DUP's Sammy Wilson says full access to both the UK and EU markets isn't possible - it's a choice

In his New Year message to the public, Sir Jeffrey Donaldson said he wanted to safeguard “our place in the UK internal market both now and for the future, whilst retaining our access to the EU single market”. He said these objectives “are not mutually exclusive”.

Northern Ireland currently has full, unfettered access to the European Union’s single market – but in contrast there are barriers to trade with the rest of the UK. This is something the DUP is seeking to rectify.

Speaking to the News Letter, Mr Wilson said: “You can have pure access to the EU market and compromised access to the UK market” or vice versa, “but you can’t have both. It’s as simple as that.

"The EU’s price for having access to their market – which is not as valuable – is that we have restrictions when it comes to the Great Britain market. We know that”.

He said the EU’s “price” for that access is barriers in the Irish Sea, customs requirements, extensive paperwork, certain goods banned, red lane bureaucracy and limited access to the GB market.

“It is a choice”, he said.

He also believes only time will tell whether the UK government’s promise of unfettered access for NI businesses into the GB market is “like their other promises – a load of tosh – or whether it’s true”.

"We are treated as a third country. There are no barriers on EU goods coming into NI. If those EU goods are in any way suspect… the UK government is going to want to ensure that doesn’t contaminate the GB market and that will mean ultimately – in some circumstances – there will be restrictions”.

He said even if the UK government was willing to take a risk and allow NI goods access as promised – their trading partners won’t. Downing Street is committed to maximising post-Brexit opportunities by striking trade deals across the world. However, due to the restrictions of the Windsor Framework, Northern Ireland cannot benefit from them all as it remains effectively part of the EU market for goods.

Mr Wilson also questioned whether the government is able to deliver on legislation between now and the general election. “Don’t forget – once we’re in [to Stormont] that’s the leverage over. There’s no way that we’re going to re-open the negotiations with the same hand that we have now. It’s a judgement that we have to make as well, even if they do make an offer – how dependable are they on delivering it? Even if they were fully intent on delivering it – do they have the ability to do so? If you add their treachery to their inability it doesn’t give you a comfortable position to be in”.

In his New Year address, Sir Jeffrey said: “This is the year we want to see our negotiations successfully concluded and the UK Government implement actions that will see Northern Ireland’s place in the United Kingdom restored and the harm caused by the Northern Ireland Protocol erased so that we can move forward together. This means safeguarding our place in the U.K. internal market both now and for the future, whilst retaining our access to the EU single market. These objectives are not mutually exclusive, nor do they lead to the creation of an all-island economy. Our clear mission remains to uphold the integrity of the Union, within which we can make Northern Ireland prosper and succeed. The Government knows what needs to be done to right the wrongs of what was imposed upon Northern Ireland without consent”.

The News Letter has asked the EU if it could envisage any scenario whereby Northern Ireland could continue to have access to the EU single market without the fundamentals of the Windsor Framework in place. Brussels has not responded.