WHILE politicians at Westminster continue to be divided over the whole Brexit question it is impossible to say with any certainty what the eventual outcome of this confused and confusing process will be.
That confusion was never more explicitly visible when we had Brexiteer Jacob Rees-Mogg changing his opposition to Theresa May's thrice defeated plan and by the similar stance taken in the last few days by arch-leaver Boris Johnston.
It is unlikely that they, and other opponent's of the British Prime Minister's deal with Brussels, have had some sort of road to Damascus experience however. Much more likely is that they are simply responding to every development in the Westminster debates. They are acting tactically.
In the meantime people who will be very seriously affected by whatever deal – or no deal – comes at the end of this torturous process are worried about practicalities. As has been long-recognised we in Ireland will be very much on the front line of whatever deal, or no deal, we end up with.
Over the weekend protesters were on border roads once again voicing their opposition to the possible return of a so-called hard border. They are not worried about some point of principle debated in lofty terms. They are concerned about criss-crossing between jurisdictions – which they can currently do – to get to work, shops, schools and all the other shared facilities on both sides of the invisible line.
Any sort of obstacle placed by either the EU or British authorities would have a huge impact on their quality of life. Similarly farmers with property straddling the border would face a potential nightmare.
On a wider scale there are very real fears about the continuation of mutually beneficial schemes in areas such as health. Currently people being treated for a range of medical conditions can benefit from treatments offered at facilities all over the island.
Even the business of travelling from part of the island to another by private transport takes on a whole new complication because of insurance difficulties.
It is to be hoped that the rumblings of uncertainty coming from the Rees-Moggs and Boris Johnstons of the debate are an indication that at last the practicalities of untangling one part of this island from the rest of Europe may be unsolvable.
If that is the case then perhaps natural momentum will drive people away from the no deal scenario towards a soft – or no – Brexit.
