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THE CHAIRMAN OF the Brexit Party has accused Taoiseach Leo Varadkar of “hijacking” the backstop issue, and claimed that the amount of trade that crosses the Northern Irish border is “irrelevant” and “it wouldn’t matter”.
Speaking to TheJournal.ie at a Brexit Party conference event in Newport, chairman and MEP Richard Tice said that “too many of the UK politicians have used the backstop issue, the Irish border issue, basically as a way of making it all so complicated and difficult”.
After dismissing the trade across the Irish border as “tiny” and “irrelevant” in comparison to the EU’s total trade, the 55-year-old businessman said that security along the border wouldn’t be a concern.
“The truth is that people like Leo Varadkar have disgracefully hijacked this issue,” Tice said.
And let’s remember Enda Kenny, his predecessor, said that we can sort this out with a simple thing called good will. Varadkar doesn’t have that good will. That’s why we’ve ended up where we are, and we think it’s a disgrace.
The Brexit Party is on a conference tour of the UK for the month of September, stopping off in a number of areas before a final event in London. On Saturday, the Brexit Party was at Newport, Wales where around 300-400 people attended the event.
During the event, Tice illustrated for the crowd how the Withdrawal Agreement was a bad deal. While holding handcuffs, Tice said that under the Withdrawal Agreement, the UK would be tied to the EU in a way that would be the same as imprisonment.
The jar of Smarties
While speaking to TheJournal.ie, Tice used another illustrative example to make his point that trade across the Irish border wouldn’t be an issue.
“I’ll give you a simple picture to understand the issue here. If you put 1,000 Smarties into a glass jar, those Smarties represent all of the trade that goes on across borders in the whole of the European Union. How many Smarties do you think, represent the amount of trade that goes across that border of Northern Ireland?”
Well, one Smartie. It is an absolutely tiny, tiny percentage.
As Nigel quite rightly said, there are already five different things that go across that border, different VAT rates, different currency, different income tax rate, company tax rates, and then different excise duty. So we’ve got five different things. And actually, with a simple thing called good will, actually it works, it works well. And, you know, there was no reason with a sixth thing, that anything that should change.
He said that the technology that has been proposed to replace the backstop “is no different” to the technology used to track a parcel being delivered to your home on your app: “It’s exactly the same technology.”
Goods are basically predeclared before they leave their points of origin. And then they are confirmed upon receipt when they arrive at their appointed destination.
He continued:
“Yes, everybody knows, there is already smuggling that goes across that border. It’s tiny. It wouldn’t matter if one Smartie turned into two Smarties in terms of the protection of the Single Market or the Customs Union. It’s irrelevant.”
At the Newport event on Saturday, Brexit Party leader and high-profile Brexiteer Nigel Farage said that the Irish border/backstop question was “very difficult to provide an answer for”. He also said that there would be no hard border, because Leo Varadkar, the European Union, and the UK all said that there would be no hard border.
Yesterday, European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker told Sky News that there would be a border on the island of Ireland if there was no deal.
“An animal entering Northern Ireland without border control can enter the European Union without any kind of control via the southern part of the Irish island. This cannot happen. We have to preserve the health and safety of our citizens,” Juncker said.
Earlier this month, Taoiseach Leo Varadkar admitted for the first time that some checks may have to take place at the border if there’s a no-deal Brexit.
“There will be checks on goods and live animals and, as far as possible, they will take place in ports, airports and at businesses. But some may need to take place near the border.”
A surge for the Brexit Party
The Brexit Party won 29 MEP seats out of the UK’s 73 in the European Parliament, making them the UK’s largest political party in the EP. The most recent YouGov poll puts the party, which was formed just earlier this year, on 14%.
“Yes, there is a lot of anger out there, and people do feel betrayed,” Tice says, of the supporters of his party.
“And that’s what we’re standing for – we’re standing for to make sure that democracy is protected and upheld. Heaven forbid there was a second referendum, and if the result was Remain. Then people’s trust in democracy will disappear forever in this country.”
He said that if there was a second referendum, they would insist on the choice being between a ‘clean-break Brexit’ or Remain, and believes that Remain would win “absolutely hands down”.
