A Return to Brexiety. Sausages, Security, NI.

 Regular readers will be aware that I voted to Remain in the EU in the referendum, I was gob- smacked when the result was announced, and the Leave voters won. There are lots of posts here from 2016-2019 charting my reasons for a soft Brexit or better still, the withdrawal of the Withdrawal Agreement altogether. 

I decided to publish these posts as I wanted to leave a record for my grandkids, so far one born, another still 'cooking.' I thought it was important that they can read about this time of momentous change in the UK's political history. I stopped writing the posts during the negotiations although I continued with writing every day 'Below the Line ' at The Times and The Sunday Times on the subject.

So why start again?

Well, obviously the world is enduring the pandemic, life has been put on hold and nothing much Brexit wise was happening due to the transition period. However, the transition period ended on 31st December 2020 and the new rules were to take effect on January 1st, 2021. There have been 'periods of grace' around certain issues that required more, in depth, negotiating. We have a new Prime Minister; Boris Johnson became PM on 24th July 2019 following the resignation of Theresa May who stepped down following Parliament's repeated rejection of her Brexit withdrawal agreement. I have had plenty to say about Boris over the years (see previous posts) many of them not at all complimentary. 

The EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement was signed on 30 December 2020, was applied provisionally as of 1 January 2021, and entered into force on 1 May 2021.

The implementation of rules is a different matter from the writing of rules however, and we are now seeing an example of this as concerns over the Irish border bubble noisily below the surface.

The Republic of Ireland is in a unique position within the EU, it has a dilemma: it breaks EU rules if it does not impose a border with NI, but it breaks The Good Friday Agreement if it does. This has been the biggest sticking point throughout all the Brexit talks.

The Good Friday Agreement 1998, worked on the assumption that the UK and Ireland would be in the EU together, and now this is no longer the case, issues are arising and causing tensions between the UK and the EU.

While researching for this post I found out that as part of The Good Friday Agreement there is a clause which includes the possibility of holding a border poll where Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland could vote to form one country. This is interesting in the context of possible Scottish independence, which is openly discussed, more so since Brexit. A convincing argument against Brexit has always been the possible break-up of the UK.

To agree on terms for trading between the UK and NI, the Northern Ireland Protocol was drawn up.

Under the Northern Ireland Protocol (NIP) both sides agreed that even though NI was no longer part of the EU, it would continue to follow many of its rules. This would enable lorries to continue driving across the land border without being inspected. Meanwhile, England, Scotland and Wales are no longer following these rules- leading to a new 'regulatory' border between GB and NI.

Now checks on goods need to be made when they enter NI from England, Scotland, and Wales. Inspections take place at ports and customs documents must be filled in. This has prompted criticism that a new border has been effectively created in the Irish Sea.

There has been disruption, some food products arriving in NI from GB, e.g., frozen meat, milk, fish, and eggs must be monitored to ensure they meet EU standards. In early February 2021, the EU said the control posts were not yet fully operational, with some goods entering without being properly declared. To make sure supplies were maintained, shops were allowed to avoid having their products checked for three months.

In March, the UK decided, ON ITS OWN to extend this grace period until October. It subsequently announced FURTHER UNILATERAL MOVES to make the trade in parcels and plants to NI easier.

The EU has said the UK's decision to extend the grace period breaks international law because it (EU) was not consulted. It has launched legal action which could end up with the European Court of Justice imposing substantial fines on the UK.

This brings us onto what the press have called 'Sausage War.' 

EU food safety rules do not allow chilled meat products to enter its market from non-members, such as the UK. This has led to the prospect of British sausages being banned from NI. A six-month grace period, (separate to the supermarket grace period) has been in place since January where the rules didn't apply. But, under the terms of the protocol, it runs out at the end of June.

An agreement has yet to be reached between the UK and EU. If an agreement cannot be reached, the UK says it is ready to IGNORE the rules. However, the EU has warned it will respond with legal action which could lead to the introduction of tariffs on British goods.

As well as problems with trade there are also political and security concerns.

Checks were suspended at the beginning of February over what were described as 'sinister' threats to some border staff checking goods.

Unionists are strongly opposed to the checks because they don't want NI to be treated differently from the rest of the UK. In March, one group wrote to the PM to withdraw support for The Good Friday Agreement.

There have also been a series of demonstrations and protests against any kind of border in the Irish Sea.

Speaking after his meeting with US President Joe Biden at the G7 summit on 10 June 2021, Boris Johnson said there was, 'complete harmony on the need to keep going, find solutions and make sure we uphold the (Belfast) Good Friday Agreement.'

Well, he would say wouldn't he......

To be continued...