I realise it's more complicated than this but in principle why doesn't someone say: Let's leave with no deal and at the same time make a customs/border pact with Ireland along the lines of what currently exists between Ireland and the EU?

The BBC is of course full of it… What got me was learning the Russians had also interfered, supporting the ‘exit’ vote.. Their long term espionage has paid off well - both the UK and US are in complete turmoil. What next?

I agree that the UK is in deep shit, mainly because of the open borders policy imposed by the E.U. Exiting the E.U. (a real exit, not the one dictated to May by the E.U.) will be a significant first step in correcting the problem.