Former Irish PM Attacks Brexit Minister and NI Secretary Over Protocol Comments!

Former Irish Taoiseach (PM) and current ambassador to the US for the European Union, John Bruton, has attacked both the Brexit Minister Lord Frost and the Northern Ireland Secretary of State for and opinion piece they wrote in the Irish Times newspaper.
The diplomat condemned their language and questioned if either man had actually read the agreement their Prime Minister had signed.
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#Brexit
#Ireland
#LordFrost
#NorthernIrelandProtocol

[@tonycook7679]

I think people give Johnson far too much credit for actually having a plan to achieve anything. He is completely devoid of interest in anything outside of self promotion and an easy flippant life. He just wants to be PM, he does not actually have any ambition for the UK itself, why would he?

[@owengreene382]

He's incabeible of deeper understanding of other people's needs, which tells us clearly, hes unfit for public office. but that is not usually, we only have to watch what's happening around us in this little earth.

[@benwilson6145]

He always thinks with his little head, hence so so many children, never uses the bog brush on his shoulders

[@Steelmage99]

"He just wants to be PM" I don't think he wanted or wants to be PM, but he very much like to be able to say, that he was PM

[@Demun1649]

The 18th century word would be "RAKE".

[@DrRusty5]

It's now 27 May 2022... You could have not been more correct!

[@mandycouchbean]

Max Well said John Bruton! Extremely pleased it’s been called out !

[@hannahdyson7129]

It won't do any good

[@lfcgero35]

@@theressomelovelyfilthdownh4329 compared to what other irish taoiseach pal

[@theressomelovelyfilthdownh4329]

@@lfcgero35 Take your pick. I'm just saying we should look at people before we start blindly lording them because we happen to agree with them on one issue. That's kinda what got us into the entire BS fest which is Brexit. You can agree with somebody without liking them. In the same way, I like the works of Lovecraft, but think the man himself was an awful human. People in the comments are acting like the guy is some kind of hero. When really he's just another dodgy politician we happen to agree with on this issue. Let the Brexiteers have their unicorns etc, but we don't need no white knights.

[@martinross5521]

“Post Brexit Tory thinking”?? You give them too much credit. More like refusal to act like grown ups, let alone the elected leaders of 65+ million people.

[@BillyBobJoeSnr]

You must remember that the country is being run by the marketing department, the truth is optional. The focus is managing what the public believe rather than reality.

[@Aquacommand]

@@BillyBobJoeSnr How does it work out optional ‘ when it’s pre-ordained.

[@BillyBobJoeSnr]

@@Aquacommand I'm not sure it's "pre-ordained" but I'll check with the daily mail if that's what I should be thinking...

[@annemoncrieff3875]

Not elected by the Scots. The Scots have never voted for a Tory gvmt, ever

[@martinross5521]

Quite right Anne. Apologies. I hope your nation achieved independence and is allowed to rejoin the EU. For different reasons, maybe the island of Ireland will finally throw off English misrule too.

[@dermotwalshe7542]

Good on John Bruton...I wish him luck trying to explain in English what the issues are for the English. I doubt they will understand...common sense has gone on a fifty year holiday in the UK. It's obvious they have not read the agreement. And have no plans to read it anytime soon.

[@Peter-ud9bx]

There may be signs that opinion is changing in England (NB Scotland and Wales already hate the Govt. Don't know about N.Ireland) - e.g. that result in Amersham and Chesham, and, interestingly enough, the comments from and about Gareth Southgate and from some of the football pundits basically about good and bad leadership and hinting that the Govt is lacking in this respect. I say signs - it could be just random noise - but one lives in hope.

[@ohgosh5892]

"for the English." The 1 in 4 people who voted for Brexit, you mean. The 75% of us who did not vote for brexit do not believe the Tory lying cnuts any more than you do.

[@timothysimpkins6229]

Should have a legal team (solicitors & lawyers) look at the agreement of the protocol in Northern Ireland.

[@ronin47-ThorstenFrank]

@@ohgosh5892 I fully agree! This rethoric has to stop. This only creates a greater divide between the UK and the EU and is absoloutely counter productive in any way. Especially if one takes a look at the numbers in detail he will find very quickly that it wasn´t "the English" who voted for the Brexit but a minority supported by a flawed voting system.

