The Windsor Framework: Peace with the EU at last?

This week we are returning to the longest running story on this blog and one of the main reasons it didn't get paused at one time

Brexit. There, you read that word so you owe me a fiver for the swear box!

 

You can't square a circle without cutting off part of the sides but in trying to keep some sort of trade on the Island of Ireland between the Republic and Northern Ireland when leaving the EU puts up a customs border between the North which together with Great Britain forms the United Kingdom and the Irish Republic which is a part of the EU Bloc.

Toss in the Northern Ireland Peace Agreement with everything about no borders on the Island of Ireland and the head spins.

It seems fair to say that when on the mainland we talked about leaving the EU, collectively we seemed to forget all about Northern Ireland and the economic and political complexities as if we read Great Britain for any reference to the UK.

The attempt to deal with that mess, not being able to have a customs land border on the Island of Ireland but any restrictions on trade from Great Britain was then read from an Unionist point of view as a "sell out", a loss of place within the Union.

It has lead to a good deal of animosity between the UK Government and the EU.

At the more economic level, the agreement we did get made getting everyday stuff into Northern Ireland like foodstuffs and medicines difficult because of extensive checking and paperwork (something the EU seemed to gold plate) while sending anything back required VAT paperwork.

The Windsor Framework does simplifying things by recognizing there are two types of trade, Great Britain destined for Northern Ireland alone and that destined to the Republic, the former having minimal checks even if Northern Ireland has to accept a tiny amount of EU rules and the other the full checks but with increasing use of shared information to help speed things up.

It's not take back all (land) control as simply on the Island of Ireland so long as the Republic remains in the EU, it's simply not possible because of the interconnectedness of the economies and peoples lives.

It is a pragmatic attempt to make it the best we can, which was something I felt was needed at the start but got lost in the Brexiters vs Remainers battle in Parliament and then the purists Brexiters vs pragmatists battle within the Conservative party.

Don't expect the Democratic Unionists to start being reasonable and take their place in the N.I Assembly as they'll find something to be offended with until the cows come home and really that issue of refusing to take part in the power sharing executive needs to be discussed with the Republic, then the Northern Ireland political parties to the point of a constitutional meeting where an amendment to cover what to do in such cases can be discussed and a motion tabled.

Just stalling governance over everything by such stunts is irresponsible when there is much that needs action only the N.I. Assembly can deal with.