"Frictionless" Irish border is achievable insists London think tank

by Q Radio news

A leading academic has claimed the Irish border is not the major obstacle to Brexit that some make it out to be.

Dr. Graham Gudgin who's chief economic adviser to London based think tank - Policy Exchange  - insists the UK can leave the single market and Customs Union while preserving a frictionless border in Ireland.

Despite EU Chief Negotiator Michel Barnier rejecting what's called the "Max Fac" option Dr. Graham and former Irish diplomat Ray Bassett says it should be pursued and can work.

Both men insist it can be achieved by the use of new technology and in the context of a Free Trade Agreement between the UK and EU, in an arrangement that goes beyond the Customs Partnership and in no way threatens the Good Friday Agreement.

This is the argument set out in detail in a new paper Getting over the line: solutions to the Irish border  written by both men.

Writing a Foreword to the report in his first major intervention on the question, Lord Trimble, former First Minister of Northern Ireland and Nobel Peace Prize winner, writes:

“Fears over a ‘hard border’ are only as strong as the refusal of those who do not engage with a workable technological solution. Anyone interested in the welfare of the people of Northern Ireland, and indeed the welfare of those in the Republic and EU, should be urging Brussels to seek a free trade agreement with the UK and develop a smart border process.

“Thirty years ago, we found that where there was a will to succeed, to build something better, all obstacles could be overcome. As the heartfelt disappointment of some in response to the Brexit result dissipates, I hope that true friends of Northern Ireland – including the partners in peace all those years ago – will cease the scaremongering and work for a practical, prosperous future.”

Co-author Dr Graham Gudgin said:

“A recognition of the economic and political reality, and a little good faith, can help achieve a solution that promotes prosperity for all sides – and preserves peace. The weak arguments that Brexit somehow endangers peace or undermines the Good Friday Agreement have been allowed to take hold – as Lord Trimble says, this will not happen.

 “A solution that respects the Brexit referendum and maintains a light-touch border is achievable. Modern technology means that physical customs posts, or even cameras, are no longer essential at borders. This is the case made by the EU’s own customs expert, Lars Karlsson, who envisages the use of mobile phone and GPS technology to track HGVs, together with the computer-based customs clearing which is the norm across much of the world.

“The Irish Government is playing a dangerous game by demanding that Northern Ireland remains within the EU Customs Union and by threatening vetoes. Ireland more than any EU economy needs free trade with the UK but has made no efforts to promote such an agreement in Brussels.

“The priority now should be for the British and Irish sides to return to the co-operative approach last seen under Leo Varadkar’s predecessor, Enda Kenny. Mutually acceptable border arrangements can be devised in the context of the FTA that Ireland badly needs. The UK Government should now return to its earlier position of insisting that full settlement of the Irish border issue should await the wider agreement on trade arrangements.”