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You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2018/may/11/rees-mogg-i-need-not-visit-northern-ireland-to-understand-brexit-issue
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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
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| Rees-Mogg: I need not visit Northern Ireland to understand Brexit issue | Rees-Mogg: I need not visit Northern Ireland to understand Brexit issue |
| (30 days later) | |
| The Eurosceptic Tory MP Jacob Rees-Mogg has said he does not need to visit Northern Ireland to understand the challenges Brexit has posed for communities on the border, in comments described as arrogant and judgmental by people living there. | The Eurosceptic Tory MP Jacob Rees-Mogg has said he does not need to visit Northern Ireland to understand the challenges Brexit has posed for communities on the border, in comments described as arrogant and judgmental by people living there. |
| In an interview with BBC Northern Ireland, he declared: “I don’t think my visiting the border is really going give me a fundamental insight into the border beyond what one can get by studying it.” | In an interview with BBC Northern Ireland, he declared: “I don’t think my visiting the border is really going give me a fundamental insight into the border beyond what one can get by studying it.” |
| The Conservative backbencher and leader of the European Research Group of around 60 pro-Brexit MPs also told The View presenter Mark Carruthers: “My going and wandering across a few roads isn’t going to tell me anything about that further.” | The Conservative backbencher and leader of the European Research Group of around 60 pro-Brexit MPs also told The View presenter Mark Carruthers: “My going and wandering across a few roads isn’t going to tell me anything about that further.” |
| Asked if he had “recently made any effort to visit the border”, Rees-Mogg said he had not but pointed to a recent visit by the Brexit select committee, of which he is a member. | Asked if he had “recently made any effort to visit the border”, Rees-Mogg said he had not but pointed to a recent visit by the Brexit select committee, of which he is a member. |
| Committee members went to Armagh and the border town of Middletown in December, just as the first phase of Brexit negotiations were coming to a close, but Rees-Mogg did not join his colleagues on the trip. | Committee members went to Armagh and the border town of Middletown in December, just as the first phase of Brexit negotiations were coming to a close, but Rees-Mogg did not join his colleagues on the trip. |
| Customs union only way to prevent hard border in Ireland, says Major | Customs union only way to prevent hard border in Ireland, says Major |
| During a fractious exchange, Rees-Mogg told Carruthers a visit would not give him any greater understanding of the issues. | During a fractious exchange, Rees-Mogg told Carruthers a visit would not give him any greater understanding of the issues. |
| It was put to him that “it might do [give insight] if you were talking to people who live on the border, whose businesses cross the border.” Rees-Mogg responded that he had spoken to DUP MPs and they “talk to me about what’s going on”. | It was put to him that “it might do [give insight] if you were talking to people who live on the border, whose businesses cross the border.” Rees-Mogg responded that he had spoken to DUP MPs and they “talk to me about what’s going on”. |
| Carruthers said that as the 10 DUP MPs supported Brexit, “they are not going to tell you anything you haven’t been told before”. | Carruthers said that as the 10 DUP MPs supported Brexit, “they are not going to tell you anything you haven’t been told before”. |
| Critics said Rees-Mogg’s comments showed he was out of touch and closed-minded. | Critics said Rees-Mogg’s comments showed he was out of touch and closed-minded. |
| David Parkes, a 25-year-old jockey in Middletown, said he would be happy to speak to Rees-Mogg and explain the impact Brexit was having on border communities. | David Parkes, a 25-year-old jockey in Middletown, said he would be happy to speak to Rees-Mogg and explain the impact Brexit was having on border communities. |
| “If you speak to the DUP or Sinn Féin you’re always going to get the same view. If you speak to people who are not political but who live on the border you’ll find out how this area is booming because of the open border and we don’t want that to change. His comments are very arrogant and judgmental,” he said. | “If you speak to the DUP or Sinn Féin you’re always going to get the same view. If you speak to people who are not political but who live on the border you’ll find out how this area is booming because of the open border and we don’t want that to change. His comments are very arrogant and judgmental,” he said. |
| Martin Eves, who runs Envirogrind, a business operating in the border areas in counties Donegal and Fermanagh, said: “It is typical of the attitude that exist with these people who can get up in the morning and know there is a crisis but fully accept that they will learn nothing from the people on the border. It is a closed mind and you don’t get very far in negotiations with a closed mind.” | Martin Eves, who runs Envirogrind, a business operating in the border areas in counties Donegal and Fermanagh, said: “It is typical of the attitude that exist with these people who can get up in the morning and know there is a crisis but fully accept that they will learn nothing from the people on the border. It is a closed mind and you don’t get very far in negotiations with a closed mind.” |
| Paul Butters, spokesman for Best for Britain, a remain campaign group, said: “Rees-Mogg is out of touch and this shows it. He looks foolish. He should visit the border and see the impact of his ideological dogma on the people who live there.” | Paul Butters, spokesman for Best for Britain, a remain campaign group, said: “Rees-Mogg is out of touch and this shows it. He looks foolish. He should visit the border and see the impact of his ideological dogma on the people who live there.” |
| When did @Jacob_Rees_Mogg last visit the Irish border? “Not recently.... I don't think my visiting the border is really going to give me a fundamental insight into the border beyond what one can get from studying it"@MarkCarruthers7 #Brexit @bbctheview pic.twitter.com/OhHeNHUQZ8 | When did @Jacob_Rees_Mogg last visit the Irish border? “Not recently.... I don't think my visiting the border is really going to give me a fundamental insight into the border beyond what one can get from studying it"@MarkCarruthers7 #Brexit @bbctheview pic.twitter.com/OhHeNHUQZ8 |
| Rees-Mogg’s interview comes amid a flurry of interventions on the Irish issue in the past 48 hours. The former Ulster Unionist party leader David Trimble said on Wednesday that “true friends of Ireland” should “cease the scaremongering”. The environment secretary, Michael Gove, was reported in a Daily Telegraph article on Friday to have said he feared Brussels would use the border issue to hold Britain hostage in negotiations. | Rees-Mogg’s interview comes amid a flurry of interventions on the Irish issue in the past 48 hours. The former Ulster Unionist party leader David Trimble said on Wednesday that “true friends of Ireland” should “cease the scaremongering”. The environment secretary, Michael Gove, was reported in a Daily Telegraph article on Friday to have said he feared Brussels would use the border issue to hold Britain hostage in negotiations. |
| Rees-Mogg believes that the border issue can be solved by technology. However, the former prime minister Sir John Major said in a speech at the Irish embassy in London on Thursday night that food checks could not be done by cameras or online, and unless there was regulatory alignment on both sides of the border then inspections posts would be unavoidable. | Rees-Mogg believes that the border issue can be solved by technology. However, the former prime minister Sir John Major said in a speech at the Irish embassy in London on Thursday night that food checks could not be done by cameras or online, and unless there was regulatory alignment on both sides of the border then inspections posts would be unavoidable. |
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