[@Peter-ud9bx]

@@ronin47-ThorstenFrank Very true. The only silver lining I can see is if the Labour collapse forces a coalition the price of which would be proportional representation. The two-party system has been a disaster for this country ever since Mrs Thatcher and the likes of Rupert Murdoch figured out how to manipulate it.

[@frankomahony1874]

So you sign a deal with the E.U. Then you go back on the deal, and then you blame the E.U. for being too strict because they are honouring the said deal. This country used to be the country with a first class reputation world wide. All destroyed by these bunch of chislers at No10.

[@fiachramaccana280]

first class reputation for fooling people into believing that they had a first class reputation.... What you are seeing is not a new way of conducting international affairs. What you are seeing here is the unfiltered version.

[@brianpatel9665]

Sorry Frank, this country has never ever had a first class reputation, you need to read their history which is corrupt,brutal, dividing and conquering, they are secretly making a trade deal with their offsprings, Aus, NZ, Canada, majority of the problems in the world has been the work of this country, just look at The Middle East, all for greed.

[@fiachramaccana280]

@@brianpatel9665 exactly. They ran an Evil Empire for centuries.

[@Yeknodathon]

"Post Brexit Tory thinking"... hmmm, we really going for cognitive brain functioning? Post Brexit Tory spasms.

[@bridfinn4933]

John Bruton always speaks a lot of sense. He has integrity which is alien to a lot of the present UK government.

[@stanleybeckett7705]

A lot? Name me one member that has any integrity! The civilised part of the Tory party was dismissed by Johnson before last election. Liars and grifters all.

[@lfcgero35]

@@stanleybeckett7705 john bruton is an ex irish pm not a British mp pal.

[@estellapants]

He does but it is nigh on 12 years since he was EU Ambassador to the USA as the video claims.

[@gerardflynn3899]

@@lfcgero35 Teoseach means leader not Prime minister. Excuse the spelling.

[@AdrianColley]

Bruton's comments, being clear, direct, and based on reality, are out of step with the mainstream Brexit discourse in Britain and Northern Ireland. I expect no Brexiteer will hear them.

[@MauriatOttolink]

Adrian Colley Of course we hear them but find it difficult to contain our indifference! The exit is nowhere near as defined as it should be. Stop at nothing less than WTO.

[@htlein]

@@MauriatOttolink "The exit is nowhere near as defined as it should be. Stop at nothing less than WTO." have you ANY idea what the WTO guidelines would mean regards a trade agreement with the EU? Apart from ANY other consideration it would take years to establish an agreement under WTO guidelines and would be a great deal harsher for the UK than the existing, admittedly lousey deal we now have. Look at WTO guidelines - the first mention will probably be MFN (most favoured nation) where we will end up with that?

[@vereferreus5262]

@@htlein As soon as WTO-rules are in place, border checks and tariffs on goods from the EU will be hard. Problem is, they are not in place atm. As soon as other countries will get a smell of that, or stop tolerating that, the UK is done. Then a price explosion will be the case. The UK govt know this, thats why the keep asking the EU to stretch it.

[@jasonk7072]

It’s almost like leaving the European Union is a silly and pointless endeavour.

[@stevendurrant1724]

I'm starting to wonder the same thing.

[@tomaszzalewski4541]

Nah, we are happy you are gone

[@gerardflynn3899]

Considering that they wanted to leave the EU, why did they not apply to join the EEA.

[@bodricpriest8816]

@@gerardflynn3899 Because Westminster is in hock to the hard right, no deal could get agreement since the sane didn't want to leave and the bonkers ERG wouldn't support anything. May had the chance to go for EEA and declare victory but she refused to work with the opposition and split the Tory party, Brexit is entirely about keeping the Party together and F!ck the country.

[@vladimirputin4822]

@Charlie Munster Don't forget losing what they had gained.

[@andylane247]

Brexit. An IQ test failed by 17.4 million...

[@fasteddie6806]

Oh come now! Surely 17.4 million lemmings can't be wrong?

[@LemoUtan]

Stop calling it the 'Northern Ireland Protocol'. Call it what it is - the 'Boris Johnson Protocol'. Take charge of the terminology.

