UK and EU agree to crucial Northern Ireland trade deal in Brexit breakthrough
CNBCDec 23, 2022
Biden to Host Irish Prime Minister Varadkar, Affirm Peace Accords
/cloudfront-us-east-2.images.arcpublishing.com/reuters/NWEN7ZJBZJNBDHMHGJ2NENB73E.jpg)
story
Image copyright: Leah Millis/Reuters
The Facts
US Pres. Biden is set to meet Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar on Friday to discuss the 1998 Good Friday Agreement in Northern Ireland and the recent deal between the UK and EU on post-Brexit trade rules for Northern Ireland.
Biden, who often speaks with pride of his Irish roots, welcomed last month's agreement, describing it as an "essential step" to ensuring that the peace from the Good Friday Agreement was preserved.
The Spin
Narrative A
Biden's commitment to peace in Northern Ireland is admirable and is definitely a positive development in maintaining the principles of the Good Friday Agreement which ended a violent chapter in Ireland's modern history. Though Brexit threatened the status quo in Northern Ireland, with good policy and diplomacy any violations of the agreement can be avoided with prosperity and peace being maintained.
Narrative B
Joe Biden's Irish background is clouding his judgment on Brexit and the Northern Irish Protocol. Everyone knows that violence is not going to just explode in Northern Ireland, and the hyperbolic reactions from Democratic politicians is unnecessary. The US does not have the right or authority to lecture Westminster on how it conducts its negotiations with the corrupt EU and the Biden admin. should take a step back.
