Jim Allister accuses DUP of ‘weakening’ over Brexit

The deal’s transition period, agreed in October, ends in January. At that time, Northern Ireland will continue to follow EU rules on agricultural and manufactured goods, while the rest of the UK will not.

Additionally, the whole of the UK will leave the EU’s customs union, but Northern Ireland will continue to enforce the EU’s customs code at its ports. This will mean some new processes and checks for goods entering from the rest of the UK.

Agriculture Minister Edwin Poots this week said agreeing on such an approach to checks would be key.

“It has the potential to get right down to around 1% of commercial vehicles that are entering NI, and in that case that wouldn’t be particularly damaging to the economy.

“We would have the advantage of actually having access to the Single Market and to the UK market, and make NI an attractive place for inward investment.”

In response Mr Allister said: “Until now all unionists have been united in rejecting the iniquitous Brexit Protocol which would drive a border down the Irish Sea. Sadly, and not for the first time, there are signs that the DUP is weakening.

“No one should dilute the reality that what the Protocol means is that this part of the UK is abandoned to the EU single market for goods and left, to all intents and purposes, in the EU Customs Union and VAT regime, with inevitable constitutional and long term economic damage. And, all this without any say on the rules governing these matters, while the rest of the UK operates under UK laws.