[@steve00alt70]

The Johnson varient

[@RealButcher]

Well said.

[@philwoodfordjjj8928]

The point is that the UK exceptionalism is what's abroad. That's the problem, and they'll use any method that suits their intended outcome, which would seem to be "we do as we will". So it would also seem that the UK needs to be brought to heel.

[@ronaldsimpson8890]

English exceptionalism.

[@dukesy1957]

Our government here in UK needs a really GOOD kick up the arse....they are getting away with murder here.......I really think its time not just the EU but US and others started getting tuff with this bunch......start enforcing international law......its the only way to treat the likes of Johnson and Gove....also include Lord Frostie.the snowman in that too.....maybe a rapid defrost might help.

[@Temo990]

The problem for the UK is that know that the UK is not member of the EU any more there is not much reason to tolerate exceptionalism. Maybe the only concern would be Ireland. But the EU provided a solution to avoid a border between NI and Ireland. In addition it was GB that voted for Brexit in the first place with disregard to the situation in (Northern) Ireland knowing that a border would be a consequence of Brexit. I don't think the EU will back down if it comes to their unified market with their standards. The whole existance of the EU depends on it.

[@annemoncrieff3875]

@@Temo990 just the english voted for it. Us celts didnt, Scotland and NI

[@Temo990]

@@annemoncrieff3875 Unfortunately you are sitting on the same boat as long as you are on it I don't think there is much that can be done.

[@theressomelovelyfilthdownh4329]

It's pretty bad when FG or FF are having a go at you for being incompetent at your job...

[@vinylrulesok8470]

😂

[@williampatrickfagan7590]

That is a bit hard.

[@theressomelovelyfilthdownh4329]

@@williampatrickfagan7590 Maybe. But the fact you need to think about whom I'm being hard on should be the worrying part about all this.

[@enternext2210]

100 % right ✅, FG, FF, crime groups days of running ireland are coming to a end.

[@mandycouchbean]

Max At last someone calling it as it is! Good on John Bruton !

[@bridfinn4933]

I'm afraid I agree with John Bruton on this one

[@mfdoyle5879]

Johnson, knows that the G.F.A/Irish Protocol is vital to Irish Peace. Johnson, Lewis,, Frost, Blatantly and openly, supporting the D.U.P/Loyalist all of the peace process in peril. Treachery, bad faith, and threats by Johnson &co. Will hasten a return to conflict. Do they know what this will mean for these Islands ??

[@fasteddie6806]

You are on your own we won't help you. It is bizarre. I ,alas, spent a large portion of my working life trying to deal with local authority politicians. That was their approach to everything. Do nothing and expect others to sort out problems as best they could. If all went right they would claim the credit. If things went awry it was nothing to do with them. Johnson seems to me to be the ultimate local authority politician. One who has been promoted beyond all of his abilities. He is an utter incompetent.

[@hannahdyson7129]

That's what they have been saying to the poor regions of England for decades . Those of us with an IQ in those regions aren't surprised by this

[@normanchristie4524]

@@hannahdyson7129 Question Hannah: Why do poor English people, and it is the English, continue to support the Tory party?

[@hannahdyson7129]

@@normanchristie4524 Lack of education simply .

[@normanchristie4524]

@@hannahdyson7129 I suspect we are guilty of over-simplification. Though State education was elementary at best, the Co-op movement, the MUM, WEA founders of the Labour party ensured that working people were politically aware. Sadly, this has been lost since Thatcher effecually emasculated the trade unions.

[@hannahdyson7129]

@@normanchristie4524 Maybe . But education has been poor since my grandads day . They were taught then empire was a good thing .

[@robertlamont9455]

John Bruton's observations were bang on the money, and although you may not agree on his comments over seeking to dilute regulations, I've the exact same since the very beginning.

[@yc-tai]

The UK citizens certainly have not read the NI Protocol!

[@peterebel7899]

This is a NI protocol, not a British Protocol. You should know.

[@yc-tai]

@@peterebel7899 UK PM signed the NI protocol.

[@peterebel7899]

@@yc-tai Brits read British documents (I hope) Irish documents are for the Irish only.

