EU – Page 21 – Slugger O'Toole

Chequers: they thought it was all over. It is now. Brexit brinkmanship or bust

Brian Walker on September 20, 2018, 4:50 pm

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Donald Tusk President of the EU Council At our EU27 working lunch today we had a good discussion on Brexit, which once again reconfirmed our full unity. Let me highlight three points. First, we reconfirmed that there will be no Withdrawal Agreement without a solid, operational and legally binding Irish backstop. And we continue to fully support Michel Barnier in his efforts to find such a model. Second, we agreed to have a joint political declaration that provides as much …

No breakthrough for May at Salzburg. More moves on the border needed and concessions on the single market

Brian Walker on September 20, 2018, 11:52 am

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God knows where we are now. Groping towards a solution probably. We’re unlikely to get much more clarity from Salzburg by the end of the day. The suggestion of a second referendum by the Maltese and Czech leaders made an interesting diversion but little more. The Irish Times headlined “stark divisions” between May and Varadkar in advance of their breakfast meeting today but added: Sources close to the prime minister accepted, however, that London would be bringing forward proposals on …

Brinkmanship on the border: May squares off before EU leaders as Barnier revises his plan

Brian Walker on September 19, 2018, 11:19 am

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To herald her appearance at today’s EU summit at Salzburg, Theresa May has presented a bullish case for her Chequers plan where it matters most – to the Germans. In an article under her name in the heavyweight paper Die Welt, she insists that Chequers contains the border solution without resorting to the EU’s legal draft of the backstop. Say it quietly but she may be pushing at a door, if not wide open, just left ajar. Pardon the cliché, …

New November “deadline” for agreeing withdrawal terms puts pressure on all sides

Brian Walker on September 18, 2018, 1:51 pm

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The mantra “nothing is agreed until everything is agreed” may be joined with a new one, “ nothing changes until everything changes.” This applies in spades to the border backstop wrangle. Rather than face crunch point at Salzburg on Thursday, EU leaders have confirmed that the terms for UK withdrawal will be settled at a special Brexit summit in November. So that’s all good, then. But the backstop still nags and Theresa May has said nothing to wish it away, …

Fianna Fáil and its discontents – the Eurosceptic opportunity

Soapbox on September 17, 2018, 2:19 pm

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By Aidan Harkin At the time of writing Fianna Fáil (FF) is struggling to re-assert itself as the prominent force in Irish politics. The 2016 election was a moment of promise for FF who experienced considerable gains from its disastrous 2011 election performance, resulting in a difference of only six seats between them and the governing party Fine Gael (FG). This rise coupled with the implosion of the Irish labour party has meant both FF and FG now co-exist uncomfortably …

The burning border problem. Is it a gnat or a camel?

Brian Walker on September 17, 2018, 12:37 pm

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Only two things are sure about the Brexit arguments. Over the border issue ’they’re hotting up inside the Conservative party. And the binary nature of the exchanges between Theresa and Boris produces only deadlock as binary arguments tend to do. In her BBC interview no doubt she believes she’s defending “the precious, precious Union” and the will of the Northern Ireland people. But as interviewer Nick Robinson might have reminded her, they voted in favour of Remain. Does it really …

Future Ireland: Writing Competition

Claire Mitchell on September 16, 2018, 9:00 am

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This is an open call for submissions on our current featured topic – Future Ireland: Alternative Conversations about Unity and the Union You can read a little more about the aims of the project here, and the types of contributions that we’re seeking. Here are some examples. But we suspect that you might have some even better ideas. So we’re putting out an open call for articles on this topic. The best three articles will win a prize (tbc – …

Future Ireland: Alternative Conversations About Unity and the Union

Claire Mitchell on September 15, 2018, 9:00 am

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The future of Northern Ireland is deeply uncertain. Brexit, the rise of English nationalism, Scotland, Stormont deadlock and demographic change make Irish unity a realistic alternative. The polls vary greatly, but some have unity very much within sight, especially if there is a harsh Brexit and a disruptive border. People are talking about this at kitchen tables across the north. But whilst we are highly engaged about if we would like unity or the union, and many of us have …

Brexiteer border plan is not a game changer, nor a government wrecker for the DUP

Brian Walker on September 12, 2018, 3:30 pm

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Will Arlene Foster proclaim the merits of the Brexiteer European Research Group’s plan for the border when she meets Theresa May? She will come under immediate pressure to give her verdict – for or against the Chequers plan on which May refuses to compromise; or in favour of the ERG’s? Nigel Dodds has declared the plan which is rival to the prime minister’s plan “positive and timely.” But is this an implied threat to withdraw support from the government? It …

Micheál Martin: “the core of nationalism is to secure a unity of people and not just a unity of structures…”

Mick Fealty on September 10, 2018, 6:49 pm

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In his recently published book, my old Slugger partner in crime Paul Evans describes the rise in the populism as a form of anti-utilitarianism in which political gaming is gradually crowding out representative democracy. Whilst keen not to paint Brexit or the election of Trump as civilisation’s end, he highlights the capacity for hidden interests to manipulate any electorate through dark money and by sending radically different political messages even to people living under the same roof is rising. The resulting squeezing of …

The EU may shoot Boris’s fox and bail Theresa out

Brian Walker on September 10, 2018, 11:06 am

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The FT has discovered a blink of light for Theresa May amid the general Brexit gloom. The Daily Telegraph is among other papers lifting the story, labelling it, “Operation Save Theresa.” The EU is preparing to give its Brexit negotiator new instructions to help close a deal with Britain, in a conciliatory move that will bolster Theresa May as she suffers savage attacks from Brexiters at home. An informal summit in Salzburg this month between the EU’s …

When oh when will the UK government stop stalling on the backstop?

