The US envoy to NI and Trump's former chief of staff says that the return of a hard border on the island would rule out any potential trade deal with the . This places greater urgency on avoiding a #NoDealBrexit and making a UK-EU agreement that guarantees lasting peace. https://twitter.com/DarranMarshall/status/1310660399004516353

This goes to show that the UK's expectation to forge new trade deals are inextricably linked to securing a solid framework agreement with the EU. The dream to join CPTPP will be nothing but a pipedream if we can't #GetBrexitRight.

It shows that leaving both the Single Market and Customs Union at the same time creates a rupture over the Atlantic Ocean as well as the English Channel and Irish Sea.
We urgently need a pragmatic solution to this. If not, the UK will become a pariah state to its closest allies.

In solving the question of the @BorderIrish, there are a number of different options, but none are perfect. There was Theresa May's "backstop" and the current plan of a "frontstop". Once understood, both became very unpopular.
A better alternative would be to stay in the EEA.

As the UK has formally left the EEA, it would need to accede to it again, either by creating an independent "pillar" or by joining EFTA. The latter is faster and easier. It would send a signal that the UK is sincere about good ties with Europe and protecting the @BelfastAgmt.

That is not to say that being in the Single Market without being in the Customs Union would fully solve the issue of a border in Ireland. It still presents challenges of how to deal with customs and VAT. But it would create a solid basis of good will which is urgently needed.

At Pragmatic Policy Solutions Ltd, which runs the @EFTA4UK campaign, we are open to other pragmatic policy approaches, but we believe that EFTA approach presents the most obvious and readily understood way to #MakeBrexitWork.

Please support our campaign by making a small donation to our crowdfunder. https://www.gofundme.com/f/efta4uk 

A clarification in response to some comments on this thread:

Membership of the EU Single Market would protect the UK internal market at the same time as preventing a border in Ireland, because the WA put the border in the Irish Sea!