# Brexit and the Irish Border Conundrum **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [September 24, 2017, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brexit-and-the-irish-border-conundrum/797185 "2017-09-24T16:25:18Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 1\ **Showing post:** 121
**Author:** ![Les\_Espaces\_Du\_Sommeil](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/les_espaces_du_sommeil/32/308_2.png) [@Les\_Espaces\_Du\_Sommeil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Les_Espaces_Du_Sommeil)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2017, 10:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brexit-and-the-irish-border-conundrum/797185/121 "2017-11-16T10:01:47Z")
> [@Hector\_St\_Clare](#): > > …That being said, if the more immigration-skeptical countries leave the EU, the remaining ‘core’ members will probably be more unified in terms of worldview and attitude than they are today. I agree with that, and as a matter of fact, it may be a good thing. I’ve thought for over 15 years that a multi-speed Europe was the way to go. It actually already is like that (Schengen, the Euro), but in such a limited way. It’s always been clear to me that there was a significant divide between the core members ([the Inner Six](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inner_Six)) and those that followed. Recognizing this and dropping the absurdly rigid “we must all agree on everything before making any progress” dogma would have allowed countries to integrate at their own pace and only if/when they were ready to. It’d also have probably spared us that Brexit debacle. Some of the “newcomers”, even recentish ones, appear eager to embrace the core members’ vision (Finland, Sweden, Ireland, Spain and Portugal). Others seem a bit more skepitcal and nationalistic-leaning (Denmark, Austria). Greece… has its problems. And the UK, as much as it pains me to say it, was always a major, whining PITA. Finally, the “Eastern Wave” of the early 2000s may have been a mistake. A move that was both noble _and_ pragmatic but which led to real problems. Listening to Hungarian or Polish leaders, it’s clear that they come from a very different reference point. And of course, it’s played into the hands of the “we’re not racist but we’re concerned about ethnic homogeneity” crowd. I must admit I’m a bit surprised by the veer to the right in the Czech Republic, though. I always saw it as the most Western-looking of these countries. --- _[View the full topic](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brexit-and-the-irish-border-conundrum/797185)._