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Topic History of: As predicted the Irish border will stop Brexit
Max. showing the last 5 posts - (Last post first)
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Barney |
hedda wrote:
Doubtful you can compare the Norway / Sweden border with the Irish / UK border problem apart from the fact the Scandinavian countries have had decades of working together mutually and almost mirror each other in 90% of aspects
The 90% mirroring would be similar between NI and the Republic. Dundalk and Newry - on opposite sides of the border, and less than 15 miles apart - are virtually doppelgangers.
Same language, goods, pubs/shops, restaurants, vehicles, accents etc. - with thousands living in one town and working in the other.
Commuting also for social, sporting and retail reasons. Apart from the two currencies, it's difficult to know which country you're in!
But as is currently the case in Norway/Sweden - when the border existed, until relatively recently on the island of Ireland - a black economy was built on the back of a vibrant and lucrative smugglers' paradise.
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hedda |
Doubtful you can compare the Norway / Sweden border with the Irish / UK border problem apart from the fact the Scandinavian countries have had decades of working together mutually and almost mirror each other in 90% of aspects.
# yet another YUGGE problem being ignored:
The newly minted Pentecostal ( speaking in tongues) PM of Australia has just foolishly said he may consider moving the Oz Embassy in Israel to Jerusalem in a pathetic attempt to swing a local by-election this Saturday in Malcolm Turnbull's former seat in Sydney's ritzy Eastern Suburbs , home to Oz's biggest Jewish community with a Jewish candidate running.
This has infuriated Indonesia (largest Muslim country in the world) and they have made veiled threats about a new Trade Deal that has almost concluded..after 6 years of negotiations.
5 to 10 years is normal when making these deals..they are complicated and require a huge local infrastructure to negotiate.
The UK will need to make 100s of new trade deals with Brexit and need possibly 5000 trained negotiators. They have few as all this is done in the EU. |
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Barney |
Who knows, is right.
Just three significant points:-
1. Over two thirds of the Republic's beef is exported to the UK, as well as about 80% of its dairy produce. So Brexit is just as important to them, though they have no say.
2. A United Ireland - a possible solution? The Republic simply couldn't afford the £1b a month it costs us to support NI. RoI has a National Debt of €200b+, after going virtually bankrupt in recent years.
3. General Elections seem likely in the UK and Ireland, delaying matters even further - with the consequential uncertainty negatively affected everyone.
Big investment is being held up - into here and Ireland. Even long established international banks and organisations don't know what to do.
Together with the politicians and beauracrats.
And where I live in the SE, the residential property market has stagnated.
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Kanye West Sussex |
So it sounds like we'll end up getting another election. I can't imagine May and the DUP will approve another referendum. If ushers in a Corbyn government, and considering his track record on supporting the republicans, who knows what that could lead to over there. Of course May could surprise us all and get herself a majority. |
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Barney |
Often described as a smugglers'charter, it is debatable whether the Norway/Sweden border arrangements really work.
Probably - the answer is yes - but totally due to the enormous customs and police controls in place. When smugglers abandon their cars, they are frequently pursued on foot.
With a border over 3 times longer than that on the island of Ireland, eastern European smuggling gangs are very active and innovative.
Innovation was also a feature when the Irish border existed. Smuggling was rife, and often organised and funded by the IRA.
With over 200 roads crossing the Irish border, the control of smuggling became a nightmare for authorities on both sides of the divide.
Many farms straddle the border, and it was common for pigs to be brought into the farm from the North (having been purchased there) - leaving the same farm into the Southern economy, taking advantage of higher prices there.
Goods could be smuggled in this fashion in either direction - and virtually impossible to detect.
Except perhaps by drones - but these wouldn't help detect traffic through the plethora of tunnels...
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