Mervyn Gibson: Attitudes to Northern Ireland Protocol among Orange brethren are hardening

Speaking to the News Letter today in the wake of Wednesday’s landmark Supreme Court ruling in which the Protocol was declared lawful, Rev Gibson’s comments came on the same day that the Co Down branch of the Orange Order issued a statement urging no compromise on the issue.

The Supreme Court found that, whilst legal, the Protocol “in effect suspended” Article 6 of the Acts of Union, which enshrined the economic unity of the UK, and that this was permissible despite the Good Friday Agreement’s guarantee of no constitutional change without a referendum.

Rev Gibson (recalling St Paul’s edicts in Corinthians 6) told the News Letter: “Everything legal isn't good for you.”

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He went on to add: “The Protocol while declared legal by the court, which I accept, it doesn't make it right, it doesn't make it acceptable to the unionist people.

"We will continue to challenge it until it's removed – the Orange fraternity and the unionist people.

"We're talking about supporting political actions, and that means not going back to Stormont 'til it's sorted out.”

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.

"If it walks like a duck, it quacks like a duck, then it's a duck,” said Rev Gibson.

"If there's red and green lanes, it looks like a border, then it is a border…

"Every day that goes by we see our economic link with the UK being damaged. That needs addressed and members are resolute in that.

"There's no weakening in that attitude – in fact it's probably hardening.”

And a statement from the Co Down branch of the order said: “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."

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