Brexit – Page 41 – Slugger O'Toole

Theresa May is unmoved by Celtic frustrations over her Brexit stance

Brian Walker on January 30, 2017, 11:22 am

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After Trump and Turkey week for Theresa May but with the aftershocks still shaking the bones, Brexit week with the Celts must seem like an anti- climax. Despite all the warms words there is no sign that Mrs May is taking the pro-EU positions of two and half of the three devolved administrations even slightly seriously. The briefings before today’s Cardiff meeting could hardly be more underwhelming. We will not agree on everything, but that doesn’t mean we will shy …

The road to influencing the Brexit future isn’t closed. But is Adams now detaching Brexit from the future of the Assembly?

Brian Walker on January 27, 2017, 12:35 pm

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Why are staunch defenders of the GFA not rejoicing since the UK Supreme Court found that nothing about Northern Ireland’s removal from Europe breaches any law, treaty or part of the constitution and there will now be a UK parliament vote on article 50? Newton Emerson puts the question in the Irish Times with his tongue firmly in his cheek. Any failure to accept the finality of the judgements against them not only perpetuates a false impression of damage to the peace …

In a slow and secret transition within Sinn Fein, Gerry Adams, still in charge, appears to be setting high targets for negotiations on the Assembly

Brian Walker on January 21, 2017, 8:28 pm

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At a Sinn Fein conference on a united Ireland in Dublin, Gerry Adams has claimed Brexit is a “ hostile action” that will “destroy the Good Friday Agreement”, although adding that “special status” would not take Northern Ireland out of the UK. Is this to be a sticking point in any talks to restore the Assembly? If so he’d be setting the bar very high and over quite a long timescale for resolution. Although it has been taken to mean …

Whatever #Brexit means for Britain, Northern Ireland must take its opportunities and threats seriously…

Mick Fealty on January 19, 2017, 12:35 pm

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So Guy Verhofstadt tells us that the EU is not out to punish the UK (or ‘Britain’ if you still think we’re all the same). We, if we are paying attention to Article 8 of the Lisbon Treaty, the EU cannot had out what the British Foreign Minister so crassly refers to as a punishment beating: The Union shall develop a special relationship with neighbouring countries, aiming to establish an area of prosperity and good neighbourliness, founded on the values of the …

Ireland must seek EU permission to make a draft bilateral deal with Britain

Brian Walker on January 18, 2017, 11:15 am

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Dublin reaction to Theresa May’s big Brexit speech is understandably cautious verging on the sceptical. Is more substantial content to be expected when Theresa meets Enda in Dublin next week, no doubt to discuss her hopes that an open-ish border can be achieved through “frictionless “ trading monitored digitally and immigration rules enforced mainly through national insurance and taxation rather than entry points? Probably not, even though the promptness of the visit after the speech is welcome and she has …

Theresa May’s speech: Is the UK planning to use Ireland as a hostage in negotiations with the 27?

Mick Fealty on January 17, 2017, 6:33 pm

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fUIl0ZVw9zU To be honest I haven’t wanted to add to the wall to wall commentary on a Brexit deal, the outline of which is even now barely visible. Today, it became a little more clear. Mrs May wants access to the Single Market via a bespoke deal yet to be negotiated. Looks like a very big reset within the unifying frame of the UK state. She made references to a report she’s already had from the Scottish Government, and is …

Theresa May’s aim of free trade with the EU outside the single market is the way to avoid a hard border. The Irish should start lobbying their EU partners now.

Brian Walker on January 17, 2017, 5:30 pm

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We will put our precious Union at the heart of what we do.. We will strengthen our relationship between the four nations of the UK.. I hope for the same spirit of unity, especially in Northern Ireland and that the parties will establish a new relationship as soon as possible.. The devolved administrations will be fully engaged (in the Brexit process). That is why we have set up a joint ministerial committee.. We have received papers from Scotland and …

How will Ireland square the circle of close relations with Brexit Britain and continuing loyalty to the EU?

Brian Walker on January 15, 2017, 8:10 pm

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An Irish government official said to me a few weeks ago: “ we’re with the other guys now.” That arresting comment meant that Ireland was making a necessary shift further away from Britain and towards the continuing relationship with the EU. A binary choice is in prospect, goes the argument, depending on the Brexit outcomes. There was a certain amount of whistling bravado in the remark – perhaps belied by the Irish government’s intense efforts with its continuing EU partners …

So what of those 27 trade deals?

Andy Boal on January 10, 2017, 8:05 pm

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Time for a little light relief. Much is made of the 27 countries queuing up to make trade deals with the UK, but as ever the devil is in the detail. The first observation is that two or three of the countries concerned are not in a position to enter into bilaterals with the United Kingdom, as this would conflict with Germany and Ireland’s membership of the EU and possibly (although I can’t quite be sure) Switzerland’s bilateral treaties with …

What to look out for in 2017….

