Britain outside the EU - Page 326

**Hugh** · 27-02-2023, 17:28

Quote:

Originally Posted by jonbxx

It will be interesting if they do. They will have to find another reason not to restart the Northern Irish Assembly with Sinn Fein as the lead.

I think you’ve just given their reason for not restarting the NI Assembly…

1701-e · 27-02-2023, 17:48

Quote:

Originally Posted by jonbxx

It will be interesting if they do. They will have to find another reason not to restart the Northern Irish Assembly with Sinn Fein as the lead.

Don't think Yes is in their vocabulary....... Except when taking money for nothing. (RHI) checks for free.

**Damien** · 27-02-2023, 17:58

It looks a pretty good deal to be honest. Can’t really see any reasonable objections aside from people who want nothing to deal with the EU no matter what

**Hugh** · 27-02-2023, 18:04

https://news.sky.com/story/brexit-ne...today-12821226

Quote:

Will there be a vote on the deal?

Both Tory and Labour MPs have been given a three-line whip for today, meaning they face suspension from their parties if they do not turn up in parliament.

This has prompted speculation there will be a vote by MPs on the expected deal.

Sir Robert said there "technically" does not have to be a vote because the EU Withdrawal Act allows for deals to have a "direct effect".

However, he said: "I think there'll be some sort of vote."

1andrew1 · 27-02-2023, 18:28

Quote:

Originally Posted by Damien

Looks like the DUP will accept the deal

I'm not sure of your source but the BBC says the DUP has not decided yet as it needs to look at the detail. (5.17pm)
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/uk-politics-64779415

---------- Post added at 18:23 ---------- Previous post was at 18:17 ----------

As well as the deal itself, another good bit of news is that we're closer to rejoining the Horizon Europe science programme which the UK was a net beneficiary of.

Quote:

"This Windsor Framework is good news for scientists and researchers in the European Union and in the UK, because of course the moment we have finished this agreement – so it's an agreement in principle – the moment it's implemented I’m happy to start immediately, right now, the work on an association agreement, which is the precondition to join Horizon Europe, so good news for all those who are working in research and science."

It's not unqualified good news of course. As von der Leyen made clear, EU won't invite us to re-join Horizon (and other important scientific collaborations: Euratom on nuclear technology and Copernicus for Earth observation) until a deal is finalised.

It's also not clear on what terms we might rejoin, and whether those terms will be as favourable as they were to the UK pre-Brexit. But there’s now a genuine prospect of progress.

"It is more than two years since the Government agreed association to Horizon Europe, Euratom and Copernicus – two years of delays that have damaged science across Europe. These schemes support outstanding international collaboration, and the sooner we join them, the better for everyone," said Sir Adrian Smith, President of the UK's Royal Society.

6.17pm. https://news.sky.com/story/politics-...rough-12593360

---------- Post added at 18:28 ---------- Previous post was at 18:23 ----------

Quote:

Originally Posted by Damien

It looks a pretty good deal to be honest. Can’t really see any reasonable objections aside from people who want nothing to deal with the EU no matter what

Agreed.

I don't know if it weakens Johnson's claim to have got Brexit done if Sunak had to sort this aspect out though.

Sephiroth · 27-02-2023, 18:31

Quote:

Originally Posted by Damien

It looks a pretty good deal to be honest. Can’t really see any reasonable objections aside from people who want nothing to deal with the EU no matter what

Agreed.

richard-john56 · 27-02-2023, 19:58

Get back to work you Democratic Useless Party and serve the people of Northern Ireland.

jonbxx · 28-02-2023, 09:19

Quote:

Originally Posted by 1andrew1

As well as the deal itself, another good bit of news is that we're closer to rejoining the Horizon Europe science programme which the UK was a net beneficiary of.

Yeah, the Horizon thing is great news. Not taking part in the Horizon program was a disaster for the scientific community

1andrew1 · 28-02-2023, 09:37

Quote:

Originally Posted by 1andrew1

I don't know if it weakens Johnson's claim to have got Brexit done if Sunak had to sort this aspect out though.

Noteworthy that Johnson was not in the House yesterday cue calls of "Where is he?" from the Labour benches.

ianch99 · 28-02-2023, 10:17

It will be interesting in how the ERG Brexit loons react to this. If they are effectively silenced, it will be the start of a silent re-convergence back to EU alignment to help mitigate some of the damage to business.

**Hugh** · 28-02-2023, 10:54

Rishi Sunak this morning…

Quote:

"Northern Ireland has this very special position where it has access to the UK market, has access to the EU market, which makes it an incredibly attractive place to invest for businesses”.

1andrew1 · 28-02-2023, 12:42

Quote:

Originally Posted by ianch99

It will be interesting in how the ERG Brexit loons react to this. If they are effectively silenced, it will be the start of a silent re-convergence back to EU alignment to help mitigate some of the damage to business.

I wouldn't place Johnson in that category, but I think that it has certainly made him less relevant and stymied any comeback plans he might once have had.

I also think the ERG's importance is now blunted. The Conservative Party will likely now try and focus its efforts on tying to get economic growth and less on competing with UKIP on Brexit purity. Greater economic growth will mean closer ties to Europe and it's a trade-off that now seems to be acknowledged. The days of hoping for free trade deals with China, India and the USA to rescue the economy are gone.

TheDaddy · 28-02-2023, 15:24

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hugh

Rishi Sunak this morning…

This isn't what we voted for, a few years back we left because we were a vassal state but now instead of that N Ireland is in a special privileged position

**Damien** · 28-02-2023, 16:19

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hugh

Rishi Sunak this morning…

Quote:

"Northern Ireland has this very special position where it has access to the UK market, has access to the EU market, which makes it an incredibly attractive place to invest for businesses”.

It is a weird framing. I am not quite sure he meant to put it like that because it does leave the question open on that if it's so good for NI to have access to the single market then why not the rest of the U.K?

**Chris** · 28-02-2023, 16:54

Quote:

Originally Posted by Damien

It is a weird framing. I am not quite sure he meant to put it like that because it does leave the question open on that if it's so good for NI to have access to the single market then why not the rest of the U.K?

Because that would be to invite a re-run of the debate over whether single market access is worth the price paid in loss of sovereign control of various aspects of domestic policy. NI can now, more or less, enjoy the same freedom to diverge from onerous EU regulations on products intended for sale within NI that the rest of the UK has.

I’ve noted the usual Twitter bores simpering that ‘this is what we had’ all day today and it’s really a bit tedious now. You may agree with the argument or you may disagree with it, but please don’t pretend it doesn’t exist.