Bonnie Greer’s Question Time statement on Ireland had a vital message about Brexit
As the latest offer by the UK government on dealing with the British border in Ireland has been widely condemned as being incompatible with the Good Friday Agreement, Question Time raised the issue with this question …
As ever, you get our first audience question in advance and tonight it's about the PM's new Brexit deal. #bbcqt pic.twitter.com/SP1lMf1Sx8
— BBC Question Time (@bbcquestiontime) October 3, 2019
Amongst the raft of answers from the panel was this powerful statement from writer, Bonnie Greer.
‘Ireland owes this country nothing’@Bonn1eGreer says Britain cannot ‘shaft’ Ireland if they want a post Brexit trade agreement with the US. #bbcqt pic.twitter.com/nL66tXiSas
— BBC Question Time (@bbcquestiontime) October 3, 2019
The very credible suggestion that any semblance of a hard border could reinflame violence in Northern Ireland doesn’t seem to have made an impression on the driving forces of Brexit, but an equally possible scenario of it damaging an important trade relationship might make an impact.
A lot of people were glad to hear that level of honesty.
Wow brilliant truths told on Question Time as Bonnie Greer knocks it out the park.
"The United States is Irish"
"People are very serious about Ireland in the USA"
– no trade deal if you shaft the Irish
– credit to those in English audience who applauded #bbcqt https://t.co/9wamMCUQ0q— Angus B MacNeil MP (@AngusMacNeilSNP) October 3, 2019
Give this woman a
Coppers Gold Card immediately 👸🏻 https://t.co/5WsuYy5n4o— Sarah-Jane Murphy (@sjanemurf) October 3, 2019
Chills. Powerful words from @Bonn1eGreer Sadly I suspect they may be played back in the future as a lesson from history for a UK political and public audience which right now appears incapable of hearing them. https://t.co/vM8gLI9bby
— Colm O'Gorman (@Colmogorman) October 3, 2019
As an Irish man, the applause from the audience made the hairs stand on the back of my neck. Fabulous contribution from Bonnie Greer. https://t.co/L2iBNtc9n4
— Shane Beatty (@ShaneBeattyNews) October 3, 2019
Bonnie delivering a truth bomb. The audience look slightly shocked. She’s absolutely correct though and the Dems just raised a bill in the House to this effect. https://t.co/VFBIf413Qs
— Julie Owen Moylan (@JulieOwenMoylan) October 4, 2019
Of course, some people weren’t happy, like these three.
Disgusting comments from an American.. why is she on this uk show
— Darren johnson (@ukdevils) October 3, 2019
They took 7.5b pounds from UK when they last crashed to save themselves ,, they owe us plenty
— 🇬🇧 Brutus Maximus 🇬🇧 #GetBrexitDone 🇬🇧 (@Brutusmaximus) October 3, 2019
Very inflammatory comments! 🤬
— Darren Muizelaar 🇬🇧🇬🇧🇬🇧🇬🇧 (@darrenmuizelaar) October 3, 2019
However, Oxford lecturer on Irish Politics, Dr Jennifer Cassidy‘s opinion may carry more weight than random Brexiters on the internet.
If there were any more reasons to love Bonnie Greer, well I’ve just found one:
“Ireland owes this country nothing”
She clearly states what the US legislature have been saying all along. If the GFA is broken, a US/UK trade deal is not viable. #BBCQT pic.twitter.com/DjNZzxrQEL
— Dr. Jennifer Cassidy (@OxfordDiplomat) October 3, 2019
Source: Question Time, Twitter, Image: Question Time, Twitter