Ben Habib: If Northern Ireland is lost, the blame will lie firmly with Westminster

The argument they give for blocking the Bill is that a settlement over the Protocol itself appears to be near; so, why pass a domestic Act of Parliament which offends the EU? Their question either reveals extreme naivety or a wilful desire to damage our country. I doubt it is the former. These Peers habitually undermine our national interest. In this case they wish to surrender over part of the country to a foreign power. They are not fit for office.

The passing of the Protocol Bill is the most basic minimum required to give our government a negotiating platform. As it is, it is a weak Bill. It has no meaningful operative provisions. At best it could be described as a framework to resolve issues in due course subject to reams of further legislation. But without the Bill, there is no threat of British unilateral action and without that we have no position from which to negotiate.

Sadly, whatever happens to the Bill, I fear greatly for Northern Ireland’s union with Great Britain. Since taking office, Messrs Heaton-Harris and Baker, respectively Secretary of State and Minister, seem to have had a damascene conversion to republicanism. They have both given succour to the government in Dublin, sidled up to Sinn Fein, turned their back on unionists and even apologised to the EU for Brexit. Those familiar with the Conservative Parliamentary Party will know these two gents were once proud members of the ERG.

Our embattled newly appointed Prime Minister has so much on her plate with the economy, she seems to have lost interest in the integrity of the country. She has not spoken of Northern Ireland since taking office.

If the Prime Minister genuinely wishes effectively to resolve the Protocol, there is a much better and instant way to do it. She should concede the case other unionists and I have brought against the government. It is our case that revealed the Act of Union to have been broken by the Protocol – surely not what Johnson intended when he championed his lousy Withdrawal Agreement?

Conceding our case would not just be the morally and legally correct course of action. It would be the best course of action. In one step the Protocol would be rendered domestically unlawful. Armed with that result, Ms. Truss would have the right, under international law, to terminate the Protocol. I repeat – this termination would be entirely compliant with international law - no need for our anti-British Peers beating their chests in indignation. She could then, from a position of unassailable strength dictate new terms to the EU.

The Prime Minister is aware of this possibility but is not acting on it. The United Kingdom may pay the heaviest of prices for her timidity.

That Dublin and Brussels are gleefully saying a deal is in sight presages a British government sell-out. That is the mood music, and the mood music is rarely wrong.

The situation is tragic. Northern Ireland should never have been put at risk. Vice President Sefcovic himself said, a few weeks ago, checks across the Irish Sea could take place invisibly; in which case so could have checks across the Irish border! The issues created for Northern Ireland by Brexit were confected by the EU and nationalists. Our government fell for their, not so subtle, subterfuge.

And having put the province at risk, it was eminently rescuable. But we have had successive governments that care not for Northern Ireland. There are no votes for the Tory Party in Ulster.

If Northern Ireland is lost (I am sickened by the thought), as increasingly looks likely, the blame would lie squarely with Westminster and the Conservative and Unionist Party.