[@Westwoodii]

@@peterebel7899 It is the NI Protocol negotiated and signed up to by HM Govt of Great Britain and N Ireland. And the whole basis behind it is to protect the NI Peace Agreement. In case you're not familiar with The Troubles which brought that about, I will tell you that those same Troubles were not restricted to the island of Ireland, but frequent and widespread, with great loss of innocent life, on the island of Great Britain too. Your distinction is nonsense.

[@peterebel7899]

@@Westwoodii Please tell me: - Why did the government not read the document prior to signing? - Why didn't the MPs not read it prior to ratifying? - Why are the Brits not happy protecting the NI Peace Agreement? I am happy with it. But I am not happy with the reason for "The Troubles".

[@dwansbo]

The success of Brexit depends on the EU bending to Britain's demands to adopt British Standards as Equivalent. This would allow unelected bureaucrats in London to dictate to the rest of Europe. If that happened the EU may as well pack up and go home!

[@frankieseward8667]

No way will that happen. Europe brought down Thatcher, it will bring down Johnson.

[@vereferreus5262]

The UK standards can never be equal, as that will mean they will have to adapt all european norms...

[@Amalung54]

Don't worry, that won't happen never ever...

[@philippschwartzerdt3431]

The PM is spot on with his assessment of the intentions of the Tory government.

[@Peter-ud9bx]

Good point re the UK Government's strategy. Very plausible that they're kicking the can down the road so that UK exporters set up shop in EU, e.g. in Ireland. It would be characteristic of them to shout defiance while covertly rolling over. It's a similar subterfuge to that that Heseltine pointed out, i.e. that Johnson sees which way the crowd is going then runs to the front and shouts ''Follow me!''

[@TheEvertw]

The problem is that they are in the mean time stirring up anger and hatred among the Unionist paramilitaries. That genie is not quickly put back in its box.

[@stephenrowley4171]

Agreed strange how he was staunch remainer up to the last minute. Tbh I don't think he thought the was going to win he wanted to be the victorious looser.

[@davesy6969]

They do not like betrayal in NI. 🔥

[@kev643]

This unelected Mr Frost needs to do his homework. Boris of course will not do any homework but waffle on and pretend he has.

[@jackelliot547]

. . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . - - - - - - . . obvious they have never read it . .

[@steveharvey2001]

Why read it when you can "organise a nativity trail" instead ?

[@Detector1977]

No way. the UK is NOT interested in N.I setting up new supply lines. What the UK want is for UK businesses to continue to supply N.I, in essense continue as before the Uk left the EU...

[@audreymcgready2031]

Good morning Max and all here.HAGD.👍😁🌻

[@mandycouchbean]

Good Morning Audrey !Morning Everyone here hope you all HAGD! 🙂🌻

[@CthulhuInc]

thanks audrey - yourself as well

[@korolev-musictodriveby6583]

Morning everyone ! Happy Friday !

[@swannvictor1388]

Afternoon Audrey, Candida and all...have a great weekend ahead and stay safe.

[@swannvictor1388]

I posted this on Max's channel, ten minutes ago...what the hell is this doing here..???

[@philsteart3671]

Loyalist community council (representing unionist paramilitaries) are blaming the Irish government for waging a "cold" war on trade". They state it "wont' succeed .This is really worrying

[@frankieseward8667]

If those loyalists dare to get brutal,it will backfire.

[@eroche913]

I wouldn't have been Bruton's biggest fan as Taoiseach, but that article was a savage response to the nonsense of Frost and Lewis. Do your homework gentlemen.

[@tonyroy8123]

Frosty is a little thug. Lewis is following his master blindly.

[@robertarisz8464]

I disagree with your optimism - I believe that the British approach is exactly the thin edge of the wedge to get the EU to revisit what has already been agreed and signed into law. If they pull it off, it is less work for them and a great victory to bring home to their Brexiteer supporters. They have been nothing but slippery snakes and this is 100% in line with their nature.

[@lindabastable3021]

They can't. The only weapon they had was violence in Ireland. That threat has been defanged. The EU has had enough.

[@frankieseward8667]

@@lindabastable3021 indeed. Europe brought down Thatcher, it will bring down Johnson.

