UUP's Armstrong says Irish Sea border friction shouldn't be 'repackaged as opportunity' by the UK government
A claim by Sir Chris Bryant that the Windsor Framework has created a “unique advantage” for Northern Ireland has been criticised by unionist leaders.
UUP deputy Diana Armstrong says internal trade barriers created by the Irish Sea border deal need to be addressed, not repackaged “as an opportunity”.
DUP boss Gavin Robinson said the Secretary of State should focus on restoring NI’s place in the UK’s single market “rather than lining up as the latest Protocol cheerleader.”
The comments have also been criticised by the TUV leader, who said they show his commitment to a Protocol which “pushes us towards an economic all Ireland”.
Jim Allister said Mr Bryant was attempting to “push the fiction that this is good for the economy while ignoring the evidence, including the fact that Invest NI was unable to point to a single job created because of the Sea Border”.
Writing in the News Letter on Monday, the Labour minister said: “the Windsor Framework has created a unique advantage”.
“No other territory in the world can act as a gateway both to a massive trade bloc like the EU and one of the largest G7 economies in the world.
“Of course, the loopy way the Conservatives implemented Brexit created years of uncertainty. I will never shy away from the challenges, but the Windsor Framework is a vast improvement on the Protocol and we are committed to implementing it fully", he said.
Gavin Robinson told the News Letter: “Last year the FSB highlighted that 58% of businesses were having moderate to severe challenges due to the Windsor Framework. Of those moving goods between NI and GB, a third had halted trade rather than contend with the bureaucracy and costs imposed upon them. Invest Northern Ireland meanwhile have not yet been able to point to a single example of FDI investment in Northern Ireland as a result of the Framework.
“His rhetoric about the Windsor Framework is no different to his predecessors, both Labour and Conservative. When talking about ‘loopy’ things, he should reflect on the quote about the definition of insanity being to repeat the same thing over and over whilst expecting different results”.
UUP MLA Diana Armstrong said she agreed with Sir Chris that NI “is a place of real opportunity”.
“I hear too much negativity about the Northern Ireland economy. There is confidence out there, there is ambition in our business community, and I welcome a Secretary of State who says plainly that Northern Ireland benefits from being part of the United Kingdom.
“Where we differ is on the analysis. Sir Chris describes our dual market position as a unique advantage. Businesses in my constituency and across Northern Ireland would put it differently. They see costs on goods coming from Great Britain and paperwork their competitors in England do not face.
“If Sir Chris genuinely believes Northern Ireland benefits from the Union, and I take him at his word, then strengthening the Union means addressing the internal barriers within it, not repackaging them as an opportunity. That means using the veterinary and agri-food negotiations to strip out the checks, and doing it at pace.
“He says he will be an honest broker. Honest brokerage begins with an honest account of the Irish Sea border and its cost to businesses here.”