Re: The Vindictive Nastiness if the EU
Originally Posted by
Banchory
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It was never going to be easy. Why would the EU agree a trade deal that was anywhere near as lucrative as being a member? We would be treated as a third country and the well seasoned EU negotiators were always going to seek the most advantageous outcome for the EU and certainly not compromise the benefits of being a member. Anyone who believed otherwise clearly failed to understand the implications of Brexit and our relationship with the EU or fell for “we can have our cake and eat it” and “we hold all the card” lines
We now have a NI GFI/hard border conundrum that only the reunification of Ireland can truly solve, non tariff trade barriers that are decimating our food and drinks industry and increasing costs, supply delay and uncertainty when we haven’t yet implemented full customs checks.
TM was woefully naive in immediately invoking Article 50 before undertaking analysis, assessments and consideration of all the facts and implications and her successor BJ and his cabinet of fools wedded to the inane ERG dogma of WTO is better than EU membership have been totally outmanoeuvred by the EU. The PG Tips chimps could have done a better job.
Using people and their rights as a bargaining tool on trade negotiations is ethically questionable and the raising of the subject only served to show just how weak our bargaining position was.
Just to answer some of the points you made:
1. Obtaining a trade agreement as good as, or better than the one we already had, wasn't something I ever thought realistic. However, obtaining a trade agreement with the EU should have been relatively simple. They had previously offered a "Canada" style deal but then changed the goalposts and said we were geographically too close for that. We already had a trade agreement them and, if a new agreement had been discussed at the same time as the money, EU citizens rights, and the border with Ireland then it would have been easier to achieve. I think that's obvious isn't it?
2. If you think that Brexit brings the unification of Ireland closer then you are either a fool or a dreamer. No Irish Premier in my lifetime has ever advocated a united Ireland. Neither will they do so until, and maybe not even then, NI is united first. That ain't happening anytime soon.
ROI owe the EU something like €213 billion. Add on the cost of administering a peaceful NI - it costs the UK over €12 billion annually - and you have a good reason why Irish taxpayers would think twice about taking on that hot potato, especially as it would likely mean the resurgence of terrorism from the Unionist community, initially, and then the Provos to "protect the Catholics".
3. I didn't say we could use people's rights as bargaining chips - I said everything could have been discussed simultaneously. I think it best if we leave the ethical questions with the EU for the time being. They do seem to be fashionable with them at this moment in time.