Brexit – Page 23 – Slugger O'Toole

Northern Ireland must rethink how public services are delivered to overcome the challenges ahead

David McCann on October 17, 2018, 11:45 am

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The annual State of the State report has been released by Deloitte with some fascinating observations about the challenges facing a potential future Executive in Northern Ireland. On the lack of an Executive; The lack of an Assembly and Executive means that decisions have not been made on reform and transformation of public services, on economic and social policies or on major planning decisions since early 2017. In that time, ambitious health reforms have slowed, the economic gap between Northern …

The case for the Union is far broader than the DUP’s. But is it compatible with a good deal?

Brian Walker on October 16, 2018, 1:14 pm

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Nobody can doubt that Brexit has challenged the stability of the Union, not only in Scotland and Northern Ireland but in England too. In a lecture in London last night he entitled “The Nightmare of History, Brexit, Ireland and the English Revolution,” Fintan O’Toole warmed to his theme, familiar to Irish Times readers, of pouring scathing contempt over the Brexit case, which he dismissed as post imperial “imaginings.” If he’s right and Brexit is creating a revolution at least in …

What it feels like as a small business owner staring into the face of Brexit

Soapbox on October 15, 2018, 4:10 pm

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Jonny McCormick is the Director of Rosseau Ltd and runs a podcast called Spoke. I’m an eternal optimist. I always think things are going to go my way – that the chips will fall in my favour. The few times I’ve played the lottery I’ve been convinced I’m going to win. Every time I’m boarding an international flight I think I’m going to be bumped up to First Class. I remember the day before the 2016 Presidential election saying that …

It’s neither breakthrough nor breakdown

Brian Walker on October 14, 2018, 11:15 pm

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I think we may safely say the point of crisis has arrived at last. It may last for some time. After the false optimism of Saturday, the backstop, the entire Brexit negotiation, the future of the government and the stability of the Union are all in play, as Theresa May “ branded the draft deal a non-starter”. The FT sums up the general gloomy view of the correspondents on Sunday night.. Brexit talks reached a dramatic stand-off in Brussels on …

Ruth Davidson’s threat to quit changes the odds for the DUP

Brian Walker on October 14, 2018, 4:50 pm

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When the history of these fraught days comes to be written, the backing of Scottish Conservative leader Ruth Davidson for the DUP position may be seen as the single most significant move. Her message is potent; if Northern Ireland is differentiated from GB , why not Scotland from England and Wales? And that’s a gift to the SNP and the cause of Scottish independence. Details emerged this afternoon of the letter she and Scottish secretary David Mundell sent to Theresa May. …

May at bay and kamikaze tactics from Foster, with three days to go to the EU summit

Brian Walker on October 14, 2018, 12:36 am

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Brian WalkerFormer BBC journalist and manager in Belfast, Manchester and London, Editor Spolight; Political Editor BBC NI; Current Affairs Commissioning editor BBC Radio 4; Editor Political and Parliamentary Programmes, BBC Westminster; former London Editor Belfast Telegraph. Hon Senior Research Fellow, The Constitution Unit, Univ Coll. London

Fresh concessions to DUP reported as negotiations near climax

Brian Walker on October 12, 2018, 5:26 pm

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Plans to make the backstop redundant and more time to devise a permanent substitute to help keep the DUP on side, are among the ideas being touted, as the Brexit negotiations on EU withdrawal reach a climax. The FT reports on ” the tunnel phase” when no new proposals will be published by either side until the deal is done – or not Before the weekend is out, negotiators want to agree a complete draft treaty, defining the terms …

Can we manage the challenge to our identities created by Brexit?

Brian Walker on October 11, 2018, 12:55 pm

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There’s no doubt Brexit is creating fresh and unsought tensions over how to manage as well as express national identities. Two pieces today are vivid examples of the problems created by Brexit on these islands. Newton Emerson develops a theme raised here several times, but has yet to reach the top of the political agenda. How do Northern residents born and bred assert their continuing rights as EU and Irish citizens? Sinn Fein naturally want voting rights for Northerners in …

The backstop with a good deal for GB can give Northern Ireland the best of both worlds

Brian Walker on October 10, 2018, 12:48 am

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While Arlene is stuck in the grove of her blood red hard line, the local business community has found their own voice independent of politicians and have talked to Peter Foster, Europe editor of the Daily Telegraph 700 miles away in Belfast, where the business community is trying to prepare the best it can for Brexit, despite all the uncertainty, the tone was markedly less apocalyptic ( than Arlene’s, stuck in a grove of red lines) . Declan Billington, …

C’mon Arlene – Be a stateswoman. Let’s all jump together

Brian Walker on October 8, 2018, 10:55 pm

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As the Brexit negotiations approach some sort of climax it’s unwise to take any public statement entirely at face value. Indeed any statement may have the opposite significance to the words usually mean. Thus when Juncker imitates the Dancing Queen and tells the world: “The rapprochement potential between both sides has increased in recent days, the Dancing Queen interprets the optimism as pressure on her to give more concessions on the backstop. So she threatens to refuse to sign a …

