

Whitewavemark2

Remember you voted for exactly this situation, and should be welcoming our sovereignty to choose to be pushed around.

Your support of what basically amounts to bullying is astounding!!!!!

I assume you also support bullying in the workplace and within the school system?

Well said.

The point is WW that the revered EU can bend rules if they wish it, moreover that we are not an untried new third country, they know that our meat is absolutely fine ( now, if we were China....)

Whitewavemark2

Anyone listen to Bidens speech when he was talking about democracy, and how democracy best delivers what the people want.

So he then proceeded to list those countries who have an excellent democratic record.

Australia
New Zealand
Japan
European countries.

On the other side
Russia notably Putin
Brazil
Hungary
China
U.K?

It was notable that we according to the leader of the democratic world the U.K. was not listed.

Blimey! Not surprising though.

Has it escaped your attention that we are a ‘European country’ !
We may have left the trading bloc but we are still in Europe.

lemongrove

Bodach

"The EU has always expected third countries to comply with legal agreements." But it doesn't necessarily apply the same standards to its own behaviour - as in its infamous (and thankfully short-lived) triggering of Article 16 recently.

Very true.
It’s well known that the EU has rigid rules that can only be bent whenever the EU wishes them to be!

That’s because they can, they are a huge economic block with massive power.

They call the shots.

Bodach

"The EU has always expected third countries to comply with legal agreements." But it doesn't necessarily apply the same standards to its own behaviour - as in its infamous (and thankfully short-lived) triggering of Article 16 recently.

Very true.
It’s well known that the EU has rigid rules that can only be bent whenever the EU wishes them to be!

Whitewavemark2

Frost has pulled out of being questioned by one of the parliamentary committees.

Well he would, wouldn't he. He should not be given the option, surely.