[Sephiroth]

Originally Posted by 1andrew1

How was BoJo stiffed by May over Ireland?

Unlike countries cited as our enemy* (eg Iran, North Korea, Russia), the EU is our major trading partner and we share a common border with one of their members, Ireland, with regard to ensuring peace in Northern Ireland and many alliances. So whatever you may feel, we need to have a healthy relationship with the EU for the good of the UK.

An extension would have allowed us time to negotiate veterinary equivalence with the EU and we could have made them look unreasonable if they didn't agree to one. Now our PM just looks weak and acts perfidiously. I hope the situation can be salvaged over a few Cornish beers and some great British seafood.

* although I find such descriptions of little value.

How was BoJo stiffed by May over Ireland?

May allowed the EU to dictate the process. Thus the Withdrawal Agreement, with one change to the NI protocol negotiated by Johnson, tied our hands.

Indeed, we should just have walked away at that point with no WA and none of the other shackles associated with it.

Unlike countries cited as our enemy* (eg Iran, North Korea, Russia), the EU is our major trading partner and we share a common border with one of their members, Ireland, with regard to ensuring peace in Northern Ireland and many alliances. So whatever you may feel, we need to have a healthy relationship with the EU for the good of the UK.

The EU is currently acting like an enemy. Their negative effect on the UK is far worse than the other countries you cited. I suspect that the EU is not going to be our major trading partner much longer. If we stand up to those bullies, we'll be better off and Ireland will have problems that the EU will have to solve.

An extension would have allowed us time to negotiate veterinary equivalence with the EU and we could have made them look unreasonable if they didn't agree to one. Now our PM just looks weak and acts perfidiously. I hope the situation can be salvaged over a few Cornish beers and some great British seafood.

An extension would not have changed the negotiating position unless the EU believed that we would walk away if we didn't get the right concessions. Our PM looks weak because he is not a person of substance and he's to blame for the EU's nastiness.