[@viperscot1]

Excellent informative video keep your excellent content all the best from Scotland

[@franklamosa374]

I would frame it differently: the EU is granting the extension to allow northern Ireland business to rework their supply chains to rely more on the Republic and the rest of the EU. The UK government does seem to be trying to sabotage the withdrawal agreement, by saying that what it has not done does not work so it won't even try to do what it has agreed to do

[@eddy66t6]

The UK aim from day one has been to leave the EU with all ties cut, regardless of what damage it may do. The UK strategy has been to achieve this aim in such a way as to be able to present any negative repercussions, including the foreseeable ones, as imposition of the EU. The EU strategy has three strands: Protect the three pillars of the Union (including free movement and protection of the single market) Protect Ireland from the negative repercussions of a decision that had nothing to do with Ireland or the EU. Avoid unwarranted damage to the UK.

[@johnrussell3961]

Bruton is saying where the border is changes nothing. The UK, in the U.K. agreed to follow EU procedures to generate the proof it's goods can enter the EU. Procedures enforced by the ECJ.

[@Touhou-forever]

I often wonder what Garret FitzGerald would say about Briexit if he was still alive but I am very positive that he wouldn't be very happy with the British government's treatment of Northern Ireland and I wouldn't blame him and I wouldn't blame Dick Spring either since he also worked very hard to get agreement with the British government so I could imagine that Dick Spring would be extremely pissed off at the British government's treatment of Northern Ireland.

[@Peejay1966]

It's pretty obvious neither of these eejits read the agreement. It was all 'Get Brexit done' and 'Brexit means Brexit'. Utter bollocks, the lot of it. Brexit will never end; it's how the Tories like it.

[@malahammer]

Ah......Britain waives the rules......still!

[@DomDeDom]

Britain is a third country. There is nothing to expect.

[@peterebel7899]

Britain reaching the level of a forth country.

[@mariefinley8435]

Good morning Max and everyone !.

[@swannvictor1388]

morning, have a good weekend.

[@JRattheranch]

Post Brexit, party thinking??? They actually think, do you think? 😂😂😂

[@lennybreau9323]

Bruton is right. EU can't keep giving extensions. Only until Australia is signed. Britain's standards will immediately drop permanently. Then it gets serious.

[@DrRusty5]

You'd never have imagined that this would still be a probably 10 months later in May 2022!

[@bosoerjadi2838]

It is both. The government will do nothing to improve the situation and they will leave NI businesses to fend for themselves. That fits the Tories' deregulation ideology.

[@rentregagnant]

[ 5:16 ] ..."and this could be achieved by kicking the can down the road' Wouldn't it be much more sensible *to kick Boris and Co. into touch?* Sadly, the British people not only voted for their lies but voted to hand another 5 years of tomfoolery

[@rentregagnant]

to this crowd of mega-tomfools, buffoons and outright liars and cheats. Go figure... (Interesting, BTW to see these public comments from Bruton, as he is a key link in the diplomatic chain between Ireland, EU and US. Normally, we would see these sorts of comments being put out there by, for ex., an Irish ex-ambassador. In this case, they have chosen to use official channels.)

[@joankelly3690]

We don't have a PM Max as well you know, we have a Taoiseach. Why the need to Anglicise everything in our country? Hasn't that been done enough.

[@fc4275]

Get over it

[@joankelly3690]

@@fc4275 your words of inspiration have worked their magic. I'm cured! Dickhead.

[@jyvben1520]

Winter is coming, a real bad one for the brits and 5 million ex-eu ...

[@highdownmartin]

Just looking on eBay for black wool serge. Uk company does it , now making it clear in their description “ We no longer export to N Ireland “. Coincidence? I think not

[@martinross5521]

Along with pedal bikes, plants, food, wine and anything else which needs to meet EU regulations and laws for imports from a non-EU member state.

[@davekeating.]

Is this the same John Bruton who once snapped at a press conference when asked a question about the Northern Ireland peace process, “Oh, not the fucking peace process, again”

[@frankscanlon5900]

Why would they read it as they never intend to honour it

[@bogumibogda3299]

Automatically generated subtitles say: northern armed protocol. Sounds alarming...

[@jurgensplurgen8972]

Can you even read? would have been more pertinent.

[@christianecoughlan7392]

Has this been aired on the BBC? We can only hope…

[@AlexJones-ue1ll]

Fat chance of that. BBC is rather trying to stay invisible on that front if they can.

