They admitted there’s nothing new in their proposals…
There are very little new ideas in the European Research Group (ERG) paper in the quest to find a solution to the Irish border issue.
The ERG, a research support group for the UK’s Conservative Party, which has Jacob Rees-Mogg among its members, has said that a hard border can be avoided in Ireland by using “established” technology and by “modifying” existing arrangements.
These ideas are more grounded than some of their previous suggestions that the border could be guarded by airships and drones.
The ERG piled pressure on UK Prime Minister Theresa May to adopt their plan, insisting new technology and inspections far from the frontier could meet EU demands to avoid a hard border.
“There is nothing which would reduce our commitment to the Belfast Agreement, or which might jeopardise peace in Northern Ireland,” the ERG said.
“Harnessing the latest developments in international best practice can deliver continued co-operation and prosperity in the best interests of the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland.”
Rees-Mogg also indicated his support for May provided she ditched the current Chequers plan.
The UK Government’s current Brexit white paper (Chequers plan) covers four areas: economic partnership, security partnership, future areas of cooperation such as aviation and nuclear power, and the frameworks needed to enforce the agreement.
According to the BBC, it is “aimed at ensuring trade cooperation, with no hard border for Northern Ireland, and global trade deals for the UK”.
“I have long said, and repeated again and again, that the policy needs to be changed but I am supporting the person,” Rees-Mogg said.
“Theresa May has enormous virtues, she is a fantastically dutiful Prime Minister and she has my support.
“I just want her to change one item of policy.”
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