Business. Opportunity
 

I see a future business opportunity.

Smuggling Aldi (Made in Ireland ?) sausages from NI to Ireland, hidden inside unused AZ vaccine packaging, in the back of R75 tourers ???

Sounds farcical, smuggling food inside drugs, but anything seems possible in the new EU !

Yes, you are right - to a certain extent. The UK was strong armed into a dogs breakfast that is the NI Protocol otherwise it was going to be 'no deal' time - the UK could have lived with that much better than could the EU.
I think everyone expected equitable/mutually beneficial solutions to the anticipated anomalies that inevitable would arise - relatively minor anomolies that is - pragmatic give/take solutions.
Unless the EU wise-up and retrieve their dummy the UK will either invoke Article 16 of the withdrawal agreement (and they would be within their rights to do so given the recent shenanigans) or we wait 42 or so months and let the good citizens of NI aire their views thro' the pre-agreed referendum to accept the status quo or shove it into the Irish Sea along with the border that goes with it.
The Republic are already suffering the fruits of their staunch support of the EU against Brexit
- reduced fishing rights (because the EU have divied out to other members a sizeable chunk of what Ireland already had pre-Brexit)
- a harmonised Corporation Tax that will cost Ireland's economy €3Bn/annum and likely departure of numerous prestige International corporate HQ's
- a probable Commission attack on Ireland's International neutrality stance
and, who would have thought good old Germany would be kicking against the EU law makers only 6 months after Brexit....
There are some arguments to support what (ex) remainers were shouting and flag waving about but boy am I glad the UK were able to go their own way on securing/funding a C-19 vaccine policy and how the past 6 months have shown much of the anti-Brexit hype was indeed a load of hot air.
I know we all don't agree but we really are far better off out than in - and it will get better, much better for an unfettered UK (and in due course, NI too).

Perhaps the dinghies discarded from their Calais journey will be snapped up by some unscrupulous sellers of sausages and shipped under cover of darkness across the Irish waters. Looks like a good opportunity there :}

No Aldi in Northern Ireland (only Lidl)

The border issue between north and south as most of you can imagine is complicated and actually goes further than the 100 years (this year) of its existence. This is the fine line that British and NI politicians are treading. The EU do not consider the embattled history over it.

I read this BBC article when it was published about 3 years ago, and it gives a basic insight of the practical difficulties and some 'emotional' difficulties that concern it.

You could please one section of a community, whilst riling up the other at the merest whiff of anything that they feared. THIS being an example of the stupidity and ignorance of a tiny minority, who were trying to create a show of strength. It was not as bad as it reads, and the general consensus was that it was embarrassing for the so called loyalist leadership (loyalist terrorists) - they urged young kids to go on to the streets and create a disturbance. Those kids were 10-16 years old and obviously had no idea of what they were doing or why. And another local news story of that trouble HERE.

Doubt if Boris gained any new fans by travelling from Stanstead to Newquay en route to Carbis Bay by chartered Airbus A321. Add to that its nearly an hour by road from Newquay to Carbis Bay.

Where exactly do you think all those trucks - that still criss-cross the channel all day, every day (all loaded up both ways and look, no queues....) - are going, little but rich Liechtenstein?
We still trade substantially with the EU and they with us - but it's different. Give it some time to bed in, meantime we are again masters of our destiny and there's a whole 'other' world out there to go at.

I am one of these that always imagined it as a war zone as that is all I recall from the news. I am sorry if I caused offence as none was meant. It was more concern for peoples well being.

macafee2

Post #35
The UK was strong armed into a dogs breakfast that is the NI Protocol otherwise it was going to be 'no deal' time - the UK could have lived with that much better than could the EU.



Evidence please for UK being ‘strong armed’ into NI Protocol ?
Also what about the all the years of being told that ‘No Deal is better than a bad deal’
Why then sign up to any deal?

So the very early rewriting of recent history begins !

Dont worry, I knew no offence was meant nor was it taken. I am always saddened though that people thought/think like this. Whilst there were incidents, on most day to day life, for most people, it was no different to mainland life. 99% of the population too, did not want involved in any of the violence either.

As a result, visitors stayed away, watching the news instead. In reality, a beautiful country was left unseen - think Scotland, but more concentrated and accessible (imagine standing in any town and city, and in at least one direction being able to see some form of natural greenery, mountains or the sea).

I would also bet too, that Israel and Palestine on the most part is s a beautiful and 'normal' place. But we see it as a war zone, with fear in the eyes of citizens going about their daily lives.

THIS, now is the reality of life here, and has been since the mid 80s. (the Carrick in my location refers to Carrickfergus). But again these stories are rare in themselves, but are typical of any trouble that occurs. But if you read about the story, it is no different to any town or city where drugs gangs exist. (THIS gives a bit of background of the gang and their development into a criminal gang). Again this is not relevant to the OP, but I hope it gives a realisation that we are no different to any other country.