Politicians are naturally drawn to platitudes but there is a danger that they start to believe they are reality; leadership means eventually facing up to tough choices
The fundamental problem in Northern Ireland is that the Good Friday agreement was agreed in a context where the UK and Ireland were members of a customs union so there was no customs barrier between the two states. At that time, no one on any side imagined that a day would come when the UK would wish to leave the EU. By leaving the EU, the UK sought to unilaterally impose a fundamental change in the framework on which the Good Friday agreement was constructed.
The fundamental problem in Northern Ireland is that the Good Friday agreement was agreed in a context where the UK and Ireland were members of a customs union so there was no customs barrier between the two states. At that time, no one on any side imagined that a day would come when the UK would wish to leave the EU. By leaving the EU, the UK sought to unilaterally impose a fundamental change in the framework on which the Good Friday agreement was constructed.