(09-13-2020, 11:28 AM)Thumpalumpacus Wrote: Yes, I already know that you're inconsistent. Thanks for confirming, though.
If you remember I started by criticising the UK government too - I said I see the value in what they're doing, but it's terrible timing. When more information came out that this was in response to the EU threatening to slow the flow of domestic goods within the UK between GB and NI I understand why the UK government feels this move is necessary.
I'm not endorsing it wholesale - they started at a disadvantage a point I've made several times. They started with May's 2.0 deal (Chequers). Had they started from scratch last year the WA and the PD would have been more balanced. Note I'm not saying the WA is bad, if it was a bad deal then neither the EU nor the UK would have ratified it.
All this fuss is only about goods that go within the UK. If they end up travelling into the Republic of Ireland through a "back door" because of what the UK government is doing, then when that happens the EU can take action if they wish. But there's no evidence that this will lead to the wide-scale smuggling of goods.
As I have said all along, and so have others, the EU should have given Ireland special status from the start. Without an EU-UK FTA Ireland is fucked.
