Shanker Singham, who used to work for Legatum but now works for the IEA (Institute of Economic Affairs) has an article on the CapX website (HERE) about how the Irish border issue can be resolved easily. He says, "Potential solutions to these problems exist, but are mischaracterised by people who seem determined to deny that they could work".
If anyone can be accused of refusing to face reality on the Irish border issue it is Mr Singham. He has kept the problem going for years by continually suggesting there are magic solutions when there aren't.
But nonetheless, he is one man. Contrast him with the Select Committee on Northern Ireland that produced a report in the last few days (HERE). They have spent weeks calling experts and hearing evidence on the very issue Mr Singham writes about. But their conclusions are quite different:
"The report addresses the fundamental question of how the UK’s decision to leave the Single Market and Customs Union can be reconciled with avoiding a hard border in Northern Ireland. The UK Government has repeatedly underlined that the free movement of people across the border will not be affected, and that no physical infrastructure will be put in place. However, the Committee was unable to identify any border solution currently in operation across the globe that would enable physical infrastructure to be avoided when rules and tariffs diverge".
So, to summarise. The committee says no solutions exists, Mr Singham says they do.
