Member

So it could be entered into by the EU, under its law, only because it was intrinsically temporary. I did ask a very distinguished lawyer, who I shall not name, what “temporary” meant in European law; he said “Ooh, about eight years, generally”. Well, eight years are up, so, as a temporary arrangement, we ought to be moving speedily to think about some system of mutual recognition that would enable us to have a fully functioning internal market within the United Kingdom, and the most sensible arrangements across the border between Northern Ireland and the Republic, with the minimum of controls, none of which would take place at the border. Then we would all be happy and able to debate other things late at night.