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If he thinks that it can all be sorted with goodwill then surely he can accept the backstop and realize that it will only be used if the UK can’t agree an acceptable exit?
If it’s so simple and easy to work out then he wont have any problems.
As an aside, the fact that he has to bring props like handcuffs on stage and demonstrate analogies using jars of smarties really shows up the general intelligence of the Brexit Party support base.
@Dara O’Brien: The English have never understood the damage they have done and continue to do by occupying any part of this island.
You can hate Leo all you like, as I’m sure many in these comments will, but until someone actually offers a reasonable solution for the border all these Brexit mongs can do one.
The absolute arrogance of the Brit’s seriously they vote to leave without a single thought to the consequences to areas of their own “kingdom”. Then to turn around and proclaim that their nearest neighbors are a pointless endeavour to trade with when all we’re trying to do is prevent our economy from crashing due to something we didn’t vote for and to stop all hell breaking loose up north an issue that the brits have shown nothing but disregard and ignorance towards
@Jake Kelly: people were lied to and not given the full picture at the referendum. Johnson’s £350,000,000 a week extra for the NHS comes to find for starters. Run again it would be a different result. Also remember it wasn’t a binding result but the Brexiteers have made it one.
@Gus Sheridan: few voted for Brexit because of the 350 mil I’d imagone. They voted because they wanted ‘to take back control of aw bawdahs.’
@Cormac Ó Braonáin: The irony here being that the British never had respect for anyone else’s bawdahs!
Shows how little Brexit types really care about other countries.
@Keith O’Reilly: people only care about their own first, nothing wrong with that.
@Gus Sheridan: If they truly cared about their own citizens, they wouldn’t be be throwing N.I. under the wheels of a no-deal brexit. The reality is they’re Little Englanders; they only care about you if you’re the right sort and everyone from this island is a Paddy, regardless of religion or allegiance.
@Joe Bloggs: The point is they’re not throwing NI under the bus…..
@Niall Higgins: you reckon a no-deal brexit will be good for N.I.?
@Gus Sheridan: NI are their own according to the structure of their union. If they’re not then give the 6 counties to the Republic or give them independence.That reminds me of a comment that I saw when the Scottish court made a ruling on the proroguing and somebody commented that the Scottish shouldn’t get involved in something that doesn’t affect them.
@Gus Sheridan: that’s ok but they’re NOT looking after their country – they’re being sold a pack of lies so the rich can make huge profits
EU will drop us soon and Lieo will not be forgotten by UK..
Just a stick to beat uk and Lieo did as instructed by Brussels. Won’t be needed soon and backlash I fear…
@Willy Mc Bride: Wally Mc Bored still raging that that bus won’t be arriving like he said it would.
@Clifford Brennan: 38 days and we shall know. I suspect that bus to arrive much sooner however as EU sees no deal ever nearer …
@Willy Mc Bride: gimp
@Willy Mc Bride: and when the only bus that arrives is the bus of recession for the UK. What then for your baseless claims that EU will drop Ireland in it?
You just don’t seem to understand that Ireland equals the EU. The EU cannot and will not put the UK above us, doing so undermines the EU on the international stage for any and all future trade deals around the world.
@Willy Mc Bride: are you drunk? Deluded? Duplicit?
@Willy Mc Bride: Poor Willy, the cap in hand Paddy with the head bowed. In spite if our own political classes endeavour to ruin it for us, Ireland has thrived since joining the EU.
@Barry Somers: Exactly. We’re in a position now where the EU can’t just turn on us. It’s one thing being tough with a country leaving with ridiculous demands. It’s a whole other thing to then through a member party under the bus. They won’t because they don’t want to have other countries look at that and decide that they would be as well leaving.
@Willy Mc Bride: The EU cant screw Ireland. Nor do they want to. It would send a terrible message to the other EU countries.
The EU have been on message all along.
Choosing the UK who have lied and misled over us would be a terrible move.
@Willy Mc Bride: They cant but hey dont let the facts distract you, they never have before
That sounds like the last throw of the Dice. If he was around 160 years ago, you imagine him as one of those British army generals bringing civilisation to Africa for the benefit of the natives. I don’t think he’d be carrying a jar of smarties though!
