Allister asks: Why didn’t DUP realise existence of Protocol strategy a year ago?

Writing on Twitter, DUP leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson said: “This is a welcome contribution from Unionist Voice and Kate Hoey [who wrote the foreword] on opposition to the protocol and the harm that it does to our relationship with the rest of the UK.”

The arguments in the report are detailed at this link.

The DUP came in for criticism in the report, for being “too slow to deliver promised consequences”.

But the report goes on to welcome what it sees as a change of tack by the party – taking Edwin Poots’ promise to raise the Protocol at the Executive as a welcome development.

The PUP’s “depth of intellectual and legal analysis” was praised by Mr Bryson and the other (largely anonymous) authors of the report, whilst the UUP’s stance was condemned as lacking “any coherence, or genuine strong foundational opposition to the Protocol”.

The TUV meanwhile was praised: “It is unsurprising to see the TUV surge in the polls, given that their uncompromising stand on the fundamental principles of the Union is reflective of the thinking of many within the pro-Union community in Northern Ireland.”

Jim Allister himself issued a statement today, in which he said that “the first and obvious question” arising from the report is that – given that it purports to offer a clear legal solution to the Protocol – “why didn’t he [Poots] realise this a year ago?”

“But, better late than never,” he added.

There must be no more “further prevarication and dither”.

“There now is no excuse for inaction,” he said.

“The opportunity to derail the Protocol must be taken and taken swiftly.”

The UUP, for their part, said simply this: “We will wait until we see the paper from the Minister to the Executive.

“It would be unreasonable for us to comment on a paper we haven’t seen.”

More from this reporter:

News Letter exclusive on the fall-out from Gerry Adams court dispute: Lawsuits against the state from people interned in Northern Ireland 50 years ago now number up to 400

Click here: Kate Hoey voices fears over influence of anti-Union ‘activism’ in NI courts and media as fresh protocol report published

——— ———

A message from the Editor:

Thank you for reading this story on our website. While I have your attention, I also have an important request to make of you.

With the coronavirus lockdowns having had a major impact on many of our advertisers — and consequently the revenue we receive — we are more reliant than ever on you taking out a digital subscription.

Subscribe to newsletter.co.uk and enjoy unlimited access to the best Northern Ireland and UK news and information online and on our app. With a digital subscription, you can read more than 5 articles, see fewer ads, enjoy faster load times, and get access to exclusive newsletters and content.

Visit

https://www.newsletter.co.uk/subscriptionsnow to sign up.

Our journalism costs money and we rely on advertising, print and digital revenues to help to support them. By supporting us, we are able to support you in providing trusted, fact-checked content for this website.

Ben Lowry, Editor