Sammy Wilson: DUP not responsible for inept Brexit mess

DUP HQ issued a statement tonight saying the latest UK government measures are “an attempt to mitigate the worst elements” of what was agreed against the party’s advice.
Sammy WilsonSammy Wilson
Sammy Wilson

The statement – issued as a generic party statement rather than in anybody’s name – said the DUP had opposed the Irish protocol (an addendum to Boris Johnson’s Withdrawal Agreement) whenever it was agreed last year.

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And on Radio Ulster tonight, Sammy Wilson said it is “probably credit to our tenacity”that efforts are now being made to revise parts of the deal – but that “we can’t be responsible for how inept the negotiators for the UK were” in the first place.

Asked if – as a unionist – he is now in a worse position thanks to Brexit, Mr Wilson said: “No we’re not in a worse position now.

“The Withdrawal Agreement itself has of course made this division between NI and the rest of the UK.

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“Don’t hold us responsible for that – we didn’t negotiate it.”

And it statement from party HQ said: “Some aspects of today’s statement indicates that progress has been secured, and in particular we welcome the commitment that there will be no additional paperwork to be completed by businesses moving goods from Northern Ireland to Great Britain.”

But it said concerns remain over other elementslike the “grace periods” which offer no guarantee that, when they end, NI will still have the same access to GB products as it does now – although “the removal of a so-called cliff edge on January 1 will be welcomed by many”.

It added that scrapping “most tariffs for goods incoming to Northern Ireland is an important development and demonstrates that common sense has partially triumphed”.

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And while there is to be no permenant EU office in Belfast, the party said “we do not support the concept of any EU staff being required in NI; it is a matter for the UK Government to ensure these personnel are observers, and not empowered to direct matters”.

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