Suspension of border checks between Great Britain and Northern Ireland blasted by two unionist politicians
Two unionist politicians have lambasted the European Union after checks were suspended on goods travelling from Great Britain to Northern Ireland.
The move comes after Storm Darragh caused damage to the berth at terminal 3 at Holyhead Port, which means it is closed until January 15 at the earliest.
The temporary decision to stand down checks on lorries moving to the province from mainland Great Britain was labelled as “hypocrisy and double standards” by DUP Upper Bann MLA Jonathan Buckley.
He said: “For years unionists have been lectured about the supposed sanctity of these checks, yet it seems when there is a risk that consumers in the Irish Republic could be disadvantaged on the eve of Christmas by ongoing disruption at Holyhead, the EU is quite content to see them scrapped at the drop of a hat.
“This is breathtaking hypocrisy but what is even more staggering is that this clear double standard has been tolerated by consecutive UK governments.
“For our part, we will continue to fight to fully restore Northern Ireland’s place within the United Kingdom. That includes removing the application of EU law in our country, the internal Irish Sea border which it creates and the ongoing disruption it is causing to businesses and consumers throughout the United Kingdom.”
TUV leader Jim Allister also had his say on the development: “This action demonstrates that the Irish Sea border is applied entirely at the EU’s pleasure and that key aspects of the border – which we are told is essential – can actually be suspended when it is in the interests of the EU and the Republic of Ireland to do so.
“If the border can be suspended so that people in the Republic are not inconvenienced by not receiving their Christmas presents and other supplies, it could and should be removed so that the people of Northern Ireland are not inconvenienced by the gross civic indignity of our disenfranchisement in 300 areas of law and gross economic indignity of being alienated from the rest of our home economy and supply chains.”
The News Letter contacted the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs for a response but failed to get an answer by the time of going to print.