Brian Walker on September 8, 2018, 2:19 pm

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Why is Michel Barnier being messed about over the backstop and the border? On Tuesday he said this to the Commons Brexit Select Committee. I am very concerned about Ireland. We need to find a solution that avoids the return of a hard border and that remains today the main obstacle on our road to an agreement between the British and ourselves. On the ground, ladies and gentlemen, it is impossible—this is nothing new—to distinguish between customs checks and other …

From the London broadsheets, rare interest in Irish developing positions is to be welcomed

Brian Walker on September 5, 2018, 10:42 am

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The criticism is well made that British interest in Irish positions is generally self serving and fails to recognise their independent validity. Any slight shift in this is to be welcomed. The London broadsheets have paid Sinn Fein the rare compliment of taking seriously the party’s think-in at Cavan. It’s worth noting that they have yet to broach the notion that a Brexit solution would be so much easier if Northern Ireland were to join the Republic. Quite apart from …

Brexit crisis point is arriving even faster than expected

Brian Walker on September 3, 2018, 2:16 pm

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At the opening of the Westminster season, no time has been wasted for open warfare to break out inside the Conservative party. Theresa May’s Chequers plan is assailed from both left and right, in the old terms, between Leave and Remain. Its main thrust – separating the authority to lay down rules for goods from regulations for services – is now specifically rejected by Brussels. Crying wolf is easy but this looks really serious. Boris slaps down his challenge in …

Border issues are difficult enough without manufacturing a phoney one

Brian Walker on August 30, 2018, 8:52 am

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In response to Fionnbhar’s post, Newton has said most of what needs to be said. Debate over tariffs and regulations has been conflated with security to a ludicrous, irresponsible degree. Whatever shape Brexit takes, it can be made clear now that terrorist threats will be dealt with as they are dealt with already – by intelligence-led policing across Ireland. The latest kerfuffle over a open or a hard border is just one example of a prevailing paradox. That in a …

If #WeDeserveBetter, We’ll Have To Vote For It

Gerry Lynch on August 28, 2018, 10:22 pm

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I really want to be supportive of the #WeDeserveBetter movement. I think it’s a great thing when thousands of people come on to the streets to encourage the political compromise without which power-sharing cannot work. But really, do #WeDeserveBetter when ‘we’, the people of Northern Ireland, have collectively rewarded the DUP and Sinn Féin for taking the stances they have? Well into the period of stalemate, in last June’s General Election, the DUP and Sinn Féin were ‘punished’ by the …

Rees-Mogg brazen in his ignorance of Ireland

Fionnbharr Rodgers on August 28, 2018, 4:08 pm

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“I don’t think my visiting the Border is really going to give me a fundamental insight into the Border beyond what one can get by studying it,” said Jacob Rees-Mogg, MP for North-East Somerset. This comes from footage of a public meeting where Rees-Mogg euphemistically stated that the British government could “keep an eye on” the border, and suggested that there should be a return to the sort of inspections at border-crossings that existed during the Troubles. Historians may, by …

Sustaining hope for peace: Global Conflict 2018 #GFA20

Allan LEONARD (Mr Ulster) on August 25, 2018, 2:25 pm

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Sustaining hope for peace: Global Conflict 2018 #GFA20 by Allan LEONARD 23 August 2018 In partnership with the University of Chicago and its Pearson Institute, Queen’s University Belfast hosted a two-day conference, “Global Conflict: The Human Impact”. This report recounts the first day’s events, which focussed on sharing learning from the peace processes in Northern Ireland and Colombia. Professor Ian Greer, recently installed Vice-Chancellor at Queen’s, welcomed delegates with some explanatory remarks about the partnership between the two universities. This …

Brexit Secretary tells NI businesses to ‘speak to Dublin’ if no deal…

Brian O'Neill on August 24, 2018, 9:59 am

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The Brexit Secretary Dominic Raab said Northern Ireland businesses trading across the Irish border should contact the Irish government for advice in the event of a ‘no-deal‘. My translation – ‘We have enough problems of our own, you Paddies sort yourselves out.’ Is it reading too much into it that the Government would happily throw NI under the bus if needed? So much for the DUP/Conservative bromance. That’s in the context of the Ashcroft Poll from June which revealed that ‘Six out …

Half of NI firms postponed or cancelled investment plans due to Brexit…

Brian O'Neill on August 20, 2018, 11:27 am

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A survey by AIB bank shows that half of NI firms postponed or cancelled investment plans due to Brexit. As a business person myself I know in uncertain times you keep your money in your pocket to see how the future will pan out. You put off taking on new staff, you hold off on opening new premises, you don’t buy new equipment etc. But really caution does not just apply to business people but to any sensible consumer which is why we …