Co Down Orange Order urges ‘no compromise’ on Northern Ireland Protocol

The DUP’s Assembly spokesman on Brexit Gordon Lyons said yesterday that the party was hearing “good things” about the negotiations between the UK and EU.

DUP's Gordon Lyons says 'we are hearing good things on EU/UK Protocol negotiations'

The previous week, news reports based on leaks from within the negotiating parties indicated that a deal was close, with the red / green lane proposal being central to it.

This in essence means that two different routes would be set up at Northern Irish ports to handle cargo coming in from GB.

One – the green lane – would be for goods destined only for Northern Irish consumers.

The other – the red lane – would be a queue for checks on goods which are going beyond the Province’s borders.

Now the County Down Grand Orange Lodge has said it “continues to oppose the Northern Ireland Protocol and pledges continued support and encouragement to political unionism in their opposition and withdrawal from Stormont”.

Its statement read: "Orangeism in County Down has been in the vanguard of opposing the Protocol which partitions the UK.

"A year ago today, February 10, 2022, Lower Iveagh District within our County hosted a rally which brought together all the main Unionist parties and applicants in the judicial review of the Protocol, Baroness Kate Hoey and Ben Habib, on a common platform in Dromore.

"This set the template for rallies across Northern Ireland which galvanised Unionist opposition to the sea border.

“The unity represented on that platform needs to be seen in the days ahead.

“There can be no compromise on proposals such as ‘red and green lanes’ which concede a border dividing our own country.

“We cannot be ruled by foreign laws we do not make nor can change, overseen by a foreign court and be subject to a foreign tax regime.

“While the legal route has now been exhausted the political battle against the Protocol has not.

"Indeed, the judgement of the Supreme Court makes the case for political action all the stronger.

"It has declared that Article Six of the Acts of Union as it applies to unfettered trade in goods is suspended because of the legal supremacy of the Protocol.

“Article Six is the foundation of the economic union of the Kingdom yet it has been disapplied in relation to Northern Ireland and we call on the Secretary of State to pass the necessary legislation in Westminster to remove the suspension of the Act of Union which applies to this part of the United Kingdom.

“Importantly, the ruling confirms that the consent principle is meaningless; it only applies to the final handover of Northern Ireland to the Republic.

"The Union can be chipped away piece by piece until then.

“Stormont cannot return until Northern Ireland’s place as a full and equal part of the UK is restored.”