Lord Murphy to conduct review into Windsor Framework

The announcement was made by current Northern Ireland Secretary Hilary Benn following a vote by the Stormont Assembly to extend post-Brexit trading arrangements for the province for another four years.

The debate and vote in December were required under the democratic consent mechanism in the UK and EU's framework deal and were designed to give local elected representatives a say on the trade rules that now operate in the region.

The framework, and its predecessor the NI Protocol, require checks and customs paperwork on goods moving from Great Britain into Northern Ireland.

Under the arrangements, which were designed to ensure no hardening of the Irish land border post-Brexit, Northern Ireland continues to follow many EU trade and customs rules.

This has proved highly controversial, with unionists arguing the system threatens Northern Ireland's place in the United Kingdom.

The Stormont vote in December was held on articles five to 10 of the Windsor Framework, which underpin the EU trade laws in force in Northern Ireland.

Unlike other votes on contentious issues at Stormont, the motion did not require cross-community support to pass.

If it had secured cross-community support – ie a majority of unionists and a majority of nationalists in favour – then the arrangements would have been extended for eight years.

However, the vote passing on only a straight majority meant the relevant articles of the framework were instead extended for four years and also obliged the UK government to instigate an independent review of how the framework is working.

In a written statement yesterday, Mr Benn confirmed that he has commissioned Lord Murphy of Torfaen to conduct the review.

He said: “Lord Murphy previously served in government as minister of state for Northern Ireland, secretary of state for Northern Ireland and secretary of state for Wales.

“In his many years of public service, he has shown a deep understanding of the bonds between the nations of the United Kingdom and an appreciation of the operation of all three strands of the Good Friday Agreement to which the government is committed.

“This experience and knowledge, and the high regard in which he is held across communities in Northern Ireland, will be valuable as he undertakes the review.”

Mr Benn said Lord Murphy would provide him with a report and conclusions in no later than six months.

The scope of the report will include the functioning of the Windsor Framework and its implications for social, economic and political life in Northern Ireland and on the UK internal market.

TUV leader Jim Allister said the terms and reference of the review “reveal and confirm the basic inequity” at the heart of post-Brexit trading arrangements.

The North Antrim MP said: “Though the protocol was imposed without any reference to or need for cross-community support, and was designed to meet only nationalist objectives, so, now, too, the review embraces and cements that imbalance.

“This is because any changes it recommends must have cross-community consent.

“What a calculated two fingers to unionism – the Union-dismantling protocol will be imposed without your consent, but any changes must have nationalist consent.”

Lagan Valley MP Sorcha Eastwood said: “It is absolutely vital this review is carried out in a completely impartial and strictly factual manner, away from political views or constitutional opinions.”