LegalGeek

LegalGeek

63p

252 comments posted · 0 followers · following 1

4 years ago @ http://www.conservativ... - Lord Ashcroft: The lim... · 0 replies · +1 points

The EU “re-opened” the WA to take out May’s hard fought and earned NI solution to then insert the solution the EU had proposed at the very beginning.

Johnson sold out NI.

Plain and simple.

4 years ago @ http://www.conservativ... - Lord Ashcroft: My next... · 0 replies · +1 points

I think you may want to check youR facts... exactly at this time in the 2017 campaign, we were leading between 12 and 18% depending on poll.

Mays ratings were still higher at this point as well.

All of that aside (as national polls right now do. It capture what is actually happening at constituency level), I was out canvassing last night and the responses we were given very much match this article. For most voters it comes down to voting for the lesser evil or staying at home. They haven’t made their mind up.

Labour’s public service pledges are generally liked, people said time and time again that the local hospital is in the worst state it’s ever been and that the Tory pledges do not make up for the cuts since 2010.

This is a safe Tory seat (55% last time and heavy leave: 64%).

Oh and Brexit party not fielding a candidate has not gone down well. The overall response is “we don’t have anyone to vote for”.

4 years ago @ http://www.conservativ... - Johnson and Varadkar '... · 1 reply · +1 points

Let's try this one more time... not that I'm hopeful to get any factual response from a Leave voter.

What right does the UK (substitute with DUP or Tories as you please) to act contrary to the wishes of a self-governing nation which is part of the UK?

So once again, shall we have a NI referendum on the backstop?

And also, once again, how does the NI-only backstop impact on GB?

What is your problem with it?

Why can't the NI population have a voice and get given what the majority wants?

4 years ago @ http://www.conservativ... - Johnson and Varadkar '... · 2 replies · +1 points

You are a bit clueless on this, aren't you?

1. Westminster MPs have nothing to do with Stormont. It's the DUP who is using an excuse (Irish language act) to refuse to come back to Stormont.

2. The GFA clearly states that NI is self-governing and that both the UK and ROI governments must not interfere with the wishes of the majority. Considering the overwhelming support for the backstop by the NI population as well as NI having voted to remain in the EU by a larger margin that England and the UK as a whole voted to leave, you'd think that given the requirements under the GFA, the UK government would either respect the NI peoples' wishes or trigger a border poll (as required under the GFA).

As it stands, the NI population is being ignored. Allowing NI to be in a customs union with the ROI/EU does not impact the rest of the UK in the slightest and no one has ever been able to explain what the problem is... other than saying "we could not ever support it" (e.g. the DUP, May and Johnson).

What right does the UK (substitute with DUP or Tories as you please) to act contrary to the wishes of a self-governing nation which is part of the UK? There is a natural border between GB and NI which makes it simple to carry out the wishes of the NI population.

So once again, shall we have a NI referendum on the backstop? And also, once again, how does the NI-only backstop impact on GB? What is your problem with it? Why can't the NI population have a voice and get given what the majority wants?

Factual responses please.

4 years ago @ http://www.conservativ... - Johnson and Varadkar '... · 3 replies · +1 points

Fine, let's have a referendum then. Considering 80% of the NI population support the backstop let them speak.

That aside, if you want to argue about "consent before any change in governance" then forcing NI to leave the EU, SM and CU is illegal under the GFA. The NI population voted to remain by a larger margin than the UK (or indeed England) voted to leave. In fact, the NI population has no voice on the matter - Stormont is closed, the DUP is holding NI to ransom against the wishes of the majority and the UK government is acting against the wishes of the majority of the NI population.

4 years ago @ http://www.conservativ... - Johnson and Varadkar '... · 0 replies · +1 points

The UUP and TUV are pretty much irrelevant I'm afraid. 80% of the NI population supports the backstop. The UK government is bound by the GFA to carry out the wishes of the NI population.

Please name one country where individual parts have different laws on gambling, abortion, employment or equal marriage? And no, the US doesn't count - entirely different setup.

4 years ago @ http://www.conservativ... - Johnson and Varadkar '... · 2 replies · +1 points

Not quite sure what you expect?

The UK government has pledged to honour the GFA (and that means until the population of NI indicates otherwise, NI is part of the UK), the all-island economy (that requires NI to be in the same customs territory as the ROI and to apply the same rules to agrifoods and other safety standards). In addition, UK law (the EUWA 2018) makes it unlawful to make any changes to the NI side of the border compared to how it is on exit day.

Why do you have an issue with/care about NI following EU rules and not being in the same customs territory as GB? After all they already are very different to GB when it comes to such important matters like equal marriage, abortion law, gambling and employment law.

4 years ago @ http://www.conservativ... - Johnson and Varadkar '... · 8 replies · +1 points

The agreement will be a NI-only backstop (May’s original plan) with a Stormont vote in 2025 to come out. The vote must be a 2/3 majority and also approved by the parliaments in UK and ROI.

Ability to leave before if alternative arrangements are agreed as workable by UK, EU, ROI and NI.

This satisfies the EU, ROI and all NI parties apart from the DUP. Tough.

Question is whether lost DUP and ERG votes can be made up by the ex Tories and Labour rebels who genuinely want to support Brexit as long as it’s with a deal.

4 years ago @ http://www.conservativ... - It's a Third Reading f... · 0 replies · +1 points

There is nothing ambiguous and the bill is fully functional and proper.

4 years ago @ http://www.conservativ... - It's a Third Reading f... · 0 replies · +1 points

Spot on. Bad Da Costa planning AGAIN. Not surprised....