[@minimango1]

To get this clear in my head, the last concept goes like this. : if there is no trade between NI and Eire then there is no need for checks?

[@fintonmainz7845]

The NI Protocol presents a unique economic opportunity for Northern Ireland. Blinkered Unionist politicians are prepared to destroy the NI economy for no good reason.

[@ronaldsimpson8890]

Finton mainz , unionist politicians are brainless and blinkered, thats why every 12th of july they parade with three piece suits bowler hats and umbrellas on what is suppoed to be the hottest month of the year, to commemorate a battle between a Dutch monarch and a Scottish king which the Dutch monarch won because he had a bigger army.

[@thomasjamison2050]

Pity. If the British government refuses to comply with the terms of the contract, theoretically the contract should become null and void and the UK should be back in the EU. Problem solved.

[@paulriley7523]

A big part of the problem is that the truth is not surfacing in a loud and clear way... so jo public just hears bo jos sound bites

[@johnyarbrough502]

"You're on your own, we don't care about you." Conservatives to anyone who isn't already in the Tory big corporation/old boys club.

[@michaelstevens3479]

Heath did not read the small print going in either.

[@martymcdermott67]

He did. He just didn't tell ye

[@julientabulazero103]

Let's assume that the EU caves in to the British government's pressure and allow the flow of good from the UK inside Northern Ireland unimpeded, then if a frozen sausage can freely travel from GB to Belfast (which is inside the Single-Market) it will become near impossible for the EU to argue that the exact same sausage should not travel to other destination inside the Single-Market. If it is good enough for Belfast why wouldn't it be good enough for Madrid, Rome or Berlin? What the Tories want is to use the situation in Northern Ireland to de-construct the Single-Market as a whole.

[@PietervandenHombergh]

the only competence of the uk government: kicking cans down roads.

[@LL-vk9zc]

Frost and Lewis don't do Rhetoric - this implies a coherence of thought. What they often do is better described as waffle.

[@audreymcgready2031]

Max your clone has been busy on Phils posts today.👍

[@candidaprout560]

Yes. But I hope that now you saw the difference in the logo. I thank you. Be well and safe and have a nice day

[@TheCloudhopper]

Phil posted today? Why is youtube not notifying me? AGAIN!

[@jiversteve]

@@TheCloudhopper maybe you should subscribe and click the bell notification? Does it work from the USA?

[@swannvictor1388]

@@TheCloudhopper all sorts of weird stuff is happening with my channel. Yesterday, one of my comments from last week, appeared in nearly every channel I visited! Don't even know how that can happen?! I have also discovered I have been Unsubscribed from several political commentators and other channels - not blocked you understand, just Unsubscribed, which is really odd. And yes, I get failures of notification too!

[@TheCloudhopper]

@@swannvictor1388 and my previous comment seems to have hit on a word filter and got deleted. Got to love the Tube :-)

[@philiphall8325]

You're right the Tories don't care about NI and most English people probably feel the same way. Are there any English Unionists?

[@johnrussell3961]

There are lots of English Imperialists. They hate those who live NI, Scotland and Wales, but refuse to let them leave.

[@hannahdyson7129]

@@johnrussell3961 They also hate the poor regions of England

[@mickgrant4262]

He's giving the Tories and the DUP a bit of undeserved Credit here the Ability to Think there's never been any Proof of that

[@stephenthomas3085]

Of course the EU does not trust the UK govt, how many more examples of bad faith and grubby dishonesty would they need? However, the extension recently granted was necessary but I do hope that the EU takes the gloves off at the end of this period if the UK govt continues on this reckless course. It is akin to dealing with a treacherous blackmailer, one pay off will never be enough.

[@tonyroy8123]

Yes Stephen. Article 50, article 24, then article 16. Who in the right mind would like to engage with these lying Tories and their retard brexshiters.

[@ChangesOneTim]

Much the same happened among those politicos who negotiated Maastricht and Lisbon treaties back in the day. A few later admitted that they hadn't read through what they recommended their leader to sign.

[@lamb7780]

If the EU are ever forced to go back to the table on the protocol and there ends up being a land border the UK should be forced to sell national assets or give them to the EU to pay for the astronomical cost of several hundred border crossings between Northern Ireland and the State of Ireland.

