Of the backstop

There are two truths about the backstop that are not spoken about by Brexiteers of the media.

One is that the UK-wide backstop was done at the request of the UK who did not want there to be a customs border between NI and the rest of Britain. So, what has been rejected by Parliament not only had been negotiated and agreed, twice, by May and Cabinet, but what was negotiated was done at the request of the UK. That May was whipping her own party against the deal she herself wanted and spent two years requesting is another one of those mad Brexit moments that quickly gets forgotten as the news cycle moves ever on.

Second, in the negations, the UK and EU looked at every border in the world, and how each dealt with people and trade papers and requirements on the border. Had there have been a current solution to the backstop, it would have been found. The reason Brexiteers are so vexed is that they know there is no alternative, at least not in the short and medium turn. The much trumpeted new IT system for the legal system has failed so badly that it is bringing the whole system to its knees. Given that annd the UK Government's pitiful record in implementing computer systems on time, on cost and actually work. It is this that the Brexiteers rail against, that they know there is no alternative, and the backstop would be for a decade at least.

There are no other alternative arrangements that could work. Might as well accept that now. But the real truth here is that the Brexiteers will find something else to push the UK towards no deal even if the backstop is fixed. May can continue appeasing the headbangers or really reach out across the opposition benches and build a real alternative agreements.

The political class can either accept the political reality of where we are and try to get us out of that, or May can trumpet in the press she is going to the EU with a new mandate from Westminster and some new ideas.

Lions lead by donkeys v2.0.