This is pretty serious stuff.
Breaking international law is not something a government should do lightly. Our government does, however, appear indifferent to it. That is, in itself, mightily worrying.
And then there is the fact, not to be ignored, that as yet the EU exit agreement has not been ratified by the EU itself. Quite simply, this is not as yet a done deal. And the EU could, in the light of such provocations, decide to walk away still.
Treaties become law when they’re ratified, not before…..
It might be illustrative to consider who would be celebrating the most if the EU decided to not ratify. IMHO it wouldn’t be the Rejoiners.
If the EU ratifies while the UK is ‘in breach’ of a treaty obligation, wouldn’t the ratification validate the breach?
Might it also pre-validate other breaches? For example, the EU is itself in breach of agreements about UK exports of live bivalve molluscs. If they haven’t corrected that situation with reasonable urgency before they ratify, how can they subsequently hold the UK to a higher standard of adherence to agreements than their own?
Ursula von der Karen is guilty of cakeism.
The EU is trying to hold UK to a treaty that the EU has not (yet) ratified, and therefore does not (yet) exist.
Seems to me we have an ideal opportunity to declare the treaty terms invalid as evidenced by the |EU failure to ratify.
We should also threaten to enforce restrictions on trade, travel and goods between Germany and Berlin.
And of course I recall well Murphy’s condemnation of the EU when in response to the vaccine procurement fiasco it unilaterally invoked the same part of the withdrawal agreement
Enforce travel restrictions between Germany and Berlin? Even soviet scum couldn’t fully manage that Tim(the Coder).
@Mr Ecks
Tongue was firmly in cheek 🙂
But the NI/UK situation, an internal border enforced by a hostile 3rd party, differs how?
Is there anyone who is actually worried the EU would walk away?
These are, after all, the people who were afraid *the UK* would.
I’m sure the EU won’t walk away, in the sense that they will abandon the treaty. They wish the UK to be bound by their interpretation of the treaty, which is that the UK is totally guilty and owes them infinite control and tribute.
But of course they never intended that the EU should be bound in any way whatsoever.
I thought the issue in question was covered by the withdrawal agreement, rather than the as yet unsigned trade agreement, or are the two linked?
Either way, bollocks to them, after their vaccine shenanigans.
TTC–This mess is down to Bogus Johnson’s yellowbacked U-turn on the UK internal market Bill. And his allowing EU talks etc to drag on to get a shite deal we never needed.
If EU wont ratify then no deal it is. Bogus should tell them to fuck off and have NI same as rest of UK regardless. The longer he drags the shite out the more chances for trouble.