Journey into the unknown

Posted By: March 30, 2017

“Setting out the key principles that should shape the forthcoming talks, Mrs. May said the UK’s “unique” relationship with the Republic and the Northern Ireland peace process should be protected, with no return to a hard border.
This is the same Mrs. May who said before the EU referendum that it would be “inconceivable that a vote for Brexit would not have a negative impact on the north/south border.”


Irish News Editorial. Belfast. Thursday, March 30, 2017
Theresa May was right to describe yesterday as a historic day as she formally started the process of withdrawing the UK from the EU.

However, the triggering of Article 50 begins a two-year journey into the unknown with no firm idea what the outcome of negotiations will be or what the impact will be on jobs, incomes, families, businesses and the wider economy.

We do not know what arrangements will be put in place to protect the rights of EU citizens living in Britain or British citizens living in Europe.

Nor do we know what trade agreements will be drawn up, what tariffs may be imposed on goods or how the movement of people will be controlled.

This historic moment comes at a difficult time in Northern Ireland where the collapse of the Stormont talks has left our political structures in limbo.

Even if the two main parties had reached a deal to restore devolution, they are so far apart on Brexit that it is hard to see how they could have agreed on a joint strategy.

As matters stand, it will be Mrs. May’s government supposedly looking after the interests of Northern Ireland in the negotiations, something that will not fill people here with confidence.

Setting out the key principles that should shape the forthcoming talks, Mrs. May said the UK’s “unique” relationship with the Republic and the Northern Ireland peace process should be protected, with no return to a hard border.

This is the same Mrs. May who said before the EU referendum that it would be “inconceivable that a vote for Brexit would not have a negative impact on the north/south border.”

We do not see much in the way of personal investment from the British prime minister, who is adopting what could be described as an arm’s length approach to The North.

But she needs to understand that securing the best deal for Britain may not necessarily be in the best interests of Northern Ireland or the Republic.