On the negotiations...

[DeppityDawg]

Don't confuse my criticism for how the uk govt have conducted themselves through brexit. I would have prefered the uk to remain but now you've left my preference would be a close FTA that removes as many barriers as possible. It's not going to happen though, unrealistic expectations and too short a time line will provide all but a very very basic and restrictive deal.

I still don't believe you Gerry. Something about the direct attacks you made in the past on UK posters and the UK in general about centuries old history. They had nothing to do with either current or recent UK governments, nor Brexit. I think they were your true colours.

[GerryT]

I don't believe any of that, Gerry. Except the horses bit. I don't know feck all about them either, but it doesn't stop me betting on the fecking things  ::

Don't confuse my criticism for how the uk govt have conducted themselves through brexit. I would have prefered the uk to remain but now you've left my preference would be a close FTA that removes as many barriers as possible. It's not going to happen though, unrealistic expectations and too short a time line will provide all but a very very basic and restrictive deal.

[BeElBeeBub]

He also has a protected Tweets, Twitter account as it is quite plain he doesn't want any argument with his views.

He is an expert on EU law, a skills set which will diminish sharply over the next year or so.

He periodically protects his tweets due to the volume of trolling.



He regularly engages with critics but there is a district difference between discussion and trolling.



If you think demand for expertise in EU law is set to decline soon, you're in for a shock.

[DeppityDawg]

I'm not supposed to be impartial, but no I wouldn't torpedo the uk, that's your total lack of understanding. I'd very happily see the uk thrive and hope that would rub off on Ireland. But a struggling uk is not good for ireland.

Alas I'm no help with horses, haven't a clue.

I don't believe any of that, Gerry. Except the horses bit. I don't know feck all about them either, but it doesn't stop me betting on the fecking things  ::

[Conchúr]

That Conor andGerry look to have the election all wrong,early exit polls suggest three way split.

What did we get wrong?  I don't think either of us predicted anything and both said that Sinn Fein had campaigned well.

[cromwell]

So what conclusions have we come to in this thread? What have we learnt?

That Conor andGerry look to have the election all wrong,early exit polls suggest three way split.

[Baron von Lotsov]

So what conclusions have we come to in this thread? What have we learnt?

[Conchúr]

Sinn fein played a good game, appealing to the young, promising more than can be delivered. Not very credible. Personally I thing FF were a disaster and FG have done a pretty good job, they deserve to get back in !

Agreed.  FG have done a good job and I think continuity is important right now. But the Shinners and other left parties have played well on the housing issue (with many people forgetting that the demand for housing has a lot to do with the fact that Ireland is attracting and retaining talent in light of strong economic growth)



The impact on the Brexit strategy is doubtful though.  FF have more or less backed the government's Brexit stance and only a Sinn Fein victory would likely shift the dynamic (I.e. towards pushing for a border poll).

[GerryT]

A photo finish between Fine Gael and Fianna Fail at the 10 oclock in the ROI. Sinn Fein are favoured but expected to end up a few lengths behind.



It should be fun but don't ask either Conor or Gerry for their opinions. I doubt they know where Ireland is.  

Sinn fein played a good game, appealing to the young, promising more than can be delivered. Not very credible. Personally I thing FF were a disaster and FG have done a pretty good job, they deserve to get back in !

[GerryT]

I looked him up



https://davidallengreen.com/2020/01/the-reasons-why-remain-was-defeated-a-contemporaneous-view/">https://davidallengreen.com/2020/01/the ... eous-view/">https://davidallengreen.com/2020/01/the-reasons-why-remain-was-defeated-a-contemporaneous-view/



A remainturd to the core. Here he is blogging on why Remain lost the fight. Not the fight to win the hearts and minds of the people, but lost the fight to frustrate the will of the people democratically expressed in the 2016 referendum.



This post of his, bewailing the sore loser's failure to have their way in the face of the decision against them, tells me EVERYTHING I need to know about this little sh*t. Thanks for provisign me the impulse to find out.



And he won't have a proper debate on what he writes either. In his own words ... "Comments are welcome but pre-moderated, and so comments will not be published if irksome". meaning Snowflakes and remainturds welcome, the rest can f**k off...

