With @DavidGHFrost, for @BorisJohnson, tweeting 1 am threats at Ireland’s government … what’s up?

“Ever bought a fake picture?” Smiley asks Esterhase, in Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy. “The more you pay for it the less inclined you are to doubt it”.

A (very long)🧵/1.

[The following is based on articles written earlier this year, updated - see “notes” tweet at the end]

When future archaeologists pick over the carbonised remains of the Johnson era, they will find many blackened cans kicked down to the ends of multiple Brexit byways. /2.

By a prime minister & cabinet trapped within the irresolvable contradictions of their core policy. Much of what the dig turns up will relate to Ireland/ Northern Ireland. Not incidental to Brexit, but central. /3.

The historians will marvel at how that led to Boris Johnson, David Frost & their Brexit becoming toast. If they’re not too busy picking over the charred debris of England & the UK which, the way things are developing, are likely to be long gone as political concepts. /4.

But, back in 2021, you might be thinking: if only they had listened, we wouldn’t be in this mess. The Irish trilemma was explained time & again, before the EU referendum & after. /5.