A Proposal for a Solution to the Irish Border problem re Brexit Negotiations.
Mrs May, in a recent speech said that the UK will uphold EU standards or even better. Therefore a solution to the Irish border question which is a stumbling block to further negotiations and which is in fact of the EU’s making as a result of insisting Ireland vote twice on the Lisbon Treaty to secure a yes vote.
The proposal is that Northern Ireland maintain the EU standards in keeping with the rest of the UK, something which is already part of our present relationship, and also keep in place levels of purchase tax equivalent to that of EU VAT in order to ensure that there are no benefits from smuggling across the border, therefore for all intents and purposes the border remains fluid.
When Britain finally leaves the EU a different level of purchase tax may be introduced in the UK mainland and if it is lower than the level of VAT then Northern Irish citizens will be compensated by a corresponding reduction in income tax to balance it out.
This will facilitate smooth day to day living but the trade off will be customs checks at British Ports of entry which would also facilitate checks on who comes and goes. This will be a necessity and as a such the control of movement will also mean not being part of the Single Market as dictated by present EU rules.
A proposal would be that trade with Russia be stepped up, and this anyway is something that the EU countries are presently active in, while the UK is kept busy with its anti Russian rhetoric. As a traditional sea faring nation we could send and receive container ships directly to and from Russian ports.
Of necessity in Northern Ireland, the fluid border would require that citizens have identity cards which are checkable to the source of origin and the efficacy of issue. This would be necessary as a consequence Ireland’s special circumstance. Therefore these identity cards would act as an internal passport, as it were, for public services and the right to buy property. Perhaps one day Ireland, North and South may wish to unite or perhaps even Southern Ireland leave the EU altogether.
The Irish problem instigated by the EU may in the end result in Britain leaving without a deal which may be more simple but difficult in the short term but better in the long term by not being stitched up to the EU’s own advantage.
Of special interest:
http://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2009/10/irel-o01.html
EU freezes Brexit talks until Britain produces Irish border solution
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R4IT_YK6RpM
By the way, This was discovered after completing and posting the above: