Such is the speed with which coronavirus has hit that the dominant story of 2019 – Brexit – has disappeared from the headlines. It is the moment craved by the Brexit lobby, when the UK “escapes” from EU rules and the jurisdiction of the EU courts. The first is that the UK and EU governments will simply not have the time to conduct the necessary talks. A delay would be welcomed by the Irish Government, also consumed with the virus response. It would also remove the pressure to finalise the new trading arrangements for Northern Ireland, designed to avoid a hard border on the island.

Source: The Irish Times March 19, 2020 00:56 UTC