DUP Irish Sea border article: MLA says Westminster critics' 'opinion' isn't shared by majority

Writing in Saturday’s News Letter, Lords Maurice Morrow and Nigel Dodds and East Antrim MP Sammy Wilson wrote an article entitled ‘The Battle Goes On – No Surrender’. The trio said they do not share the view of those in the DUP who believe the Irish Sea border has been dealt with.

They said: “There can be no dispute about it, there is still a border in the Irish Sea.”

Speaking on the BBC's Nolan Show this morning, DUP North Belfast MLA Phillip Brett said “The work does continue, and Sir Jeffrey has made clear that we want to see further changes made. And Lord Dodds, Sammy Wilson and Lord Morrow will have an important role to play in that and I look forward to working with each and every one of them to continue to secure a better and brighter future for everyone here in Northern Ireland.”

He said the trio “are entitled to their opinion. It’s not an opinion that’s shared by the majority of the ruling body of our party”.

The letter from the senior DUP Westminster figures said: "...for many companies in NI there will still be a requirement for their goods to go through the full EU border red lane procedures and checks even though they will never sell any of their goods into the EU and their products will stay in Northern Ireland or go back to the rest of the UK. That is NOT the free circulation of goods within the UK internal market.”

Asked by Stephen Nolan whether he thinks there is free circulation of goods within the UK internal market, Mr Brett wouldn’t be drawn on the issue. He said: “I believe you had our party leader on for quite a substantial period of time with you discussing this issue with you last week in detail. I’m not focused on the past I’m focused on the future and look forward to working with all colleagues to achieve that”.

Asked about the article yesterday, deputy First Minister Emma Little Pengelly said “people will come to their own conclusions and their own views”.

The Lagan Valley MLA added: “That decision has been made, and that was made on the basis that Sir Jeffrey achieved a significant number of things in relation to this proposal and this deal, and that included protecting and ensuring unfettered, internal UK trade.” She said the DUP party executive – including all peers and elected members – backed “a good and fair deal Sir Jeffrey Donaldson has achieved”.

Neither of the DUP MLAs directly criticised the substance of what the three senior Westminster figures said – characterising it instead as opinion.

Those in favour of the deal and a return to Stormont appear to have adopted a more nuanced position than claiming that the Irish Sea border has been removed.

Gavin Robinson wrote in the News Letter at the weekend that: "The DUP set out to remove the internal trade border in the Irish Sea and that is exactly what we have achieved.” He has consistently defended the principle behind a red lane system to avoid a hard border on the island of Ireland.

The deputy First Minister said the deal “achieved the unfettered free flow of trade internal to this United Kingdom”.

All sides in the party appear to agree that there is more to do, but the question is what that is. For those in favour of the deal there is no opposition to the EU’s red lane system, ie goods travelling to, or at risk of travelling to, the EU being checked when they enter Northern Ireland – except for an aim to reduce the amount of goods which end up in that lane. For Wilson, Dodds and Morrow – and many who agree with them – the issue is one of who is in charge. In their letter, they said: “The Government has accepted, and is implementing, the right of the EU to exercise… powers or indeed to demand that all goods go through the full EU border control checks if the EU decides it wants them to”.

The EU retains the right to suspend or terminate the current arrangements – ie the ‘green lane’ or UK internal market system – in certain circumstances. It also applies full customs processes to red lane goods – which includes large parts of the NI manufacturing sector.

Despite both wings of the DUP arguing that there is more to do – it is clear that the government has no appetite for returning to the issue. Last Monday, during his visit to Northern Ireland, the Prime Minister was asked by the News Letter about Sir Jeffrey Donaldson’s view that the DUP had brought about change but there was more to do, and whether he believed there was more room for movement from the government.

Rishi Sunak said: "I’m very confident that on the basis of all the meetings I’ve had this morning, yesterday, people are looking forward. They’re not looking backwards. They see this as a really important moment for the people of Northern Ireland. The Executive is back up and running after a long time of working through people’s concerns, making sure that we could address those – and I believe we have. And that’s why you’ve seen the Executive restored.

"And now actually the focus is not on any of those things, the focus – consistently and unanimously – is on delivering for the people of Northern Ireland and that means specifically on the day to day issues of public services like the NHS. That’s what everyone’s focus is on right now. On the basis of all the meetings I’ve had today and yesterday I’m confident that there is unanimity that that needs to be and should be the focus. That’s very much been the tone, positive tone, of all the conversations I’ve had today”.