One of the more troubling aspects of Brexit has been the impact on Anglo-Irish relations. These had become unprecedentedly close in the years leading up to the referendum. Irish officials have long attributed this to shared membership of the EU, which both joined on the same day in 1973. This allowed ministers and officials to meet frequently as equals and very often as allies, pursuing shared objectives, not least in deepening the single market. The normalisation of the relationship was cemented by the exchange of state visits in 2011.

Source: The Times November 01, 2018 00:00 UTC