Brexit, Ireland and borders: just say yes

When a problem is sticky, sometimes only a big, bold change of direction will solve it.

This week, the UK proposed a Brexit plan.  Ireland and the rest of the European Union have said it doesn't work, and the UK will have to do a lot better.

This has upset the Brits.  They aren't used to being told "no".  So we need another approach.

My suggestion is simple.  Instead of saying "no" or "maybe" or "yes but", we in Ireland say "yes and".

What the Brits want

In outline, the British plan is:

The border in Ireland

1. Ireland and the EU agree that the Brits can monitor customs etc by deploying a lot of clever checks along the border in Ireland.  Cameras everywhere, lorries and vans and cars being tracked and monitored.  Lorries have to  be sealed.  All trade has to be recorded.
2. Checkpoints will be well back from the border.  Maybe 10 miles away.
3. Not everything has to be monitored.  Some things can go through unchecked, unless until the Brits decide to change their rules.  Then the deal is off, and everything has to be checked.
4. The deal has to be renewed every four years by the Northern Ireland Assembly, where 30 members can veto it.
5. If the deal is vetoed, then everything gets stopped and checked at the border.
6. If these clever checks don't work, then everything gets stopped and checked at the border, even if there's no veto.

So my suggestion is that Ireland said a big form YES to all that ... and YES to applying the same thing in England.

The border in England

The border in England

In the spirit of equity, we have drawn up a map of the border in England.  This is only fair, because the border in Ireland was drawn up by the Brits.  When we objected, they offered us a Boundary Commission to review it, which happened in 1925.

So we will offer them a Boundary Commission too.  It will be built on the same basis as the 1925 Boundary Commission, with three members: two (including the chair) nominated by the creator of the boundary, and one nominated by the divided country.  So the new Boundary Commission will have two Irish members, and one British.  And like the 1925 Commission, its report will be what the two members want, not the one.  And as in 1925, if the British don't like that, Ireland will agree to bin the Boundary Commission's report.

The Border win England will operate on exactly the same terms as apply at the same time to the border in Ireland.

So

• If the border in Ireland is entirely open with no checks on anything ... then the border in England will be entirely open with no checks on anything,
• If the border in Ireland has clever technology, with cameras and satellite trackers and customs posts well back from the border .... then the border in England will be the same.
• If the border in Ireland is a hard border with customs posts at every crossing and fences in between ... then the border in England will be a hard border with customs posts at every crossing and fences in between.
• And if the DUP vetoes the arrangements which keep the border open ... then border in England closes too.

 Fairness

The English love to describe themselves as fair-minded people.  So they will love this simple proposal which is based entirely on the perfectly fair principle of Ireland applying to England the same terms that England applies to Ireland.

What's not to like?