As Dara Doyle argues (How Ireland outmanoeuvred Britain on Brexit, December 17), the Irish border backstop is a case of the tail wagging the dog. Any resumption of “hostilities” in Northern Ireland should have little to do with whether the border is “open” or not. The Irish government must realise that it’s far easier to introduce a border than to remove it. This meandering one has been in place for almost 100 years and, being at the heart of the British Empire, signalled its eventual demise. If both parts of Ireland had stayed in the EU it could eventually have disappeared, but that is not to be. The Irish now need to persuade their European friends to drop the whole border backstop issue or their World War 2 situation may reoccur. Winston Churchill, who disliked Irish president Eamon de Valera intensely, didn’t see why food shipped from the US and Canada at great human cost should then be eaten by the Irish. By 1941/42 chalk was being baked into Irish bread and a second famine was...
Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.
Subscribe now to unlock this article.
Support BusinessLIVE’s award-winning journalism for R129 per month (digital access only).
There’s never been a more important time to support independent journalism in SA. Our subscription packages now offer an ad-free experience for readers.
Cancel anytime.
Questions? Email helpdesk@businesslive.co.za or call 0860 52 52 00. Got a subscription voucher? Redeem it now.