[Bircho]

Originally Posted by Damien

The issue isn't goods moving back and forth but keeping track of what's gone back and forth. The EU doesn't want a bunch of cheap imported meat going into Ireland and then entering the wider EU unnoticed, passed off as Irish Beef maybe. This is why there are customs checks.

And you also have the issue of people movement. You would need to put in place border controls in places like Stranraer otherwise you might have a few of those pesky Romanians (other EU countries also available) travelling into Dublin then going freely up north and across the Irish Sea before claiming our council houses.

---------- Post added at 15:20 ---------- Previous post was at 15:17 ----------

Originally Posted by RizzyKing

I wasn't aware you've been present in the cabinet meetings all this time and these negotiations have been made harder then they needed to be because of the attitude the EU had going into this. I know you prefer to attribute all blame on the UK government and let the EU off scott free but despite your opinion there is growing opinion that the problem is the EU and it's desire to punish the UK. They are not doing it out of any real dislike for the UK they are doing it to try and prevent other members taking our route in the future. When it suits the EU it's happy to forget it's rules to achieve a desired outcome and the irish border issue is solvable and could be made to work but it takes two willing to agree on the solution.

As i said if we said enough of this and walked away from the negotiations we'd quickly get a change of attitude but theresa may having weakened her position and being a remainer at heart doesn't have the stomach to do it. We voted to fully leave the EU not stay in some areas and a withdrawal that doesn't allow us to agree our own trade deals is a big red line to cross and will create major problems.

I love this "us and them" syndrome - it has been half the problem. But if we are going down that line, I really can't understand why the big bad EU didn't just roll over and let the British tickle their tummy. It's even more worrying because Boris said that is what they would do. I mean, what on earth will happen to the wife's Prosecco?

---------- Post added at 15:22 ---------- Previous post was at 15:20 ----------

Originally Posted by arcimedes

That really sums up the attitude on both sides.

Any sane person would never have got in this position to start with.

I have just asked my wall for its opinion and it wouldn't even condescend to acknowledge I was there.

The Government has just put a mirror on theirs and it still doesn't talk sense.