Prioritisation of EU market over UK trade will 'reduce consumer choice and threaten 17,000 jobs' in car industry

The choice by the government and local parties to prioritise the EU market over UK trade will reduce consumer choice and threatens the jobs of 17,000 people in Northern Ireland’s car industry, a DUP MLA has said.

Jonathan Buckley highlighted figures from car traders here – who said that only 18 cars were sold last year by local dealers to customers from the Republic of Ireland.

placeholder image — DUP MLA Jonathan Buckley has slammed parties who backed the Windsor Framework over its impact on the Northern Ireland car industry.

The Upper Bann MLA sits on the Economy Committee which heard evidence from franchise car dealerships in NI on the impact of requirements for new cars sold here to be certified under EU rules rather than the GB equivalent for vehicles across the rest of the United Kingdom.

Speaking afterwards Mr Buckley said: “Parties who championed the Protocol and Windsor Framework often dismiss the impact their choice has on business and consumers.

“From January, new cars sold in Northern Ireland will require EU type approval and dealers in Northern Ireland will not be able to access the pool of stock within Great Britain which makes up for a huge proportion of the new cars sold here.

“A customer could travel to Scotland, purchase the car and bring it back on the ferry or it could be ordered directly from a GB-based dealer and delivered here. The impact is only on the dealers based in Northern Ireland. For them to sell the same car will mean a higher price and a longer lead-time for the customer.

“Had Northern Ireland followed the same post-Brexit rules as the rest of the United Kingdom this would not be happening. This is not a direct result of us leaving the European Union but a direct result of those who prioritised protection of the EU Single Market over our access to the UK internal market”.

Citing the 18 car sales to the Republic last year, he said it is “a practical, real-world example of the wilful blindness of those whose desire was to cling to the European Union regardless of the consequences. The potential consequences of that in just one sector are job losses, higher costs and even the withdrawal of some manufacturers from the Northern Ireland market, which then has a knock-on impact on aftersales and servicing even if the same cars are purchased directly from a GB dealer”.