Comments by "Nigel Johnson" (@nigeljohnson9820) on "Brexit: UK backtracks on pledge to avoid Northern Ireland customs checks" video.

The eu may be very disappointed by the lack of thoroughness of any border checks. The UK will do just sufficient to meet the withdrawal agreement, no more. The EU may find the border becomes a smugglers paradise. To those who want Irish reunification, they should be aware that this is an ideal always reserved for tomorrow or the day after. Neither the RofI or the EU want it in practice, as it would shift the political and financial liability of NI from the rest of the UK onto the republic and thus the EU. There is no doubt that Irish reunification would represent a significant windfall to the rest of the UK and a significant headache for the EU for decades to come.
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@Pro Mc I am all in favour of a united Ireland, I would really like the political and financial liability that NI represents moved to the EU. The UK would gain a significant windfall from such a move. The only snag is that the people of NI must chose this option, and that is not likely. With the current arrangement they get the best of both worlds, support from the UK while being in the EU and not paying for membership or contributing to EU the EU budget. Reunification, would remove the last remaining hold the EU has on the UK, so the EU will not want it to happen. There is a good chance a united Ireland would also vote to leave the EU, certainly the cost benefit analysis points in that direction, as does the growing dissatisfaction with the EU. Irish Reunification is one of those nationalist ideals, best left til tomorrow or next week or sometime in the distant future as the practical results are too unpleasant to contemplate. But hold a referendum and test it if you like. I suspect that such a move will trigger the very thing the GFA was designed to stop.
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@Pro Mc wishful think if you think Dublin really wants reunification. You are being very optimistic if you think NI will give away the billions of subsidy it receives from the uk, for it to be replaced by a bill from the EU. They will just be replacing hands off rule from Westminster will hands on rule from Brussels, so much for Irish independence. Your only hope is if the UK cuts NI off and leaves it to the tender mercies of the EU. The loyalists will need to feel rejected by the UK, even then they may decided to return to the gun. I can't imagine 400 years of animosity is going to disappear over night. Strictly speaking the IRA have already broken the GFA. It will be interesting watching them deciding they what freedom from rule from Brussels.
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@Pro Mc do you really think you can take £11 billion out of a small economy and it not be noticed. The RoI will be expected to make up the short fall, and pay additional cash to the EU. It will take years to reform the NI economy, this at a time when the Republic economy will also be suffering. Do you not think vested interests will not try and stop the loss of cash?
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