Poison and vitriol: how the globe saw our crisis

A TAOISEACH having to fight a “vile election”, or a description of him as a “Brexit Buffoon”.

Headlines and editorials in ‘pro-Brexit’ UK media outlets were not too favourable towards our Government before last week’s crisis.

Talk of a snap election led to some further afield questioning the political stability in this country.

Respected German newspaper ‘Suddeutsche Zeitung’ wrote: “Of all the remaining EU members, the largest impact is on leaving Ireland. If the Government breaks down in Dublin, Varadkar can not devote himself fully to diplomacy in these important weeks, but has to fight a vile election campaign.”

Jeremy Warner, associate editor with the ‘Daily Telegraph’ tweeted: “The point is that the Irish Border is about so much more than economics and trade. It’s hundreds years [sic] of history; Ireland has poisoned UK politics and brought down governments for centuries, and may well do so again.”

This came two weeks after ‘The Sun’ labelled the Taoiseach a “Brexit Buffoon”. “The Sun has some advice for Ireland’s naive young prime minister: shut your gob and grow up,” it said.

Some appeared confused about Irish issues, including leading Brexiteer Iain Duncan Smith. He said the Taoiseach was under pressure as Ireland had a “presidential election” coming up. This must have been news to President Higgins.