Northern Ireland backstop shouldn’t scupper Brexit deal

From: Tim Hunter, Farfield Avenue, Knaresborough.

I CAN’T understand why the backstop is proving to be such a problem with Theresa May’s Brexit deal.

Any Brexit deal (even a ‘nodeal’ Brexit) would surely have to involve some kind of ‘backstop’ (or a different regulatory arrangement for Northern Ireland, which ensures they are aligned to EU rules).

For geographic reasons alone, it’s clearly not possible for Northern Ireland to be exactly the same as the rest of the UK. Additionally, we have to honour our commitment to the Good Friday Agreement, which commits us to preventing a hard border being introduced between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.

Indeed, people who critisise Mrs May’s Brexit deal for containing too many compromises should consider how many compromises had to be worked into the Good Friday Agreement.

The only possible solution, in the event of any form of Brexit, is that Northern Ireland would have to (on some basis or other) continue to follow EU rules. It could still be part of the UK, though. When you consider that Northern Ireland voted 56 per cent to remain in the EU anyway, why is that such a problem?

Some people insist that an invisible border could somehow be created, which would avoid a backstop. However I doubt if even a team of leprechauns could create such a thing. Even if it were possible, there would still be a border in the Irish Sea because there’d be a clear security problem.

From: Gordon Lawrence, Sheffield.

DISPLAYING a complete absence of principle where the softest of Brexits or even a renunciation of Brexit are valid options, John McDonnell and Jeremy Corbyn see their holy grail of a General Election looming into sight as the present impasse worsens.

We could then see how effective their special brand of socialism works. If this was the case, I can only foresee Venezuela rising out of the ruins of Brexit.

From: Mr L Brook, Leeds.

A MAJORITY did request to leave in the referedum but enough of those in power have abandoned their democratic duty in favour of personal interests, and the rest of the world have witnessed our embarrassing, futile and shameful attempts to “only leave with benefits”.

Had our “leaders” left the EU immediately with no further payments, by now we would have had much time to begin building relationships with the rest of the world.