Posted on Dec 09, 2020
Johnson makes "unnecessary" and "concerning" concessions to EU over Northern Ireland
The UK agreed on Tuesday to scrap controversial legislation that would override sections of its EU exit agreement signed last year, and which would have potentially broken international law. It has also agreed to allow the EU to base officials in the province, something HMG had ruled out in April.
Ulster's Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) called the move The DUP called it "unnecessary" and "concerning". These concessions alone, however, are unlikely to yield a deal.
- UK says no to EU's Barnier over "embassy" in Northern Ireland
- Johnson prepares to "up stumps" and walk away from Brexit trade deal
Emmanuel Macron's political career is riding on continued French access to UK fishing grounds: his threat to veto any deal unless he can deliver on this is likely to be carried out if he doesn't get his way. "If Johnson does not back down on fisheries, Macron is finished; if Johnson does back down on fisheries, then he is finished," according to one Commission official speaking on Monday.
Our friends have just got to understand the UK has left the EU in order to be able to exercise democratic control over the way we do things. There is also the issue of fisheries where we are a long way apart still. But hope springs eternal, I will do my best to sort it out if we can.
The reactions of the 27 remaining member states to the COVID pandemic, and the budget disruptions of Hungary and Poland, have challenged the European Commission's authority meaning the Ursula Von der Leyen cannot be seen to be giving the UK any favours.
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