Sammy Wilson condemns Irish-American ‘crass ignorance and arrogance’ of NI affairs

Mr Wilson was reacting to comments from Kevin J. Boyle, a Democratic member of Pennsylvania’s House of Representatives.

The state Mr Boyle helps to govern is the fifth biggest in America (just behind New York) with almost 13m residents, but his connections go higher still; he is also the brother of fellow Democrat Brendan Boyle, a serving member of Congress.

Mr Wilson earlier this month dubbed Joe Biden a “bigoted ignoramus”, and doubted whether he had even read the Good Friday Agreement which he claims to support.

Mr Boyle in response said: “Sounds like Sammy Wilson of the DUP is still heartbroken his hero Donald Trump didn’t win re-election.

“Fortunately for everyone else, President Biden’s administration will uphold the Good Friday Agreement and its core tenants [sic]”.

Mr Wilson acknowledged he is indeed “disappointed” Mr Trump did not win, adding that about 70 million American citizens also feel the same way.

“Quite clearly Kevin Boyle lives in the same ignorance president Biden does when it comes to the Belfast Agreement.

“Of course, as one of the authors of the Belfast Agreement David Trimble has said, the Protocol rips up the Good Friday Agreement.

“I’d just say to Kevin Boyle, same as I said about president Biden, if you’re going to comment on something, at least do people the justice of having read it first of all, and understood it.

“If he understood it, he’d know NI is being ripped out of the UK by having foreign laws and a foreign court imposing its laws and administration on this part of the UK – that is constitutional change, and should not have been allowed under the terms of the Belfast /Good Friday Agreement without the consent of the people here.”

He said: “Many Irish-Americans are totally ignorant of the issues that they speak about, and yet in their arrogance they speak about them as if they had full knowledge of what they’re talking about. It’s that kind of crass ignorance and crass arrogance that really does annoy people in Northern Ireland.”

Click here: Twenty-five NI groups sign letter to Robin Swann about ‘women and pregnant people’

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