Boris Johnson is no friend of Ireland. But, to put it more bluntly, he is friends with nobody but himself.
We’ve seen from his record in public life
– and when he was a journalist – that this boorish man does whatever suits him best.
Boris will do whatever it takes to forward his own agenda and his own ambitions.
And right now that means pandering to the Little Britain nationalist view that favours Brexit at any cost, even a terrible no-deal Brexit.
The problem for Ireland is, of course, that he has now been handed the British reins of power at the most crucial time in the Brexit crisis.
This is not good for Ireland at a juncture where a friend in No10 Downing Street would be so helpful.
In hindsight we can look back on the premiership of Theresa May with relative satisfaction.
The poor woman had to resist the most horrible assault from within her own party, while all the time trying to take on the big beasts of the EU and get a better deal for Britain.
In the end, she went down clinging to the Withdrawal Agreement that had been negotiated between the UK and the EU.
Ireland was signed up to this as part of the EU and, in fairness to her, she stuck to the deal to the last and very nearly got it across the line in Westminster.
Boris is going to be very different.
One of the most worrying things about the beginning of our relationship with Boris’ Britain is that there has still been no meeting between the two countries’ leaders coming up to a week after Johnson’s elevation to high office.
It is very strange there has not even been a phone call between Leo Varadkar and the PM five days after Mr Johnson took over as leader. The UK and Ireland are the closest of neighbours and it is not a good reflection on either man that there hasn’t even been a proper call yet.
In contrast, Mr Varadkar’s predecessor, Enda Kenny, was quick out of the traps and is believed to have called Theresa May the very night she became leader to personally congratulate her.
Leo has sent a tweet and a message to Boris’ people so far.
We eagerly await an actual meeting.
When they do meet, they are going to have to get straight down to business and set out their positions on the backstop.
Boris has used his first address to the House of Commons to say where he stands straightaway.
He told the rowdy MPs in Westminster the backstop will be “abolished”.
This is at odds completely with our position and that of the EU’s.
That is that the backstop is part of the formal Withdrawal Agreement, and that the Withdrawal Agreement cannot – and will not – be renegotiated.
Both sides are also relying on some support from America.
In Boris’ corner, he’s apparently got Trump.
The equally boorish US President was one of the first world leaders to congratulate Mr Johnson on becoming Prime Minister – describing him as “great”.
While in the Irish/EU corner we have Nancy Pelosi, arguably the second most powerful politician in the US as Speaker of the House.
She said again on Thursday night she will veto any future US/UK trade deal if it threatens the Good Friday Agreement, which a no-deal Brexit would definitely do.
This seemingly sets an irresistible force against an immovable object, but as with all of politics, there is some hope that the two positions could yet be reconciled.
