David Campbell: Simon Coveney reveals Dublin’s agenda of trade war with UK

The Loyalist Communities Council (LCC) notes that Lord Frost gave evidence to the NI Assembly on the Northern Ireland Protocol.

Given last week’s ruling in the High Court that Northern Ireland’s status has been changed by the protocol, and that such change has not been consented to by the people of Northern Ireland, the LCC expects the NI Assembly, given that it is a key component Institution of the Belfast Agreement, to press Lord Frost to require HM Government to repair this grievous breach of the Agreement.

The LCC also notes with alarm the recent comments of Irish Foreign Minister Simon Coveney (July 1) who said there are “grace periods to give supermarkets in particular, the opportunity to readjust their supply chains to adapt to these new realities...”.

These few words betray the real agenda of the Irish government, something unionists have been warning about for months — that is to diminish the flow of trade from Great Britain to Northern Ireland and to replace it with an enhanced north-south trade flow.

This will disrupt and potentially end trading relationships within the United Kingdom that have endured for generations. It is intolerable and will not be allowed to succeed.

In essence, Simon Coveney has declared a trade war against the United Kingdom.

His comments, and his now clarified agenda, are breaches of the agreement and the protocol itself, and destroy the very essence of good-neighbourliness.

The LCC requires urgently to know how HM Government and the European Commission will deal with this errant government which has effectively instigated a state of Cold War against Northern Ireland and its people.

David Campbell, Co Antrim

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