Editorial: The Irish Sea border is not a settled issue in Northern Ireland

The view of the new Secretary of State that the Windsor Framework is “pretty much a settled position” may be true in terms of London and Brussels – but its corrosive impact on local politics shows that it is not in Northern Ireland.

​Sir Chris Bryant’s comments came on his first day of official engagements in the new role, after being appointed by Andy Burnham to replace Hilary Benn.

Citing the argument that the province voted to remain in the EU during the Brexit referendum over a decade ago, the NIO chief said of the Protocol: “You know, it's pretty much a settled position, and I think we just need to exploit it".

That was swiftly rejected by the DUP leader Gavin Robinson, who said that after a meeting between the pair, Sir Chris understands that the Windsor Framework is not “done”.

And nor can it be, until arrangements are put in place which command the support of both communities in Northern Ireland. Not a single elected unionist at Stormont supports the arrangements which have economically partitioned the United Kingdom.

This province only makes major changes when there is a broad political consensus. That has been the way things should have operated since 1998, and it is the way they should continue to.

Some unionists were slow to wake up to the introduction of the Irish Sea border and the prioritisation of an all Ireland goods economy over the UK’s stable and long established internal market. A market now seriously hampered.

However, they did all eventually realise the disastrous constitutional implications of the Protocol and its successor the Windsor Framework.

It is not settled as a live political issue, and nor will it be until unionists secure the removal of a regulatory border they never agreed to and will never accept.