DUP 'doing Sinn Fein's dirty work' by keeping Stormont suspended: Lord Empey

According to Ulster Unionist peer Lord Empey, the collapse of the powersharing arrangements is “justifying the republican’s charge that Northern Ireland is a failed political entity".

“We are in the teeth of an economic storm. With rents increasing, mortgage rates pushing people closer to the edge and hospital waiting lists getting longer by the day the people need their devolved Assembly more than ever,” he said.

Lord Empey said the UUP has been, since 2019, proposing measures that would assist in the free movement of goods within the UK, in a way that would “give unionists confidence that our place in the Union is not under threat” from the NI Protocol/Windsor Framework post-Brexit trading arrangements.“Northern Ireland took the fall for Brexit, which was ill thought out and badly negotiated. In these circumstances our own government should ensure that citizens in Northern Ireland can access the same products available to all other citizens of the UK.”

The former UUP leader added: “The government says it is ‘unequivocal in its commitment for unfettered access for NI goods to the whole UK market.’ While this response is welcome, what it does not deal with is goods coming the other way.“It is the case that Royal Mail is required by law to deliver letters to any part of the UK for the same price…. it is part of keeping a nation together.

"While not wishing to impose additional costs on GB businesses, we have suggested that businesses who have ceased trading in Northern Ireland are helped to deal with any aspects of the new arrangements and where required undertake work to ensure they avoid any financial penalty for trading with this part of the UK.”

Lord Empey went on to say: “We want a restored Storm ont to begin at once preparing for the review of the Trade and Co-operation Agreement between the UK and the EU coming up in 2025. This will be our next big chance to undo some of the damage done as a result of Brexit. “We need Stormont restored. We need politics to work for all of the people of Northern Ireland”.