A good blog and quite accurate. Remain was complacent and didnt do anywhere as good a job as leave did. Remember the uk was practically 50/50 in the referendum, with such a close call it will take a long time for all the uk to pull together

[GerryT]

Of course, Gerry. And your impartiality on the matter of Brexit is legendary isn't it? If the UK was a ship, you'd have torpedoed it ages ago. After having secured a new market for your "exports" of course. I didn't even vote to leave, and even I can see EU Luv-in remainer bias is as pathetic as flag waving, Empire dreaming brexiters.



I'm off down the bookies shortly. Got any tips for me?

I'm not supposed to be impartial, but no I wouldn't torpedo the uk, that's your total lack of understanding. I'd very happily see the uk thrive and hope that would rub off on Ireland. But a struggling uk is not good for ireland.

Alas I'm no help with horses, haven't a clue.

[Barry]

And he won't have a proper debate on what he writes either. In his own words ... "Comments are welcome but pre-moderated, and so comments will not be published if irksome". meaning Snowflakes and remainturds welcome, the rest can f**k off...

He also has a protected Tweets, Twitter account as it is quite plain he doesn't want any argument with his views.

He is an expert on EU law, a skills set which will diminish sharply over the next year or so.

[BeElBeeBub]

I'm not interested in "healing"



I hear what you say. I find it hard to believe, given what he has written.

You may not be able to follow his Twitter feed as it's locked but here are a sample...

march 2019

Am a Bruges Speech era Eurosceptic.



I do not object to Brexit in principle, though after Maastricht it was always going to be more trouble than it was worth.



But the current go at Brexit has been botched as badly as it could be.



Article 50 should just now be revoked.

August 2018

After over two years of typing, again and again, that I do not oppose Brexit in principle, and that I am a Maastricht-era Eurosceptic who would have preferred UK to leave EU in 1992...

August 2019



Right on cue



Am not opposed to Brexit in principle, am a Maastricht-era Eurosceptic, and, if an MP, I would have supported the deal and the UK would be out of the EU by now



But "hysterical Remoaner"



This is how mad Brexiter discourse has become

His discussions have always been Eurosceptic but tempered with the realisation that any divorce would be long and hard.



He trained (iirc) in EU regulatory law and knows the EU well.



I actually followed a number of leavers to try and understand and many of them have given up on this version of brexit as a bad idea.



I started as a Eurosceptic prior to the referendum and switched to remain because the more I learned about the EU the less I disliked it and the more I saw of the leave campaign the less I liked the idea.

[johnofgwent]

"remainturd" is hardly going to help with the healing now is it?



He's pro leaving the EU and has been since Maastricht.  He used to work for Bill Cash alongside Dan Hannan.



This is why I follow him and why his criticism of Leave and their actions (in particular their actions regarding the constitution) is so valid.

I'm not interested in "healing"



I hear what you say. I find it hard to believe, given what he has written.

[BeElBeeBub]

Well at least you haven't run away and hid as Javert suggested (I'm still waiting for him to post links that people on here believe in free speech but don't think media should be allowed to post anti brexit stuff)

Anyway at the risk of going a little off piste here I think many in business are not as concerned with Brexit as they are the present situation in China

(Javert said we'd blame it all on the corona virus :: ) but I've come across business people with serious concerns about the supply chain,many companies haven't returned from the Chinese new year and the postal service has all but shut down.



Like it or not it used to be if the US sneezes we all catch a cold in this case the economic consequences may well be much worse and your,mine the eu or Boris's stance might count for little.

"corona virus is the new diesel"...



I agree that it will impact on everyone's economy, especially if it continues to get worse.



But that doesn't mean that brexit is unimportant.  



One of the supposed pathways to mitigate against trade losses with Europe was to trade more with China. If China is contracting at the same time as trade friction with Europe increases it makes it even harder for businesses to cope.  Add to that the potential for the US to get even more demanding about the conditions attached to any trade deal with the UK and we could be in for a rough ride.



There is little we can do about China but the US pressure is a function of our weaker position with them by virtue of Brexit (plus the fact the current administration's policy is to bully smaller nations)



None of the above problems are in any way helped by the UK not having a clear plan.



To get back on track.  Are you comforted by the fact that a good 2 months after it was clear we would definitely be leaving the EU at the end of January (i.e. the GE result) the UK government are still on the back foot, still putting out contradictory advice and still show no sign of actually engaging with the task beyond bluster and bravado?