Government urged to intervene over Caoimhe Archibald's stance on trade with Israel
The secretary of state has been urged to intervene over an instruction by Northern Ireland’s economy minister stopping officials from taking part in UK trade discussions with Israel.
Sinn Fein’s Caoimhe Archibald told the state-backed trade body Invest NI to draw up plans to “eliminate any risk of public funds being used to support the manufacture of arms or components that are used for genocide”.
The stance has been slammed by unionist politicians – and the DUP has sought to bring the matter before the executive given its controversial nature.
The party has launched a petition in an attempt to get the issue in front of Stormont ministers.
Now, TUV leader Jim Allister has called on the secretary of state to intervene over the Stormont minister’s policy – arguing that she is acting outside the powers available to her devolved department.
The North Antrim MP said Hilary Benn should exercise powers under the Northern Ireland Act – and “take necessary action to countermand the purported actions of the minister”.
Mr Allister said that international relations is an excepted matter under the devolution settlement, and therefore trade talks with Israel – and measures taken in that regard – are a matter solely for His Majesty's Government.
In a letter to the Labour minister, seen by the News Letter, he says the Sinn Fein minister’s “purported actions are ultra vires”.
In a statement issued on Thursday, the economy minister said her department is drawing up an ‘Ethical Investment Framework’ based on “United Nations guiding principles” – and instructed officials not to “engage in the British government's trade talks with Israel while it continues to illegally occupy and impose apartheid on Palestine”.
Companies seeking grant support from Invest NI are to “confirm that they are not manufacturing arms or components for countries committing genocide”, Ms Archibald has said.
A Northern Ireland Office spokesperson said: “Trade policy is reserved and as such trade negotiations are the responsibility of the UK Government. The Government is aware of the Economy Minister's position.
“The Secretary of State will respond to Mr Allister's correspondence in due course.”
The Department for Economy did not respond to a request for comment.