The protocol is here to stay

WHEN the British people voted for Brexit and the Government signed off on a hard Brexit, a border between the EU and Britain was automatically formed. That is indisputable.

If you take the trouble to look at a map of the british isle sand Europe and try to draw a border, there are only two possibilities.

Both of these create impediments to trade either between Britain and Northern Ireland or between Northern Ireland and the Republic.

Nothing will change this situation, except the laborious negotiation of trade agreements. We already know that such negotiations take many years to complete.

If the British Government were to get rid of the Northern Ireland Protocol, we would all be back to square one. I doubt Europe would countenance such a retro grade step.

The only feasible solution is to plod along, negotiating away the problems caused by the protocol.

If only the DUP and ERG had considered these problems three or four years ago, a softer Brexit could have resulted.

However, both groups were more interested in sovereignty than economy and livelihoods, and I have a niggling suspicion that many unionists hoped that Brexit might strengthen the border in Ireland.

Now, after all these years, the DUP has realised it shot itself in the foot several times and is creating fig leaf after fig leaf to hide its embarrassment.

While it is good to see all unionists coming together to challenge the British Government in court, i doubt very much if their efforts will bear any figs.

REALIST

(Name and address with Editor)