Ben Lowry: There will be an internal UK trade border in the Irish Sea, whatever Michael Gove says

Mrs Foster, the DUP leader, said: “Our involvement in the decisions that affect the people of Northern Ireland is crucial. Although political differences exist, the executive is working together to ensure the best possible outcome for people living here. Our priority is to ensure that the needs of NI are understood and reflected as we move forward as our particular circumstances require very specific solutions. We need to work together to protect our economy and ensure that every possible step is taken to facilitate trade east west and north south.”

Ms O’Neill, the Sinn Fein Stormont leader, said: “... the interdependencies between the protocol and the trade negotiations are not recognised in the British government’s Mandate.” (ie the UK is not reaffirming its commitment to a border in the Irish Sea).

It is reminiscent of the joint Foster-McGuinness letter after the 2016 Brexit referendum vote, with talk of special arrangements for Northern Ireland.

And special arrangements there will assuredly be for NI.

For all Mrs Foster’s comment about facilitating trade east west and north south, it is only the far larger east west trade that will face barriers.

Unionism — in business, politics and in civic life — was outwitted and outgunned and some unionists even seemed to agree with nationalist Ireland that, above all, north south had to be stay frictionless.

Hence the major coming border in the Irish Sea, from which, it seems from Thursday, the government is not resiling (and from which it couldn’t anyway, after the PM in his Brexit deal betrayed his own tough rhetoric).

• Ben Lowry (@BenLowry2) is News Letter deputy editor

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