David McCann on December 26, 2016, 9:59 am

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2016 was a fascinating year in politics with an election, Brexit and the US Presidential race. Now we are near the end of the year, I thought I would take a look ahead to see what else could surprise us in 2017. (This list is by no means definitive, if I have missed anything put it in the comments section below). Article 50- The Prime Minister has said she will activate Article 50 by the end of March 2017. Look …

SNP pressure to stay in the single market boosts the UK case. Why not champion these ideas for Northern Ireland?

Brian Walker on December 21, 2016, 11:36 am

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Nicola Sturgeon herself admits there are challenges in the SNP’s proposals to keep Scotland within the single market if the rest of the UK is without. The generous view of the paper Scotland’s Place in Europe is that at least it sets out a position, which is more than the than the UK government has done so far. Witness Theresa May’s stonewalling performance before the Commons Liaison Committee yesterday and the Guardian’s sketch of it. Furthermore the Scottish case could …

Events of 2016 will shape the challenges of 2017

Neale Richmond on December 20, 2016, 11:13 am

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To put it mildly, 2016 has been a pretty eventful year politically with Brexit, the election of Trump, a failed coup in Turkey, the downfall of Renzi as well as slightly inconclusive elections in both Ireland and Spain. As we hurtle to the close of the year, many interested or active in politics will be hoping for some sort of respite over the festive season before what could be an even more eventful year in 2017. Whatever 2017 as in …

UK exports have boomed since the Brexit referendum, but mostly to the EU

Peter Donaghy (Salmon of Data) on December 15, 2016, 9:18 am

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In the immediate aftermath of the referendum on the UK’s membership of the European Union on the 23rd of June 2016, the pound fell sharply against other major currencies. At the time of writing, £1 will buy €1.19 or 1.25 US dollars, down 8.5% and 14.7% respectively $1.47 and €1.30 on the eve of the referendum. It has been claimed by various sources that a fall in the pound, whilst obviously bad news for importers and holidaymakers, will prove a …

FT recommends staying in the customs union to help solve the Irish problem

Brian Walker on December 14, 2016, 8:34 am

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Irish Finance minister Michael Noonan was too hasty in slapping down “a special deal on the side ” between the UK and Ireland in response to the report on Ireland and Brexit from the Lords EU committee. He spoke even as it was admitted that Ireland would probably be worse affected than Britain. This is no time to reject any well-intentioned idea for resolving what is probably the single most difficult problem of Brexit. The committee was also right to …

While the Supreme Court continues the agenda moves on. A hard Brexit looks more and more likely and the future of the Irish border is in the balance.

Brian Walker on December 8, 2016, 11:31 am

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The Financial Times (£) says it all in the editorial quoted at some length below – or most of it. If Theresa May had introduced a simple bill granting MPs a vote on Article 50, the November High Court case and the appeal to the Supreme Court would not have happened. What it doesn’t say is that the UK government look like triggering Article 50 before the end of March to leave the single market and the customs union. They …

The gap between politics and the law is further exposed. But ruling on the clash between the Scots and Irish nationalists with the UK government will be the more momentous decision for the Supreme Court.

Brian Walker on December 7, 2016, 5:24 pm

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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

NI Attorney General: “Article 50 trigger – will ‘amend not a comma or a full stop of the 1998 Act’.”

Pete Baker on December 6, 2016, 3:24 pm

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As with the Belfast High Court, so with the UK Supreme Court… NI Attorney General John Larkin has been repeating the argument. From the BBC text coverage from the Supreme Court Northern Ireland’s attorney general, John Larkin, is continuing to make his case that none of the legislative or constitutional arrangements underpinning devolution should stand in the way of the UK government triggering Article 50. The 1998 Northern Ireland Act, which set up the NI Assembly and NI executive, made …

“Return to your cumanns and prepare for Irish unification.”

Pete Baker on December 5, 2016, 3:49 pm

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In the Belfast Telegraph, Eilis O’Hanlon comments on the recent flurry of “displacement activity” from Sinn Féin. From the Belfast Telegraph article So, what better way to distract the republican home crowd than with some conjurer’s cheap tricks? Don’t look at that hand, look at this one. Don’t mention my ineffectiveness on a range of issues that actually matter, look at all these things I’m saying and doing about something that doesn’t matter in the slightest. It’s not as if …

Sinn Fein’s attempts to confront the chaos of Brexit are still too hung up on the dubious appeal of constitutional change

Brian Walker on December 2, 2016, 12:27 pm

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Two cheers for Sinn Fein for at least having a go where others fear to tread, in exposing their ideas in progress to the deep uncertainties of Brexit. In this document, if responding to the confusion of Brexit were not enough, the party is delivering a mixed revisionist message that is caught between its roots and its avowed direction of travel. To start with, the basic premise of the paper in the foreword is debatable. It is indeed hard to …

Where now for Scotland?

Neale Richmond on December 2, 2016, 12:14 pm

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In an historic and stirring address to Seanad Éireann this week, Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon refused to set out a timeline for when she might ask the Scottish people to vote once again on Independence. She repeated her view that the Scottish people had not voted to stay within a United Kingdon outside of the European Union and that the Scottish people’s decision to overwhelming vote in favour of remaining in the EU could not be ignored. Immediately after …