“A load of ballix.”
There’s a common Belfast joke that taps into the feelings surrounding the Titanic being built in the Harland & Wolff shipyards, ‘She Was Alright When She Left Here’.
Granted, the fate of the passengers onboard the Titanic was no laughing matter, but you can buy t-shirts with that slogan on them. Another issue that’s not making anyone laugh is Brexit as the increasing uncertainty – combined with an apparently increasing disregard for the Good Friday Agreement – has added more doubts to an an already uncertain political future.
On this note, BBC Newsnight travelled over to Northern Ireland to gauge the reaction of locals towards Brexit and its implications for the border.
On the last leg of his journey, Steven Smith travelled to Belfast and after settling in Holywood, he asked some of the locals about their views towards Brexit.
One lady said that she initially voted to leave the EU but she’d reverse that decision if a second referendum took place.
Another gentleman named Richard also voted to leave and that’s a decision he stands by. “I think we’re going to do very well, I voted Leave. I have great confidence in the British Isles and the UK. We’re leaving a sinking ship.”
Smith then asks Richard if there are enough hypothetical lifeboats to save people in the Brexit waters. Richard then says “we can make lifeboats in Northern Ireland, we made the Titanic” something that didn’t turn out too well.
Granted, this gentleman does articulate his reasons for voting to leave – he doesn’t want to be ruled by people he didn’t elect – but people did love the irony of comparing Brexit to the Titanic.
Moments later, you can see Smith asking another man how he thinks Brexit is going. His answer? “A load of ballix,” he said.
Take a look at the whole segment from 9:25 onward.
Since the segment aired, plenty of people couldn’t help but get a chuckle out of the Titanic line.
Absolute best woopsie of the night on #Newsnight : Northern Ireland voter when asked if UK lifeboats were strong enough for the Brexit storms ahead responds with a straight face & says of course, sure if not we can build our own, we built the TITANIC
— Theresa Reidy 🇺🇦 (@theresareidy) October 15, 2018
Actually burst out laughing at the man from Donegal interviewed on #newsnight
'Brexit's going to go very well. We're leaving a sinking ship'
'Yes but are the life boats up to it?'
'We can make lifeboats here in Northern Ireland. We made the Titanic!'— Joe Oliver (@joe_oliver) October 15, 2018
Classic moment on #Newsnight as a Northern Irish Brexiteer references the Titanic as a shining example of British success. When it's pointed out that it didn't turn out too well he retorts that it had a British pilot. You really didn't think that one through did you mate?
— Ian Middleton 🇺🇦 🍃💚🍃 (@IanMiddletonX) October 15, 2018
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