A “reasonable chance” of an open border? September 6, 2016
Posted by WorldbyStorm in Uncategorized.trackback
Another day, another less than ringing endorsement of keeping the border between North and South ‘open’. For it is former NI secretary, Theresa Villiers. And what words of comfort does she have for us?
“What has encouraged me since the referendum result is that we have the new prime minister, the Brexit secretary, we have the Taoiseach in Ireland all saying we need to keep this Border open – it is crucial.
“If you have both countries determined to keep the Border open I think there must be a reasonable chance that we can do that.”
Oddly enough when still part of the British cabinet she was a lot less…erm… equivocal:
Asked whether Brexit would mean tighter border controls with the Republic, Ms Villiers said: “That’s not inevitable at all. We’ve always had a much closer relationship with the citizens of the Republic of Ireland than with the rest of the EU.
“It’s perfectly possible to maintain that free movement with Irish citizens. After all we give them privileges in the UK which we accord to no other EU citizens, like the right to vote in our elections.”
The Cedar Lounge Revolution 
Listening to May and then Davis yesterday, it occured to me for the first time – I’m slow sometimes – that,even with a guarantee that those of us here already can stay, we’ll still, in any new points based or work permit system for EU citizens, have to register with some ridiculously named body -Ofscum? – and show some kind of proof of residence coming through immigration and so forth. Which will be shit.
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Grim isn’t it? Perhaps a CTA based s gene can be hammered out but it will be messy. And BTW May and Davis, they come across as genuinely clueless.
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Davis especially, whose reputation for competence is clearly undeserved
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My employer has brought in some immigration lawyers for one-off drop-in sessions and I am told their advice to EU nationals is to get one of these:
https://www.gov.uk/apply-for-a-uk-residence-card/permanent-residence-card
Admittedly, after an email was sent to a list of staff under the address eu-staff-members-non-uk, one Spanish colleague said that it was like telling us that when it came time for the round-up, they knew where we were, so nobody’s feeling very reassured.
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Maybe a badge system would be easier all round?
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I’m not there yet, but I am heading towards the point of sticking a tricolour on things as an up-yours to the hegemonic discourse.
I never thought I was nationalist (quite anti-nationalist on the whole) but living in England for sixteen years has clearly heightened some things.
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I’d be of a similar mind but I do think that its a case of reacting when one is faced by a larger nationalism as it were that often doesn’t admit that it is a nationalism.
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It is exactly that: like everybody (?) on the CLR, I would have hard words for Ireland as it is, but my hackles still rise when it’s criticized for perfectly valid things which would not be considered out of place in any other country.
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Perhaps a discrete blue star patch should be worn at all times on the outer clothing by non-UK EU citizens when in the UK.
RoI EU citizens can wear a tricolour patch on top of that.
Another Lexit bonus.
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It would also facilitate things at the reasonably chancy squishy border at Belcoo.
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‘Squishy border’ 🙂
I reckon the soft border will be about as soft as the eponymous landing
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here’s what’s currently going on in the UK dysfunctional family of nations – enjoy!
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🙂
Problem is we’re all flies on the wall while they fight it out. Flies that very well may end up swatted.
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