Oh, and the fiercely pro-EU #FBPEs (and Labour's ex-BBC reporter MP Ben Bradshaw), aren't happy with John Humphrys. They really want rid of him (and Andrew Neil).
The question that's landed him in such trouble, put to Ireland’s Europe minister, Helen McEntee, this morning, ran as follows:
There has to be an argument, doesn’t there, that says instead of Dublin telling this country that we have to stay in the single market etc within the customs union, why doesn’t Dublin, why doesn’t the Republic of Ireland, leave the EU and throw in their lot with this country?
A typical, flippant John Humphrys 'devil's advocate' question? Ah, no, apparently. He's actually a colonialist, an imperialist, a Brexiteer, and a dinosaur with no knowledge of history, and much worse besides, and needs to go.
It's a good thing Feedback's on a break or Roger Bolton would be after him with a pitchfork.
Well it was a daft question, but no more daft than the 300,000 pro-Remain questions we've heard on Radio 4 since the Referendum. I'd like to know if Humphrys actually challenged the Irish Minister on whether or not they would build a hard border in the event of a no deal. We all know they won't but Varadkar is sending out a smokescreen designed to confuse.
ReplyDeleteIt's a good idea, and one I've made myself many times. Of course the pro-EU crowd know this too and that's why he will be attacked very hard.
ReplyDeleteI jumped in disbelief when Humphries suggested it. I assume he's thinking of retiring.
Why would Ireland leave the EU at this point?
DeleteThey have been growing hugely as part of the EU with their low company tax regime, low population density. Ireland's GDP per capita is just below Switzerland's and higher than Qatar or Denmark, much higher than the USA. It's about 75% more than the UK's. It's true most of the money doesn't linger long in Ireland but they have been doing well out of the EU.
https://tradingeconomics.com/country-list/gdp-per-capita
Their average wages are probably about 15% higher than in the UK.
The Irish will only start changing their minds when they see their country's character changing due to mass immigration. That's definitely on the way in Ireland, but they aren't at a critical point yet. But already 25% of children are born to mothers themselves born in a foreign country. Also they are now going to be net payers-in to the EU. The development of an EU Army will also make a mockery of Ireland's neutrality.
It is flippant and that's what's wrong with it. It's the sort of thing you'd expect to see from random individuals in personal online comments, not on the national broadcaster. It shows a level of ignorance about Ireland and its relationship with the EU. And is he even aware that Northern Ireland also came out on the Remain side in the referendum result? Superficial and uninformed comment like that shows the BBC in a poor light. Too much of its so-called reporting and commentary is at that sort of shallow level. See also Sopel & co.
ReplyDeleteAnd I wonder how long the Irish will be allowed to offer advantageous anti-competitive commercial tax rates. That must make the EU management hopping mad.
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