Sir, – How disappointing to read that the British government is still playing games with the Brexit process. They would have us believe that key ministers are close to resignation over their own proposals for customs arrangements. This is merely another transparent ruse to gain leverage at the negotiating table. They know that they must have a deal at almost any cost, but want the world to think they are hard pressed to accept even their own proposals.
We should continue to seek an end result closer to our own preferences and pay no heed to the implausible dramatics in London.
Of the many trade deals the EU has agreed, I can remember none where our negotiating partner expended so much energy on trying to alarm and manipulate us. It seems unlikely to succeed. They will eventually have to negotiate for what they want in the normal fashion, and make concessions of their own in return.
I fear the UK government will soon be remorseful that they wasted years trying to manipulate the EU side instead of preparing their Conservative base for the many concessions that lie ahead. They will soon have to convince that base to pay dearly to purchase back trading rights most of them have hitherto taken as granted. And the games of the last two years will be lamented in London most of all. – Yours, etc,
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GAV ROCHE,
Ballina,
Co Mayo.
Sir, – Now that the UK has arrived at a temporary Border agreement, can we now say that “they don’t know what they want and won’t be happy until they get it”? – Yours, etc,
DERMOT O’ROURKE,
Lucan,
Co Dublin.
Sir, – So the UK expects the future customs arrangements to be in place by the end of December 2021 at the latest. Any student of Irish history would be aware that similar promises were made in article 12 of the Anglo Irish treaty of December 1921 regarding the Border Commission, etc, and which were never delivered upon by the British government. – Yours, etc,
BERNARD BROWNE,
Old Ross,
Co Wexford.
Sir, – Fudge over London. Europe not completely cut off, just yet! – Yours, etc,
JOHN O’CONNELL,
Letterkenny,
Co Donegal.
Sir, – The convoluted efforts of the British government, in attempting to reconcile the customs and regulatory aspects of its Brexit policy, are quite painful to behold. they put me in mind of a mathematical concept from my Leaving Cert days – that of the asymptote.
This concept is of a straight line that is approached more and more closely by a curve, but not met by it, until at the point of infinity. The straight line is the EU status quo and the fudged curve is that of our neighbours, the asymptotic society, seeking to never quite reach it.
God give us patience. – Yours, etc,
CHRIS SHOULDICE.
Templeogue,
Dublin 16.