Tag: Northern Ireland

Politics & Governance, The Union

Why Northern Ireland can’t afford a ‘do or die’ Brexit

Boris Johnson is demanding that the Withdrawal Agreement is scrapped and renegotiated, and is insisting that he won’t meet EU leaders until they agree to this. The major source of contention is the backstop, which guarantees an open border on the island of Ireland post-Brexit, but ties the UK to the EU’s Customs Union. In a new Brexit Insights paper, Dr Nicholas Wright assesses the … Continue reading Why Northern Ireland can’t afford a ‘do or die’ Brexit

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Politics & Governance, The Union

If Boris is at the wheel, Brexit will take a very dramatic turn

Ronan McCrea argues that the crisis of trust between Ireland and the UK could peak under a Johnson premiership, as the backstop will be again the main negotiation point this autumn. Irish authorities would be torn between two damaging solutions (scrapping the backstop or no deal) and the room for compromise is getting extremely limited. To Irish observers of the Brexit process, the Tory leadership contest may … Continue reading If Boris is at the wheel, Brexit will take a very dramatic turn

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Politics & Governance, The Union

With politicians who can’t be bothered to read peace agreements, it’s no wonder Brexit negotiations are such a mess

Like every peace settlement, the Good Friday Agreement is a compromise document, the result of a long and difficult bargaining process that should be properly understood. UCL’s Kristin Bakke and Kit Rickard call politicians to consider the mechanics of this model of peace agreement and the fears and hopes it embeds.  Perhaps not a “cracking read”, to use the words of former Brexit Secretary Dominic … Continue reading With politicians who can’t be bothered to read peace agreements, it’s no wonder Brexit negotiations are such a mess

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The Brexit crossroads: Will the Deal Pass? (2/2)

What is clear from recent political developments is that the UK is at a crossroads. According to Kirsty Hughes, whether a deal passes or not in the House of Commons in December depends now not least on whether enough Tory Brexiter MPs will vote against Theresa May’s Brexit deal, an irony considering this could lead to Brexit not happening at all. As time is running … Continue reading The Brexit crossroads: Will the Deal Pass? (2/2)

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Politics & Governance, The Union

Brexit Endgame: Uncertainty Mounts in Face of Deep Tory Divides

What, if anything, could still derail the Brexit process in the coming months? Kirsty Hughes thinks the biggest political crisis might be yet to come as the negotiations unfold. Particular stumbling blocks include Northern Ireland and the future customs arrangements. With just six months to go to finalise the Brexit withdrawal agreement, the watchword most frequently heard around Whitehall and Westminster is ‘uncertainty’. The cabinet are at daggers … Continue reading Brexit Endgame: Uncertainty Mounts in Face of Deep Tory Divides

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