[0762]

Well if that is the case then Scotland will do likewise and Nicola will be at the forefront of satisfying that requirement that was voted for by the Scottish voting population anyway and indeed that view has been endorsed by a lot more Scottish voters than previously in June 2016. We take the case to the Euro Court of Justice if necessary and if the British Govt start playing 'funny buggers' on a like for like issue!

[hibeejim21]

Barnier confirming there will be no hard border in Ireland there. Also stating the real possibility of no transition deal, it might be the only way they can make the brexiteers wake the xxxx up.

For the average person in NI, even staunch unionists, staying in the EU is great news. And even the DUP knows this.

[spireitematt]

EU have told Britain that Northern Ireland will be staying in the single market and custom unions after Brexit so there isn't a hard border. Sturgeon has come out and said well if the EU are keeping Northern Ireland in the single market and custom unions then Scotland should be in it as well. If Northern Ireland are kept in by the EU then the DUP could break up there confidence and supply agreement with the Tories meaning another General Election very soon and possibly Indy 2 for Scotland.

If Scotland stays in the single market and custom unions that means there will need to be a hard border between Scotland and England unless the whole of the UK stay in the single market and custom unions.

I think what needs to happen now is cancel Article 50, have a 2nd referendum on the membership of the EU and if it's Leave again we Leave and if it's Remain we stay. If on a 2nd referendum its Leave there needs to be a cross-party Government put in place like they had during the War where they all worked together and then call a General Election straight after so the British people can decide who they want in charge after Brexit for the next 5 years or so.

[St Charles Owl]

I understand Nicola wanting the same sort of deal but the exceptional circumstances surrounding the issues with NI do not really apply to Scotland. She has to be seen to making this move and statement but I am not sure it will actually go anywhere.

[hibeejim21]

EU have told Britain that Northern Ireland will be staying in the single market and custom unions after Brexit so there isn't a hard border. Sturgeon has come out and said well if the EU are keeping Northern Ireland in the single market and custom unions then Scotland should be in it as well. If Northern Ireland are kept in by the EU then the DUP could break up there confidence and supply agreement with the Tories meaning another General Election very soon and possibly Indy 2 for Scotland.

If Scotland stays in the single market and custom unions that means there will need to be a hard border between Scotland and England unless the whole of the UK stay in the single market and custom unions.

I think what needs to happen now is cancel Article 50, have a 2nd referendum on the membership of the EU and if it's Leave again we Leave and if it's Remain we stay. If on a 2nd referendum its Leave there needs to be a cross-party Government put in place like they had during the War where they all worked together and then call a General Election straight after so the British people can decide who they want in charge after Brexit for the next 5 years or so.

Think we are reaching the tipping point now matt. That fudge in december was never going to last because it was an impossibility that someone wasn't going to get what they wanted. Ireland is a circle that can't be squared unless the UK stays in the customs union.

Said it for a while now - the situation in ireland may kill brexit off before it gets started.

[St Charles Owl]

The desperation shown by the Tories in making a deal with the DUP to be able to form a government of sorts may now come home to roost over this issue. Like Matt, I can see a GE or another referendum coming up as we get closer to either no deal or a hard deal to swallow in all this. Ultimately the DUPs position in NI is unlikely to change much if there was a GE but the Tories stand to lose everything, so forcing a new GE might just be what happens if the DUP object!!

[spireitematt]

EU have told Britain that Northern Ireland will be staying in the single market and custom unions after Brexit so there isn't a hard border. Sturgeon has come out and said well if the EU are keeping Northern Ireland in the single market and custom unions then Scotland should be in it as well. If Northern Ireland are kept in by the EU then the DUP could break up there confidence and supply agreement with the Tories meaning another General Election very soon and possibly Indy 2 for Scotland.

If Scotland stays in the single market and custom unions that means there will need to be a hard border between Scotland and England unless the whole of the UK stay in the single market and custom unions.

I think what needs to happen now is cancel Article 50, have a 2nd referendum on the membership of the EU and if it's Leave again we Leave and if it's Remain we stay. If on a 2nd referendum its Leave there needs to be a cross-party Government put in place like they had during the War where they all worked together and then call a General Election straight after so the British people can decide who they want in charge after Brexit for the next 5 years or so.

Think we are reaching the tipping point now matt. That fudge in december was never going to last because it was an impossibility that someone wasn't going to get what they wanted. Ireland is a circle that can't be squared unless the UK stays in the customs union.

Said it for a while now - the situation in ireland may kill brexit off before it gets started.

As it stands people on both sides of the argument are starting to wake up and realise the Tories are making a real mess of the situation. People who voted Leave are starting to realise they didn't vote for this and the way the Tories are negotiating. The problem with this was the Tories listened to the 52% and not the 48% as well.

You have people who voted Leave saying just "walk away". It's not as simple as walking away. We need the rest of Europe for trade and also we need to get along with them even if we are out of the political aspects of the union. Like it or not the European Union is the biggest trading union in the World and if we can't trade with them then we will struggle and people don't understand that, I understand that and I'm a Eurosceptic. I dislike the political side to the EU and these bureaucrats but we need Europe for trade. I also think the strong remainers get the European Union and the continent Europe muddled up, one has been going on for thousands of years and the other for the last 25 years.

A deal has to work both ways for the EU and for the United Kingdom and the only simple solution seems to be single market and customs union. The EU debate is very complex and there is more to it than a yes or no question.

[hibeejim21]

Any soft border = customs moving to the mainland side. Inevitably the DUP will realise that they are on the other side of the UK border, and in effect part of a united ireland. The DUP can't let that stand,so you are both right - this could bring down the tories.

Also, no western nation has customs checks within its own borders, a soft irish border means that for the UK if we brexit.

This madness needs to stop.

[spireitematt]

Any soft border = customs moving to the mainland side. Inevitably the DUP will realise that they are on the other side of the UK border, and in effect part of a united ireland. The DUP can't let that stand,so you are both right - this could bring down the tories.

Also, no western nation has customs checks within its own borders, a soft irish border means that for the UK if we brexit.

This madness needs to stop.

No could about it, it will bring down the tories. The party is split like it always has been on Europe. Labour are also split on Europe. If we end up remaining in the EU then the Eurosceptic backbenchers in the tories will put forward a Eurosceptic leader like Mogg and this issue will keep reappearing.

I watch Question Time every week and even before we got the referendum in 2016, nearly every question by a member of the audience each week was about the EU and Britain's membership or when would we get a referendum? etc and it's still going on today. I think Britain has always been a bit Eurosceptic of the EU and maybe it's because we are an island on our own and not landlocked with the rest of mainland Europe. It would be interesting to see how many voters who voted remain would like us to join the Euro or the Schengen zone because I don't think it would be many.

Look what Macron said if France was offered a referendum on the membership of the EU they would have probably voted Leave too.

What I find very interesting though is majority of people who voted Yes back in 1975 voted to Leave in 2016. Is it because they disliked how it has evolved?

[St Charles Owl]

That vote in 1975 was really just a referendum on a trading agreement for the main European countries. What we see form the EU today, the number of countries, the Euro, Schengen etc were not even talked about during it, it was solely about a trade deal with Europe. That might be where the dislike comes from, it was a democratic vote to align trade, but after that there were no referendums on subsequent large changes to the EU.

In 1973, all but 2 Scottish regions voted Yes to enter the trade deal, it was a decisive vote, something that should have been mandated in the 2016 referendum.