Liz Truss: Urgent problems with the Northern Ireland Protocol cannot be allowed to drift

It is now a hub of industry, innovation and investment.

It is the inspiration for hit TV shows like Line of Duty and Game of Thrones.

It has played a critical role in our response to immense challenges, from processing Covid tests in County Antrim to building NLAW anti-tank weaponry in Belfast, which are now being used by brave Ukrainians to defend their homeland.

This has only been possible through the decades of peace and stability enshrined by the Belfast (Good Friday) Agreement. But this peace and political stability has been undermined by the problems with the Northern Ireland Protocol.

The Protocol has created a growing sense that the rights and aspirations of some parts of the community are being undermined by the arrangements that it requires.

I have heard directly from businesses about the reams of paperwork they have to fill out to import produce into Belfast from Great Britain, even if they are firms like Asda who don’t have any stores in the Republic of Ireland to sell them from.

We can see the consequences in Stormont, where the Northern Ireland Executive has not been fully functioning since February.

This gridlock has only become more glaring in the wake of the Assembly elections in May.

The first duty of any UK government is to uphold the Belfast (Good Friday) Agreement.

That means restoring the delicate balance at its heart by ensuring the Protocol works for all communities.

I have stepped up to the plate as Foreign Secretary to find a solution with legislation to fix the problems, and getting it through the House of Commons. I have stood firm in the face of the European Union’s intransigence over negotiations and remained clear in my determination to solve this situation.

We need to go further to find an enduring solution.

That is why I will work as Prime Minister to see through our vital work.

This will be a personal priority for me not just as leader of the UK Government but also Minister for the Union.

The problems of the Protocol have frustrated people in Northern Ireland for too long.

The situation is urgent and it cannot be allowed to drift.

I have shown my ability to take the necessary decisions to resolve it.

In the same spirit, I will work to see through the Legacy Bill, so that communities in Northern Ireland can draw a line under the issues of the past and move forward together.

I understand that it is not a simple or easy process, and I will go above and beyond to deliver better outcomes for victims and veterans of the Troubles.

Putting these issues behind us will enable Northern Ireland to focus its energies on seizing the bright future ahead.

I will turbocharge Northern Ireland’s economy through my bold plan to level up in a Conservative way.

That means low-tax and low-regulation Investment Zones to drive investment, job creation and growth.

It means unleashing the potential of freeports from Whitehall red tape so they can deliver the regional growth they were designed for.

And it means cutting taxes UK-wide, on employers and employees, to reduce the cost of doing business and creating jobs, and to put more money in the pockets of hardworking people.

This will help deliver the growth we need in Northern Ireland, from Belfast to Ballycastle.

Northern Ireland has gone from strength to strength as part of our United Kingdom.

The government I lead would work flat out to honour our commitments by doing whatever it takes to uphold the Belfast (Good Friday) Agreement and deliver for people in Northern Ireland.

That is how we can transform Northern Ireland into an economic, technological and creative powerhouse, ensuring its best days lie ahead.

• Liz Truss is the Foreign Secretary and Conservative MP for South West Norfolk

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