I AM surprised that the EU is still tolerating talks with the UK over Northern Ireland (UK negotiator warned over slow progress on Brexit talks, June 17). Quite frankly, there’s nothing to talk about.
The UK chose to leave the EU. The EU didn’t kick them out. Therefore, the UK must accept that there has to be a firm border between the UK and the EU from now on. That firm border is necessary to control goods and people going into the EU from the UK, which no longer has a right to free trade, or free movement of people etc, with the EU. The UK voluntarily gave up those rights when it chose to leave.
Northern Ireland is part of the UK so must be outside that border. That is, there must be a hard border between Northern Ireland and the EU. Since Ireland (Eire), remains part of the EU, that means a border between Ireland and Northern Ireland. However, such a border would be in breach of international law because the Good Friday Agreement stipulates that there must be free movement of goods and people between Ireland and Northern Ireland. This was done in order to bring an end to the Troubles in Northern Ireland.
READ MORE: 'Something has to give' over Northern Ireland Protocol, David Frost told
There is only one alternative, and that is to continue the free movement between Northern Ireland and Ireland and put a border in the Irish Sea, as we have at the moment. This in effect puts one part of the UK outside the borders of the UK.
There is no third option. If there were no border between the UK and Northern Ireland, and no border between Northern Ireland and Ireland, then goods, and people, could continue to flow freely between the UK and the EU via Northern Ireland. But the UK has given up its right to do that so it has to be closed off one way or the other.
It seems to me that all the bluster about taking back control, especially of our own borders, has fallen flat on its face. If they do put a border in the island of Ireland, then there will be no trade deal with America, which might not be a bad thing. After all, they are already talking about sending thousands of tons of beef and lamb from Australia. That will kill our farming industries, unless we all do the sensible thing and just boycott Australian beef and lamb. I certainly intend to.
I really think the Northern Ireland “loyalists” who are already starting to moan about being outside the UK should just accept how much better off they will be as part of the European Economic Area and get on with enjoying the benefits. Or would they prefer to go back to the bombing and fighting and terrorism they had before the Good Friday Agreement?
Whatever happens, it’s time Holyrood got us out of it. The damage being done to our economy is fast becoming unsurmountable.
Charlie Kerr
Glenrothes
READING Monday’s National article “Boris Johnson tells G7 summit UK is ‘indivisible’ amid NI Protocol row” left a distinct impression that Boris Johnson and Dominic Raab have a different concept of what is commonly thought to be the special status of Northern Ireland in the UK and EU.
READ MORE: Boris Johnson plays down Brexit row with EU over Northern Ireland
If indeed the agreement has not affected the territorial integrity of the UK, there is no border in the Irish Sea and Northern Ireland is no different from the rest of the UK then – as the will of the people of Scotland and Northern Ireland in the referendum was to remain in the EU – the UK Government will have no difficulty in negotiating with the EU to have Scotland included in the UK/EU agreements that currently apply only to Northern Ireland.
Scots can now look forward to having all the benefits of being able to trade seamlessly in both unions.
John Jamieson
South Queensferry
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