[@martinvickers7349]

Are they able to read?!

[@sirclarencedarrow]

I still haven't received my unicorn.

[@noelpucarua2843]

Those who know Irish politics will know that John Bruton has a history of being more than accommodating when it comes to Britain, so when he makes such a clear and unambiguous statement it is because he is fed up with this continuous and dangerous nonsense from the British government. And it is from the British government, because when the minister for Brexit and the Secretary of State for NI combine to make a public statement you can be sure it has government approval.

[@jasongaylard2547]

I guess they thought they could just blag their way through, like everything else they do.

[@commonsense31]

It’s a hilarious thing that UK actually think they can get away with it. All of this will come crashing down, all I can say if you have a business in the UK. Make sure it can function independently with no input from other countries. Patience are wearing thin.

[@frankmitchell3594]

Yes, the UK applied EU customs rules and laws in a stricter way than many other states. This was used as a basis by anti-EU campaigners as a reason to leave the EU. 'Look what those foreigners are telling us to do'.

[@dingleberryridesagain3606]

John Bruton is a man of impeccable credentials and credibility, The United Kingdom do not have any politician that compares to him,,Boris would do well to listen to him and his views,and when he calls commentary as menacing, he must be listened to !!

[@chrisashton9218]

Of course they read it, stop maki g excuses fir them. They lied and lied, signed the deal in full knowledge of what it meant, but with the intention of failing to implement it, and then force it to change by encouraging division in NI and also Ireland, and trying to blame others, by luring again.

[@estellapants]

I fully agree with Bruton's analysis but it's twelve years since he was the E.U. Ambassador to the U.S.A.

[@mungoboomdecker9711]

Bruton isn't the current EU Ambassador in Washington, he is well retired.

[@JohnSmith-bx8zb]

Reported that, since November 2011, Bruton acts as an advisor to Fair Observer focusing mainly on the areas of politics, finance and economics as well as on issues pertaining to Europe.

[@philippenachtergal6077]

To be fair, I can't see how any NI protocol could have been signed if the MPs actually read it. Any version of the protocol would have meant the mass extinction of unicorns.

[@philippenachtergal6077]

@Charlie Munster More practical yes. But as there was no realistic solution in sight any time soon and the EU logically refused to put any limit date to the backstop ; the brexiteers feared they would be outflanked by even more extremists playing the "when will brexit really be done ?" card. Certain "temporary" measures have a tendency to stick and that would almost certainly have been true for the backstop. One has to remember that these goons don't really care for the people or the country they care about their personal wealth and/or power.

[@dutchuncle3310]

Appeasement never works, a former UK PM would have been able to tell you all about that. There is really no point to give the UK ( the Brexit government) any more Leeway. So far all the UK is successfully exporting are Covid variants. Just like BoJo failed to prevent the Indian variant entering the country by allowing Indians to enter the country the various EU countries governments failed them by not quarantining the UK to prevent the Indian variant from entering the continent.

[@nigelwilliams2547]

why would they want to be properly informed? that would go against the grain for brexiteers

[@icitlalistardust9060]

About time for BJ to consider “all the options “….. maybe this should have been done in 2017! Can’t wait to see Ireland become all again, and Scots to become indépendant… they’ll be most welcoming the EU!

[@californiadreamin8423]

EU ambassador to Washington, John Bruton......Joe Biden, I’m Irish......

[@kan_turk2626]

I’ve just seen this - tory ‘thinking’ - what a laugh ha ha ha

[@roderickmain9697]

Did they actually read what they signed? It seems likely that they thought it didnt matter and (as we hold all the cards) the UK could just bully its way to whatever it wanted to do. I agree with others here though, Tory thinking seems to be an oxymoron.

[@MrAer85]

He just did what was done to Raab, he Raabed him of his integrity.

[@davidportlock9201]

I'm afraid that the UK government is not worth being talked too the Europe Union should take the action they are allowed to do within the brexit withdrawal agreement and stand firm and let the tories sweat

[@LolixLP]

To answer the opening question asked in the thumbnail: No, they certainly did not.

