The path to a smoother relationship between Britain and the EU does exist—but it is strewn with obstacles
’s single market for goods. The protocol means that there are no border controls on the island of Ireland, in an effort to prevent sectarian conflict, but it created a customs and regulatory border in the Irish Sea instead. That infuriates both unionists in Northern Ireland—the largest unionist party withdrew from devolved government in 2022 in protest—and Brexiteers on the mainland.
Mr Sunak has promised a resolution to the row over the protocol in time for the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday peace agreement, which falls in April. “It’s like having something in your eye,” says a British official. “You can’t focus on anything else.” The European Commission is ready to “de-dramatise” the existing checks on goods crossing the Irish Sea, through shared customs data and whittling away at the paperwork.
But strike a deal on Northern Ireland, and avoid a new front over aggressive regulatory divergence, and relations could greatly improve. “It would be a very big symbol of mutual trust, the thing we have been missing for some years,” says Ms Loiseau. That could allow Britain to fully exploit theis an elaborate structure. A powerful partnership council led by politicians can amend much of the deal.
Sir Keir Starmer, Labour’s leader, does not plan to up-end this basic settlement. He is after a fast, off-the-peg agreement that would allow him to claim he has “made Brexit work” while avoiding the quagmire ofnegotiations that has broken previous prime ministers. To that end Labour proposes a veterinary agreement, which would allow agricultural products to be freely exported .
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