The government published it's position paper (if it can be called that) on the Irish border and again, like the customs arrangement the day before, it is very light on detail but heavy on repeatedly setting out the problem. A hard border is to be avoided at all costs, something we knew months ago and is even in the EU's guidelines. What is lacking is any practical, workable plan to achieve it. The paper can be found HERE
The Irish government welcomed the paper, more out of politeness I think, since they are sceptical that an invisible border can ever work. This article in The Guardian by (HERE) Fintan O'Toole is perhaps the best summary of the government's position paper on the border issue. He says it's absurd and the first step in a plan to blame the EU when it all goes wrong by demanding the impossible.
The government's problems are neatly captured in The Telegraph. First, at lunchtime an article by Asa Bennet appeared (HERE) saying that Britain was "fighting to avoid an EU imposed border in Ireland", thus turning reality on its head. Having pulled the trigger, the gunman is now blaming others for not pulling a victim out of the way! But later, in a front page headline the same paper was shouting (HERE) that the government "admits" that EU migrants will still be able to get into the UK after Brexit. Err, yes that would be across the same border we are apparently fighting to make sure isn't there to stop EU migrants coming in!
On the same day, Sky News (HERE) claimed a British government source was suggesting the next phase of negotiations on our future relationship would not take place until December. I think this may well be right.
Given the sheer weight of major things that need to be done in 2018, Vince Cable's musing that there is significant risk that Brexit never happens (HERE) is perhaps close to the truth. In fact looking at the government's position papers it is hard to escape the conclusion that they are not really serious or even that civil servants are secretly trying to derail the whole thing. The Brexit negotiations begin to look like an elaborate charade without any real intention of it happening at all. It's just a ruse to get more from the EU.
