Mr. Rees-Mogg has apparently said that if the EU responds to the UK tearing up the Northern Ireland Protocol with tariffs, the UK would not respond in kind as this would be “the politics of the schoolyard”.
A better definition of schoolyard politics, would be:
Lying about the terms of the international treaty you have negotiated, time and time again. Shamelessly, obviously and without any regard to the consequences.
Failing to implement that treaty and trying to renegotiate it in bad faith.
Lying about whose fault this is.
Breaking international law.
Pandering to the losing side in an election. a side that lost the first election in 100 years and is now to be given everything it wants because the protocol “does not have the support of both communities.”
Destroying the UK’s relationship with the EU and the USA, just to start a fight which the government thinks it will gain votes from, because it can portray itself as standing up to the Brussels Bully.
Risking rising food prices to achieve this, and worst of all.
Telling the nationalists that winning an election is pointless, as they will be ignored and the loser will get all they want. Spitting in the faces of the newly elected members of the assembly would have been less offensive.
Just think for a moment what signal this sends to the nationalists in Northern Ireland. 30 plus years of appalling terrorism did not work but losing an election and going off in a hissy fit gets you all you want, if you are a unionist.
This is when Brexit gets serious, up until now the UK has been stupid, childish, self harming, led by the school clown and a laughing stock.
Up until now the adults have been patient, understanding, conciliatory and flexible.
But this is playing with matches, there will be consequences.
Economics, trade and Brexit, not necessarily in that order but the dog always comes first.
Northern Ireland was partioned from the rest of Ireland mostly due to the threat of an armed uprising by Unionists who smuggled 25,000 rifles into N.I. from Germany in 1914. The DUP represents a strand of Unionism that has never moved on from this era and are continuing the tradition of “Ulster says No”.