@Cobh Rebel Tour Mccarthy: Gun beats spear.
Smarties and handcuffs sums up the Brexit campaign. His ignorance of the “British Border” in Ireland issue is staggering. If he thinks it just needs good will whats wrong with the backstop then. It will never be an issue.
Biggots
Adam Sheridan: Generally I would not be a fan of Leo or his party but he is playing the right game on Brexit. He just needs to make sure that the EU maintain their line on Brexit too. This Tice fella along with Farage is a clown with his sensationalism. Were they secondhand car salesmen before Brexit?
Maybe he’s right, it’s not like the brexit party is biased…
Ironic that Brexit party are against the backstop, but it seems the do not want NI anyway, as there is no trade there, in their eyes. Brexit Party would certainly not want to pay out more cash for sash. Brexit Seems to be just an England party for ageing skinheads who decided to grow some hair but still create bovver.
@WoodlandBard: Their opposition to the backstop is a prop to allow them to leave at the deadline.
@Joe Bloggs: and their desire for a no deal brexit is so the rich hedge funds and vulture funds can buy up big and make huge profits. Usually they have to wait for a natural disaster or a financial crash – this time they’re making their own
Leave em at it. They’ll be hung, drawn and quartered when it doesn’t work out for the UK. That’ll be fun to watch.
@Burn_the_Witch: won’t be a bit of fun to watch, this affects Ireland big time too.
@Burn_the_Witch: Aww yes, the Great British train crash is coming too it’s conclusion. They will only have themselves to blame for sending the train down the wrong track.
@David Green: Only, they won’t blame themselves. It’ll be somebody else’s fault, according to them no doubt. The EU’s most likely!
If Brexit really does happen & Britain is out of the EU, I’m genuinely looking forward to see who or what institution they will start blaming all their problems and mistakes on going forward after that because for the past 30 years everything bad in Britain has been the EU’s fault apparently!
England doesn’t do goodwill…
In all reality the island of Ireland is a thorn in the side of the UK and a pimple on the ass of the EU let’s just accept the island is going to be squeezed just like in the aftermath of the Global Economic Crash of 2008.
@Corkonian In Dublin: as a fellow Corkonian I find that remark rather stupid and ignorant.. The island of Ireland has never been Thorn on anyone’s side. It was taped and pillaged by the Brits for centuries while it’s people where kept poor because it would not conform to be a part of the UK.
The Island of Ireland should be one nation that runs its own affairs.
@Paul O’Sullivan: I agree with you that the island of Ireland should be one nation.
When I said Ireland is a thorn in the side of the UK I meant today.
I agree with you that the UK owes Ireland a lot in terms of reparations for what they did during the 700+ years of illegal occupation.
However, in the context of Brexit the island of Ireland (including both North and the Republic), we are but an annoyance to the UK and EU as there are at most 6.5 million people on the island out off 600 million plus in the EU. Hence we get squeezed
EU Army’ 1st posting guaranteed.
“An animal entering Northern Ireland without border control can enter the European Union without any kind of control via the southern part of the Irish island. This cannot happen. We have to preserve the health and safety of our citizens,” Juncker said.
Very telling by Juncker’s language here – the animal can cross the border into the south no problem, but dare it enter the continental area then there is a huge issue.
The only solution coming from all this is to have all checks at all Irish and UK ports for goods and people going on to the continent. Ireland and the UK can freely trade away and the common travel area between the two islands is preserved. No northern Ireland border is necessary and everyone wins.
I doubt though, Leo and Co. will stand for that – “we’re at the heart of Europe” is their mantra.
@Daniel Dunne: more than likely Ireland will be asked to step out of the single market
@Daniel Dunne: President Drunker must have been at the Sherry again. At present animals from the UK can be exported to the rest of the EU without any apparent risk to the health and safety of consumers. Somehow on 31 October those animals are all potential health hazards. Do you think that he possibly has a different agenda in reality?
