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Would the engineering community be happy with an independent Northern Ireland?

Arran Cameron
One of the thorniest problems with Brexit is where to place the 'hard' border between the UK and Ireland. Should it be between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland or between Northern Ireland and the Mainland?


Voting in Northern Ireland in the EU Referendum was very much along sectarian lines with the Protestant and Unionists communities predominantly voting Leave and the Catholic and Republican communities predominantly voting Remain. An exception to the rule was North Down but that has similar demographics to Surrey. Therefore, wherever the 'hard' border is located it has the potential to re-ignite the Troubles and in a worst case scenario a return to the 1970s.


An alternative is for the Mainland to leave the EU and Northern Ireland be granted independence from the UK as a member of the EU.


1. Would the engineering community (on both sides of the North Channel) be happy with an independent Northern Ireland?


2. If a referendum is held on whether Northern Ireland should remain as part of the UK or granted independence, then should it only be held in Northern Ireland or should it be held throughout the UK?
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    Simon Barker:


    That's not actual borders.  We are talking about a border between the EU free trade zone and a non-EU UK.  At the border, you can be stopped, and your vehicle searched to see what you're carrying.  If you have goods in the back, you will need paperwork to say where they are from, where they are going, and if tax has been paid.


    If you pop over the border for a shopping spree, you could also be stopped and asked to pay tax or import duties on what you've bought.

     

    Very true. It's not just physical goods but services as well.


    How much engineering is there in Northern Ireland and how tied-in is it with the Mainland? If there is an independent Northern Ireland, or a hard border in the Irish Sea, then will this be likely to result in engineering companies closing their operations in Northern Ireland and relocating to the Mainland (not in the EU) or the Republic of Ireland (in the EU) where there is potentially more stability?
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    Simon Barker:


    That's not actual borders.  We are talking about a border between the EU free trade zone and a non-EU UK.  At the border, you can be stopped, and your vehicle searched to see what you're carrying.  If you have goods in the back, you will need paperwork to say where they are from, where they are going, and if tax has been paid.


    If you pop over the border for a shopping spree, you could also be stopped and asked to pay tax or import duties on what you've bought.

     

    Very true. It's not just physical goods but services as well.


    How much engineering is there in Northern Ireland and how tied-in is it with the Mainland? If there is an independent Northern Ireland, or a hard border in the Irish Sea, then will this be likely to result in engineering companies closing their operations in Northern Ireland and relocating to the Mainland (not in the EU) or the Republic of Ireland (in the EU) where there is potentially more stability?
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