Windsor Framework hurting Northern Ireland haulage companies following proposed 'closure' of Lurgan hauliers’: Lockhart

Specialising in frozen, chilled and ambient storage, frozen and chilled distribution, the Lurgan-based firm is a major employer in Northern Ireland and has been providing transportation services for over 40 years.

According to the DUP MP a letter from management to workers has stated the ‘decision has become unavoidable because of the negative implications of Brexit in Northern Ireland’.

Speaking following the news, Carla Lockhart MP, explained: “I am deeply concerned to learn of the proposed cessation of activity and site closure of Lurgan hauliers Morgan McLernon in my constituency.

“Morgan McLernon is a major employer in Upper Bann and is part of the Culina group, the largest UK haulier of chilled and ambient products.

“I have been shown the letter from management to workers which explains that despite their best efforts, this decision has become unavoidable because of the negative implications of Brexit in Northern Ireland which are of course defined by the difficulties arising from the imposition of a border down the Irish Sea.

“The volume of trade movements across the Irish Sea has been falling since the imposition of the Irish Sea border and particularly since the announcement of the Windsor Framework in February this year as retailers have prepared for the introduction of the Windsor border on October 1.

“It is clear that haulage companies based in Northern Ireland whose business model is predicated on being part of the United Kingdom economy are in real difficulty because of this.“In May it was widely reported that a leading supermarket had advised retailers that the policy of seeking to sustain supermarket operations in Northern Ireland on the basis of the green lane would be the death knell of any supermarket business and that in order to survive under Windsor, supermarkets must get as much of their product as possible from the Republic of Ireland, avoiding the border with its green and red lanes whenever possible.

“The underlying economic changes that inform this announcement clearly demonstrate how the Protocol/Windsor Framework is increasingly replacing the UK economy with a GB economy and attempting to put Northern Ireland in the same economy as the Republic of Ireland.

“I will continue to work at Westminster alongside DUP colleagues to mitigate and undo the damage caused by the Protocol/Windsor Framework and will work with employees locally to support them through what is a very difficult time.”

In response, Sinn Féin MLA John O’Dowd also expressed his deep concern over the proposed closure stating that up to 500 staff at a Lurgan haulage business could be made redundant.

The Upper Bann MLA added: “This announcement will be devastating news for the workers at the company and for the local economy. It should not be lost on anyone that the company has pinned much of the blame for this announcement on the Brexit fall-out.

“With no Economy Minister in place as a result of the boycott of the Executive by one party I will be contacting the permanent secretary at the Department of Economy asking what they can do to support the company and its workers.”

Morgan McLernon hauliers’ have been invited to comment.