New year but new Brexit dawn casts a shadow over Union

The NI Protocol governing trade between Great Britain and NI came into effect when the Brexit transition period ended at 11pm yesterday.

From GB’s point of view, the protocol solved the main sticking point in Brexit divorce talks, ensuring there would be no EU customs border checkpoints between the Republic and NI. Instead it placed them between NI and GB, casting a dark shadow over the Union in the view of most unionists.

DUP deputy leader Nigel Dodds said: “This protocol was imposed on Northern Ireland without its consent. It means that the promise of restoring control over our laws, our borders and our money does not apply to the same extent in Northern Ireland following Brexit.”

Controversially, SDLP leader Colum Eastwood said the process means that his “firm view now is that the United Kingdom is coming to an end”, while Sinn Fein MP Chris Hazzard said that the UK has secured a “pyrrhic victory” in recov ering its sovereignty, and that the course must now be set for Irish unification.

However, the economist Esmond Birnie suggested the outcome could be turned to NI’s advantage. “Undoubtedly there will be scope for NI exploitation of apparently free access to both GB and the EU’s single market,” he said.

Cabinet Minister Michael Gove and Secretary of State Brandon Lewis have also insisted the protocol would give NI “the best of both worlds” in trading opportunities in that it would be within both the UK and EU custom unions.

Mr Dodds said he welcomed the signing of a free trade deal between the UK and the EU.

“It is better than a no deal but it doesn‘t undo the detrimental effects of the Northern Ireland Protocol.”

That is why, he said, his party voted against the legislation when it was rushed through Parliament this week. However, he also emphasised what he believed had been achieved.

“It should of course be stressed that Northern Ireland is outside the EU along with the rest of the UK, is out of the Common Fisheries Policy, out of the Common Agricultural Policy, out of large parts of the single market rules, and remains within the UK customs territory.”

He said it was “deeply regrettable” and “frankly totally unnecessary” for the UK government chose to go down the path of the NI Protocol, given that both the EU and the Irish government “openly stated” that they never had any intention of erecting a “hard border” on the island of Ireland.

Another key argument against the protocol, he said, was “the vastly greater importance of Great Britain for Northern Ireland’s trade”.

Going forward his party wants to work with the government to hold to its promises on unfettered trade between NI and the rest of the UK in both directions, he said.

“There are many important outstanding issues still to be agreed and now with sovereignty restored to Parliament, along with the mechanisms available in the treaties including the review process, the government must prioritise the safeguarding of the internal market of the UK and deliver economic prosperity for Northern Ireland.

“Nationalists, who were of course actually hoping for a no-deal outcome, will nevertheless use Brexit to seek to undermine the Union, even though I suspect they will have to change their tune as the UK capitalises on new opportunities.

“Nationalist arguments against Brexit apply, of course, even more strongly against the break up of the Union of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

“The benefits of being part of the fifth largest economy in the world has again been illustrated in recent times.

“And there is little attraction for most people in NI in a future characterised by republican eulogies for terrorists and their celebration of sordid deeds of murder and bloodshed.”

But UUP peer Lord Empey was scathing about the implications of Brexit for NI – and the DUP’s responsibility for it.

“The 1st Jan 2021 brings the creation of the Irish Sea border, an extraordinarily harmful outworking of the Brexit project,” he said.

“Rather than taking back control as promised, it has instead placed this part of the United Kingdom under the auspices of the European Commission and jurisdiction of the European Court of Justice; neither of which institutions we have any say or influence over.

“As a party of devolution we are saddened by the meek acceptance and indeed promotion of the NI Protocol by the SDLP, SF, Alliance and the Greens in spite of the fact that it undermines the Belfast Agreement which they all claim to support.

“There will be many questioning how we got to this position, especially as many businesses, farmers and ordinary citizens are slowly coming to realise the massive changes that will now be occurring – but on that question, the pursuit of a hard Brexit by the DUP clearly shows where the fault lies.”

However, in his New Year message, his party leader Steve Aiken OBE MLA, looked ahead. “As a society we should be seeking to mend relationships and put seismic political events behind us and concentrate on working together to make Northern Ireland work for all its people,” he said.

TUV leader Jim Allister also highlighted the fact that GB now writes all its own laws while NI still remains in part under EU jurisdiction. He said the NI Protocol “trashes” the 220-year-old Act of Union upon which the UK was built.

“Of course, that brings with it the odious imposition of laws that we never made, that we cannot change and that will be supervised by a foreign court in a foreign jurisdiction,” he said.

“Make no mistake about it: the protocol is a dire consequence for every citizen in Northern Ireland. We will all live through its dire consequences.”