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It was massively irresponsible. So was the EU refusing to consider a genuinely acceptable compromise until things became dangerous.

Boris's govt knew the UK had tried to propose something like Windsor and been flat out refused. He knew he wouldn't get it. He was determined not to fall into May's trap. His solution was to simply not try, accept the security threat, lie, win the election, then throw the unionists under the bus

Yes, I remember, as I said, he very deliberately threw him under a bus. You seem to forget between Boris deciding to simply let Unionists stew and to hell with peace, and Sunak / Windsor, you have several years and a whole different PM (albeit for 40 days) plus a lot of tension and violence in NI.

The unavailability of this kind of fudge and EC insistence of strict ECJ supervision is why May ended up with the NI Backstop. Her govts hope was either it could be agreed later or the EU would find the backstop arrangements equally uncomfortable in the long run (I think she was wrong about that).

No, it's different to MS's, because while individuals can petition the ECJ, rulings are subject to arbitration the joint committee not directly enforceable. And NI courts as a non-MS also anomalous.

... better terms for the GB/EU trade. So please stop going on about WTO rules, as it's not in doubt that the current arrangements NI/GB/EU arrangements are WTO compliant. You are just engaging in a straw man argument and it's boring.

The point is, there are ways to secure a softer than normal border that meets most of what the UK regarded as essential for peace and security that are compatible with WTO rules; we have them in place now, and for three years the EC pretended there wasn't, risking peace to attempt to secure...

I think I've said a number of times I do, and I think on most of these occasions I've provided additional nuance you are missing that shows there's no actual difference in our position on the technical substance. So forgive me if I now stop responding to these type of questions?

Right, but then don't come around and also say this is moral, responsible and think that its churlish if UK institutions think the EU is not a serious partner on defense and security as its institutions place a higher priority on trade and economy than on allies security concerns.

...from China or Africa. Doesn't matter that it's from the UK: where's the sodding papers?

The EU costs are minimal. You already have post market surveillance to track illegal imports. The issue is knowing that products in NI are ok as they come from a UK shipment under easements. That good anywhere else without paperwork in the EU, same as if it had been snuggled in via small packets

Zero. We pay for it. We administer NI, not the EU.

Politicising - in this context - meaning a situation where both sides populations and voters fall into an us Vs them mentality where for one side to win, the other side must be seen to lose.

... it was irresponsible and a failure all around.

The arrangements under the Windsor agreement are a sensible compromise that allowed the harder Brexit the post May UK govt wanted, with almost no risk the SM. It ought not to have required Boris and the ECs very foolish initial attempt at a hard border in the sea. That had real human costs...

I mean it was - ultimately unsellable: kick start sectarian riots and risk a return to the civil war, or for all extents and purposes stay in the EU indefinitely with all the costs and obligations of membership, few of the benefits, and no say.

They were produced by the NI group. Obviously the UK would like them to have been the basis for GB/EU, but May also didn't want the result she got: hard border or stay in. They knew that was unlikely to fly domestically. A lot of work went in to looking at specifically the NI issue.

Incorrect I'm afraid. Like I said, I remember when what we call now the NIRMS and NI Green lane were called "trusted trader scheme" & "orange channel" as UK policy proposals into the withdrawal agreement negotiations.

The ideal situation for the EU: full UK dynamic alignment, no voting rights, automatic enforcement. It went to the edge several times. (We had an office party every time there was an extension).

So you can understand the surprise that the EU flat out refused to meet in that forum until the TCA was agreed while also continually making statements about the need to hurry up because otherwise NI would be impacted. The details are complex EU wanted the UK to sign up, in effect, to the Backstop.