Northern Ireland Protocol ruling against DUP Minister Edwin Poots: Sinn Fein member and Newry man welcome court decision

When minister earlier this year, Mr Poots instructed his civil servants to stop checks on goods entering NI from GB.

On Thursday Belfast High Court ruled that this was unlawful and politically motivated. The legal challenge was brought by a Sinn Féin member, a Newry man named Edward Rooney, and Belfast City Council.

After the ruling, Mr Rooney's solicitor, Paul Campbell, described the Newry man as an “avid supporter of the peace process and a victim of the Troubles”.

Following the judgment, the lawyer said: “Mr Rooney, as with the majority of people in Northern Ireland, did not vote for Brexit, but ultimately feels that the Northern Ireland Protocol is the 'least worst' outcome of the hard Brexit policy pursued by the United Kingdom.

“Mr Rooney believes that any efforts to ignore or disapply the United Kingdom's legal obligations arising from the withdrawal from the EU present an existential threat to political stability in Northern Ireland and the peace process more generally.”

Anonymity was granted to the Sinn Fein member who took the challenge.

His solicitor, Ciaran O’Hare of McIvor Farrell, predicted the ruling will have a wider legal impact.

He said: “My client is delighted with today's verdict, he has been vindicated in his endeavours to date.

"This truly is a ground-breaking judgment that clarifies some of the legal issues surrounding the Northern Ireland Protocol and emphasises the fact that the rule of law must be obeyed by all.”