@Patrick Brompton: Well the UK will no longer have to abide by the food standard rules so it’s clear what changes when/if the UK leaves the EU. There has to be a cut off point when those checks will need to take place and the 31st seems like the logical one if that’s the day that they leave.
@Patrick Brompton: It is possible (although not on the 1st of November) for the quality of animal health to be reduced in the UK to secure a trade deal with the US. Instead of asking the US to bring up their food standards, the UK will lower theirs.
@Daniel Dunne: what substance are you abusing? He was specifically speaking about EU borders to non-European countries. Which is what the border between Ireland and NI will become. He was including Ireland, as in the South of Ireland, as part of the EU. Why should Ireland, as a EU country, have to change it’s EU free trade policies to accomadate the UK? But, carry on with your Pro-UK agenda.
@Daniel Dunne: You are reading what he said completely wrong and he even explained it again but you will still find fault
@Daniel Dunne: Great idea. Let’s cut ourselves off from our largest market. That would be the EU.
God, there’s some amount of quislings still in Ireland.
what would he know about the north
Charming
Unassuming
Networking
Tenacious
Brexit party speak explained 1.democracy means doing everything we want 2.goodwill means (see one) freedom means abandoning all workers rights,dismantling the welfare system and the nhs.and returning Britain to Victorian values ie poverty and squalor for the great unwashed,and obscene wealth for the privileged few
@Thomas Devlin: Very true. Many people have also pointed out what would Farage do if he had to actually give up his EU seat? Obviously, he’ll run to be an MP but he needs an issue to run on. He has been a single issue candidate for over 30 years
I wonder what they think of lord Ashcrofts recent poll, or the French presidents suggestion for Ireland?
Another so called expert climbing out from under whatever woodwork he was hiding under. I wonder how come he’s such an expert on the border. Another of farages muppets.
It’s our smartie. When you have only 1 little chocolate smartie, you guard it with your life. Bloody cheek ya get.
Our EU friends will look after us ha ha ha
We deserve all we get , when Britain leaves i sure their memories will be long.
If it’s that irrelevant why give it any substance
The ever increasing crescendo of Brexit propaganda is not only annoying, but very worrying for the many workers whose jobs will evaporate, who may be unable to pay rents or mortgages, or support their families. Not only in Ireland, but in many parts of mainland UK.
These propagandists are being financed by invisible financial elements who don’t give a fig about ordinary people, as long as they drag Britain out from the EU social & economic oversight. It would actually suit them to dump N.I. back into an Irish state, & transfer the costs to the EU.
Similarly, Scotland could also be abandoned, since North Sea oil is expiring, & there will be no economic advantage to the union, other than as a labour source to replace Eastern Europeans.
By then, these self servers will be gone to tax havens.
@William Kelly: Mainland UK. Jesus wept.
The pomposity and educated ignorance of Farage and Co is breathtaking. These guys are only made relevant by those who think the jolly auld empire was a wonderful place where all Brits were treated equally.
Those in the North of England who crave Past glories will still remain work shy
The Brexit Party are single issue idiots who wouldn’t have a clue what to do next if they actually get their way.
I think we will have to give on some ROI port checks , which could mean a deal.. Which is not what Brexit party wants at all, so is this the start of getting our backs up so we turn down ROI checks in order to get a brexit party dream of no-deal…
These comments will have been calculated..
@MickN: Oh FFS, Ireland has a veto on any trade deal. Now is the time to remind the UK of that veto.
It’s about time we as a country told them to just fu#k off and leave and let them depend on Trump to look after them .Their being led by nazis who want a a new master empire .Their fu@#ed anyway .
It’s more about the Irish border terrorism rather than the trade Mr. Brexit chairman.
So if there was a whiff of foot and mouth… there’d be a border?
Sadly the Unionists still live in the illusion that UK really cares about them. That they
are part of the Empire. Sad for them, and sadder for us here in the Republic for jobs, Agriculture when Brexit arrives, and indeed the UK
Idiot
Trevor Connolly ~ ach, whisht yourself, but you’ll not be whistling when Brexit arrives and the economy closely but surely collapses, and prices of everything go through the roof. If you think the 80s Bust was bad, wait for this. Slan.
Ara whisht !
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