Labour: Stormont stability will unlock 'opportunities' under Windsor Framework

Mr Benn said it was an “extraordinarily exciting time” for Northern Ireland. Tory MP Jerome Mayhew, son of former NI Secretary the late Sir Patrick Mayhew, claimed NI has an “integrated relationship” with the rest of the UK, despite ongoing friction on the Irish Sea border.

The MPs were in Stormont on Monday as part of a cross-party fact-finding delegation from Westminster.

The DUP welcomed the meeting ahead of the first East West council on Tuesday, saying they value relationships across the UK – but the TUV rejected Hilary Benn’s assertion that NI has access to both markets.

Mr Benn, who could well replace Chris Heaton-Harris after a general election, said: “I was in Washington a week and a bit ago, and I think it’s fair to say that Northern Ireland was, in a way, the star of the show, because so many people were talking about the possibilities and the opportunities that there are.

“Northern Ireland has so much potential – rich history, its culture, its tourism, its engineering expertise, in financial services, the new sectors of the economy, what a wonderful place to come and invest when you’ve got access both, of course, to the UK market as part of the UK, but also to the EU market.

“I think what the restoration of the Executive has given is a sense of stability and you talk to investors and they will often say to you ‘the most important thing for us is – is the place we’re going to put our money into stable?’

“That’s why having restored the institutions, it’s really important that that endures, because that is the bedrock on which economic success and growth is going to be built.”

Mr Benn met with the DUP, who described it as a very useful discussion. Pam Cameron MLA said: “The DUP has always valued relationships with other parties across the House of Commons and from all parts of the United Kingdom. The upcoming meeting of the UK East-West Council this week highlights the benefits and opportunities that exist when we work together within the United Kingdom”.

Tory MP Jerome Mayhew told PA: “There are opportunities in Northern Ireland. Having a relationship both with the south (of Ireland), but also with the integrated relationship which continues with Great Britain, I think that could be, it has the potential to be, really beneficial for the businesses in Northern Ireland”.

The idea of ‘dual market access’ is contested – as access to the EU is much smoother than within the UK.

Northern Ireland has unfettered access to the EU single market for goods, but goods entering NI ports from Great Britain are subject to special arrangements and checks. Manufacturing goods, for example, are subject to full EU customs checks and processes – with some arguing this is disrupting and re-orientating supply chains. No such arrangements exist for goods coming from, or going to, the EU.

TUV deputy leader Ron McDowell said: “The Shadow Secretary of State knows fine well that Northern Ireland does not have access to both the UK and EU markets. Under the DUP deal, Northern Ireland remains part of the EU customs union and subject to a whole raft of foreign laws which we do not make and cannot change.

“We have almost daily examples of this in practical matters from the importation of pets from other parts of our own country to the banning of sauce packets in Northern Ireland because that is the will of our EU overlords.

“No amount of fine words and spin can obscure the reality that there were 4,584 documentary checks, 4,584 identification checks and 6 post movement assurance checks related to the Windsor Framework in the first 22 days of last month.

“No matter who says we have access to both markets, the presence of 150 border staff, soon to rise to 200, checking goods coming in from the rest of our county says otherwise.

“I am pleased that there is one UK wide party - Reform UK - which has promised to pursue a proper Brexit for the whole of our nation, including Northern Ireland”.

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