For a solution to the backstop, team up like Rome and Carthage

The EU is demanding that, in return for a new deal, the UK must come up with a solution to the Irish backstop problem. But since the UK will happily leave with no deal, the EU will have to find a solution anyway. Let the Romans help out.

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Rupert Darwall

Labour has walked into a net-zero trap of its own making

Latin foedus (cf. ‘federal’) meant a treaty that guaranteed peace and friendship between Rome and another state, in perpetuity. There were two standard models. A foedus aequum (‘equal’) put both parties on an equal footing. The first we hear of between Rome and the local cities of Latium agreed eternal peace, mutual assistance against enemies, equal sharing of spoils and speedy settlements of commercial disputes. Here both parties wanted exactly the same outcome.

A foedus iniquum (‘unequal’), struck when an enemy had been defeated, compelled the second party to acknowledge Rome’s sovereignty and to provide military forces on demand.