[Sephiroth]

I've just returned from NI and people to whom I've spoken all agree that the border must remain open. The reason is that the IRA and Sinn Fein, who espouse unification, feel that an open border is the closest they'll get to that in the political reality. The Protestants fear that border controls would thus re-ignite violence based on the IRA cause.

You can see what an intractable problem this has now become. As others have mentioned, neither the UK nor the EU want to erect a hard border, and nor will they most likely because neither wants to shoulder blame for new violence. This MIGHT force the two sides to reach agreement but that needs to carry the British public who really have not been properly brought into the debate.

If we crash out, then under WTO rules WE would either have to erect a hard border (so I understand) or we would have to negotiate a technical solution with the WTO (that hasn't been tried anywhere - is that true?).

The UK really is in a bad place that those horrible Brussels lot can readily exploit unless the likes of Tusk bring them down to earth with the reality of the looming disaster.

Don't get me wrong. I'm not criticising the decision to leave the EU; that is perfectly reasonable. It is the inability of politicians, diplomats and bureaucrats to be reasonable that is at fault here, notably Varadkar who is playing this for all he thinks he's worth.

For the record, I'd rather stay in the EU (and not do "ever closer union") than leave on White Paper terms. I'm also content to leave the EU because sovereignty is the big issue for me.

An awful mess full of unintended consequences.