Britain and Ireland agree to tighten border

[Sweetpea]

People travelling between Britain and the Irish Republic by air or sea will be required to show an identity document under proposals announced yesterday to impose the first formal checks for more than 80 years.

The change is to prevent the present free movement between the two countries from being exploited by people-traffickers, organised criminals and smugglers.

Immigration checks are also to be increased along the 224-mile border between the Republic and Northern Ireland, but these will not be fixed controls, so the opportunity will remain for foreigners to gain illegal entry to Britain.

Britain and Ireland agree to tighten border check

so the opportunity will remain for foreigners to gain illegal entry to Britain.

So, it stops the Irish, but no one else?

[Churchill]

Originally Posted by Sweetpea

People travelling between Britain and the Irish
The change is to prevent the present free movement between the two countries from being exploited by people-traffickers, organised criminals and smugglers.

And so ends one of the great Anglo-Irish business deals that has survived the troubles etc etc.

[Sweetpea]

Why so glum? We have all those illegal immigrants to look forward to!

[poppy]

This beggars belief, under attack by terrorists from a country, no checks open borders.
Friendly coexistence and trade with country, close border impose controls.
Real madness

[Haqa]

Why not close the border with France?

H.

[Sweetpea]

Oh, please!

[Haqa]

And Poland, Germany, Netherlands, Belgium, India, Pakistan, an so on...

However, just a thought (from another thread). Laws like this only really punish the law abiding. Those who were going to break the law ANYWAY will simply break this one too and sneak in...

H.

[Bruv]

What is to stop somebody coming into England from Poland, Germany, Netherlands, Belgium, India, Pakistan, an so on...via Ireland ?

All they need to do is satisfy the Irish Passport control they are having a weeks fishing......and next week.....working in number 10.

Its a loophole closed......not anti Irish.

[Bernie]

This has been in the pipeline for the last few years, my Mum had to get a passport to travel over to Ireland for my aunties funeral.

[Haqa]

Originally Posted by Bruv2

What is to stop somebody coming into England from Poland, Germany, Netherlands, Belgium, India, Pakistan, an so on...via Ireland ?

All they need to do is satisfy the Irish Passport control they are having a weeks fishing......and next week.....working in number 10.

Its a loophole closed......not anti Irish.

What loophole? EUck law states that there should be open borders between all EUck states. If we are going to continue NOT to do this, along with all the other EUck regs which could HELP British people, then WHAT are we in the club for (Oh I forgot, so that the EU can help itself, unhindered, to everything the UK has to offer)? The loophole is that anyone holding an EU passport can enter the UK, obtaining an EU passport in certain EU countries is FAR easier than it is in the UK (We were advised that my wife could have gone to Holland for 6 months and then would have been able to enter the UK as an EU resident - I don't know if that is true NOW, but it was an immigration solicitor who suggested it, so I suspect the argument has, or at least had, some basis in law).

My point was not block Ireland or the other countries, but if we are going to block Ireland, block the other "loopholes" too...

H.