[Sephiroth]

Originally Posted by jonbxx

If the EU has things we want, then, by definition, the EU holds cards. It's up to us now to decide if the price is worth paying to get access. You get nothing for free in this world, even if you are the United Kingdom.

The price of maintaining the Peace Process in Northern Ireland was Northern Ireland still being somewhat in the EU, that was clear. If we as a nation decide that a few months later, that isn't a price worth paying, then the Peace Process collapses. That's on us.

For all your eloquence, Jon I'm not sure what you mean in your first paragraph - "get access". Andrew was idealistically saying that we need to have a better relationship with the EU. He went no further than that other than to curse the current negotiators.

On your second paragraph, the result of what we signed is a tight implementation of the NI Protocol by the EU. I don't think for one moment the nation doesn't want to protect peace in NI; but clearly the EU's implementation of the Protocol is disrupting the peace. Something has to be done about that and the price that the EU wants to exact is to call the shots elsewhere in the name of "better relations".