The UK and Ireland are closing in on a border solution

Brian Walker on October 4, 2018, 10:49 am

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The FT hopefully leads: “Ireland backs Theresa May’s plan for all-UK customs union with the UK”. The story is jointly by-lined by their political editor at Conservative party conference in Birmingham and their Ireland correspondent. She will offer to meet the EU half way on the vexed issue of the Irish backstop, agreeing to Brussels’ demands that Northern Ireland stay part of the single market regulatory area of the bloc. But, in return, she wants the EU to concede to …

The Agreement can only be amended with cross-community support

Sarah Creighton on October 4, 2018, 8:14 am

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20130410 GFA 15

Eyebrows were raised on the 2nd October when Arlene Foster commented that the Good Friday Agreement wasn’t sacrosanct, hinting that she would like to amend it to accommodate Brexit. Her words been praised but also widely condemned. Leo Varadkar responded by saying that “the Good Friday Agreement is not up for renegotiation” in the Dail. Anyone paying close attention will notice that Foster’s comments are very similar to statements made by her party colleagues, Jim Allister and Jamie Bryson over the …

Don’t let Arlene cause panic. The GFA isn’t dead, only sleeping and will acquire new life

Brian Walker on October 3, 2018, 10:57 pm

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When Arlene Foster said the GFA wasn’t “sacrosanct” was she deliberately provoking a fit of the jitters? What did she mean? The Irish Times had no doubts: The apparent attempt by Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) leader Arlene Foster to undermine the Belfast Agreement in pursuit of a hardline strategy on Brexit is ill-considered and dangerous. It would appear that the DUP is actively pursuing a policy designed to ensure the restoration of the hardest possible border on the island regardless of the consequences for living …

May’s team claim to find flexibility in DUP demand for legal guarantees for no checks ever in the Irish Sea

Brian Walker on October 2, 2018, 5:46 pm

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This is a running story .. Latest at 22.53 The FT leads with DUP puts May on notice over Brexit backstop Arlene Foster tweeted defiantly: Meeting with Prime Minister just ended. NO border in the Irish Sea will ever be acceptable to unionists throughout the UK . . . regulatory or otherwise. Government sources claim there must be just enough wriggle room created by new time limits. But are they deceiving themselves once again? From the FT story For some months, Mrs May’s team …

Moment of truth approaches for the DUP deal as May prepares to reveal her latest plan for the border

Brian Walker on October 2, 2018, 10:23 am

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This morning on the Today programme, Theresa May stalled when pressed on when she would have her detailed plans for the backstop ready. But she will have to say more when she meets the DUP this afternoon. This suggests she may unveil it in her leader’s speech tomorrow morning – unless once again, the DUP stop her. Q: Will you compromise on the Irish backstop? May says she hopes to get a backstop that never needs to be used. Her …

Public Goods can help keep farmers farming

Soapbox on October 2, 2018, 10:17 am

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By John Martin of Nature Matters NI For the first time in nearly half a century an Agriculture Bill has been brought forward in Westminster. The Bill outlines a significant change in the direction of farm support in England, moving from a system focused mainly on area based payments to payments for public goods such as clean water, fresh air and recreational opportunities. The proposals do not apply to Northern Ireland but there is no doubt that post-Brexit we will …

Despite the PM’s steadfast support for the Union, Arlene Foster choses this moment to distance the DUP from Theresa May

Brian Walker on October 2, 2018, 12:00 am

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The Daily Telegraph claims Arlene Foster has given “a major boost” to Boris Johnson’s leadership ambitions in an interview with the paper on the eve of Boris’ appearance at a Conservative fringe meeting. In comments which fail to back the Chequers plan, she has also kept her distance from Theresa May personally. In a major boost for Mr Johnson’s leadership ambitions, Mrs Foster endorsed the “belief” and “spirit” contained in his blueprint for Brexit. One her biggest disappointments is the failure …

Theresa May’s version of the Union is as dangerously limited as the DUP’s

Brian Walker on October 1, 2018, 4:43 pm

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That ebullient and creative academic Pete Shirlow recently wrote a piece in the Belfast Telegraph discouraging the indulgence of Northern Irish whinging about ourselves as “ a place apart”, and unloved in GB. You can argue this either way. As he says: “ The idea that most people in Britain do not give a monkey’s is as true as it is false… I am sure most people in Britain never think about Northern Ireland, but they probably never think much …

Future Ireland / Northern Ireland and the Humpty Dumpty World of Schrödinger’s Cats

Sean Danaher on September 29, 2018, 8:00 am

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Apparently you follow the rabbit down a hole and you emerge in a wonderland …. Ken Clarke – House of Commons “When I use a word,” Humpty Dumpty said, in rather a scornful tone, “it means just what I choose it to mean—neither more nor less.” “The question is,” said Alice, “whether you can make words mean so many different things.” “The question is,” said Humpty Dumpty, “which is to be master—that’s all.” Lewis Carrol – Alice in Wonderland The …

Cabinet may be moving towards Canada. Are the DUP about to back No Deal?

Brian Walker on September 28, 2018, 1:15 am

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Not normally the keenest of DUP watchers, the New Statesman have their eyes on Sammy Wilson, who is the DUP’s Brexit spokesman in the Commons when it isn’t Nigel Dodds. Sammy is at heart a No Deal man. While I believe Chequers has the legs to move closer to Norway (these images become more bizarre by the day), Canada is now said to be favoured by a cabinet cabal – but not by Sammy, who has spoken against it . …