[@paulwalter2715]

Uk is prepared for GFA and peace to falter as they believe EU will fold first. UK has no intention to honour the NIP. Trade will find a way and that will exclude England. Channel tunnel will lose traffic which will ferry via Ireland.

[@lloydbelle3406]

It's so refreshing to hear straight common sense talking from a politician, but there is no way the UK will be allowed to influence a shift in EU standards, especially downwards!

[@dfcarolan]

John Bruton was arguably the most Anglophile Irish primeminister (taoiseach)in the history of the Irish state. He would have easily fitted into the British Conservative Party before it became the party of ultra English nationalists and crazies. Bruton even floated the idea that Ireland should rejoin the British Commonwealth. When someone like Bruton who has always been inclined to give a sympathetic listening to Britain's concerns ( Bruton was regularly denounced as a traitor by Sinn Féin and other republicans while he was in office), calls out the British government for their duplicity and bad faith regarding the Johnson Protocol (Northern Ireland Protocol) that is something. It is coming from someone who has always been favourable to Britain and seen by many Irish as a "west Brit". That is someone whose orientation is primarily British rather than Irish.

[@sausagembape677]

We were always going to be in this situation because we were seriously out of our league in the negotiations, this is the consequence.

[@blechtic]

It's not that. There were things that were impossible for the EU to agree to (i.e. leaking single market border or rules because duh and border on the island of Ireland because of GFA). That necessarily meant either a border in the Irish Sea or the UK staying in CU and SM. It really is that simple. Everyone of any worth knew NI was going to be *the* problem that needs addressing. The UK just needs to get off its ass, put on its big-boy pants and implement what it signed and then it can do whatever TF it wants (except for further breaches of treaties).

[@shaunmoncur2990]

Have they read it was the wrong question, maybe can they read should asked, just as most Brexiteers are challenged in the 3Rs

[@grahamgood1244]

Hi I thought you were going to call the Protocul the ' Johnson Protocol, which make it firmly stick to him He often pretends to know nothing about its details, and that its got nothing to do with him. He signed it as his 'oven ready deal!

[@kfhroe8262]

I agree with the Irish Ambassador: if the EU will get UK a free pass, this will collapse the EU, Common Market first.

[@bikkiikun]

It's not just and international contract. It's UK law. It's a law with Constitutional rank. It's passed by Act of Parliament and signed by the Queen. It's a law, that amends any prior provision that lacked details, it supersedes and replaces any prior provision that it is in conflict with... and yes, that includes the infamous Act of Union. If the Act of Union talks about the flow of goods, the Withdrawal Agreement and NI Protocol supersede those provisions.

[@jasoncooper9391]

Boris don't read nothing 🤣🤣

[@johanna2059]

What else can you expect from a British Tory government full of horray Henreys ffs

[@carolalisonsmith4235]

Is almost like that they forgot Ireland existed before during and after the brexit vote………..surely that wouldn’t be true.

[@garryparsons1344]

Can I just make a couple of points 1.Irelands net contribution to the EU going forward will move up to 16Bn euros, and can I just emphasis it is NET. So that hike means that Irish tax payers will be paying 3 times that of German tax payers. 2.The tonnage of goods to the UK is descending significantly and this should be a concern because the UK is Irelands main customer. So all in all the cost of living will rise significantly in Ireland.

[@loulou2817]

Garry, EU contributions are % based (1.25%) on a countries performance. The more money they make, the more they pay. If ROI payments are increasing, it's because the GDP % is increasing. The UK is far from ROIs main customer - it is fourth, behind USA, Germany, Belgium & then the UK @ just under 9% of exports. ROI is the UKs 5th largest customer. You sell more to ROI than Brazil, Russia, India & China combined, with a £16 billion annual trade surplus.

[@nelsonmandelamuntz7508]

Mock them 🤣

[@jackbrown4120]

As a Brit I'm very happy with the way things are going.

[@waldorfmcvitty4854]

You spelled moron wrong.

[@tomkent4656]

The Belfast Agreements trumps the Protocol.

[@TheSynthnut]

"Post Brexit Tory thinking" = The definition of an oxymoron.

[@benangel3268]

A right winger always thinks because of the name right that they always right. The extreme right think they are extremely right. Arrogant plonkas

[@Ralphieboy]

Why can't Boris have his cake and eat it too?