Protocol

Caoimhe Archibald's economy department has published reports on the impact of the Windsor Framework. Pic: Liam McBurney/PA Wire

Stormont report highlights Protocol burdens and risks for businesses

UUP leader Jon Burrows. Photo: Liam McBurney/PA WIre

UUP contests DUP claim that unity talks set to happen

Steve Aiken was reacting to the Prime Minister's comments on the Windsor Framework

Windsor Framework is a 'nightmare' and Prime Minister is 'engaged in spin'

Fermanagh and South Tyrone MLA Diana Armstrong

Government shouldn't 'repackage' Framework issues as opportunity - UUP

Morning View

Editorial: The Irish Sea border is not a settled issue in Northern Ireland

The Forth Green freeport alone is projected to generate billions of pounds in economic impact alongside major employment growth through offshore wind manufacturing, logistics and port expansion

Letter: Lack of NI freeports due to protocol?

Jeffrey Donaldson addressing DUP conference in October 2022, where he said EU law was the underlying problem with the Irish Sea border.

Bryson 'pulled Jeffrey Donaldson into hardline position' in conference speech

TUV leader Jim Allister. Photo: Liam McBurney/PA Wire

'Distasteful nonsense' - Government hits out at TUV Donaldson comments

Maurice Bradley has called for a 'unionist convention'

DUP calls for a joint unionist strategy while TUV stresses sea border a priority

DUP peer Lord Dodds will chair a new cross-party group opposing the Windsor Framework.

Unionist politicians launch national cross-party anti-Protocol group

The UK Supreme Court in London has handed down a landmark ruling on legacy laws. Pic: Jordan Pettitt/PA Wire

Unionists welcome landmark ruling - but round on 'activist' equality bodies

DUP leader Gavin Robinson.

Unionist leaders welcome Supreme Court ruling on EU law remit

Morning View

Editorial: Ex-NIO minister's call for change on sea border deal welcome

Former NIO minister Lord Caine, speaking in 2024, said the government did not recognise there was 'anything like a trade border' in the Irish Sea.

Former NIO minister says 'fundamental changes' needed to Windsor Framework

GDP growth in the province has been driven predominantly by the domestic economy

Letter: Claims on economic growth from protocol unchecked

Jonathan Buckley, Steve Aiken, and Timothy Gaston speaking about Mr Trump's Greenland policy today in the Assembly

Greenland tariffs: Unionist MLAs criticise Trump - plus Alliance and Protocol
Members of all three unionist parties have spoken out against Donald Trump’s drive towards annexing Greenland.
Adam Kula

TUV MP Jim Allister.

TUV denies 'one-to-one talks' with DUP on unionist unity

Jon Burrows speaks at the UUP's 2025 conference. Pic: Andrew McCarroll/ Pacemaker Press

Test of new UUP leader will be stance on Northern Ireland Protocol: TUV

Gavin Robinson, a member of LOL 747 in east Belfast, has congratulated Harold Henning, and thanked former Grand Master Edward Stevenson

Orange politicians offer warm words to new Grand Master

Sinn Fein say NI politicians should have 'observer status' in the EU Parliament. : Steve Parsons/PA Wire

DUP bid to block Sinn Fein motion on EU 'observer status' for NI

The Belfast Agreement's much vaunted 'Principle of Consent' requirement on NI's constitutional status has, when tested in court, been shown to be very limited indeed

Letter: I can't see how McNarry thinks 1998 deal a big improvement on 1985

A cucumber grown in the Netherlands is not permitted to return to the EU after crossing the Irish Sea border.

'Deported cucumber' another snapshot of Irish Sea border absurdity - MLA

Morning View

Editorial: Parliamentary sovereignty must be restored

Intertrade UK, chaired by Baroness Foster, has set out ways to decrease the burden to businesses caused by the Windsor Framework.

Intertrade UK 'giving life to the myth of dual market access' - MP

A temporary advice against bathing notice has been issued at Portstewart Strand

Bathing alerts issued at two beaches along the north coast

Foreign criminals in NI may be protected from deportation from NI because of the Windsor Framework.

Justice Minister criticised over stance on deportation of foreign criminals

Paul Givan addressing the DUP conference on Saturday - where he took aim at the TUV.

Givan accuses the TUV of having no strategy and promoting 'myths' about Stormont
Paul Givan has pitched the next Assembly election as a battle for the future of unionism – accusing the TUV of having no strategy to deliver its aims.
David Thompson

Foreign criminals housed in Northern Ireland's jails could be protected from deportation by the Windsor Framework, Jim Allister has warned.

Protocol could scupper plans to deport foreign criminals from NI - MP

Stormont’s deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly has called on the Government to act over the Windsor Framework’s 'bureaucracy for bureaucracy sake'.

Stormont deputy First Minister presses Government over Windsor Framework

Morning View

Editorial: Windsor Framework risks on immigration cannot be ignored

Morning View

Editorial: Nationalist concern about sanctity of Belfast Agreement rings hollow

The inaugural meeting of Intertrade UK panel in February, made up of a range of respected business figures and chaired by Baroness Foster.

Irish Sea border body is ‘more lapdog than watchdog’ – Allister

US President Donald Trump has placed higher import taxes on imports from the EU than the UK. Photo: Jane Barlow/PA Wire

Trump's tariffs pose 'conundrum' for pro-Protocol parties - Aiken

Baroness Foster of Aghadrumsee has launched a paper with Suella Braverman on leaving the ECHR.

Braverman and Foster reveal proposals for NI leaving ECHR

Morning View

Editorial: Parliament’s fitting tribute to a political giant

TUV MP Jim Allister.

‘Serious issues’ over Motability Scheme cars in NI - MP

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

Prioritisation of EU market over UK trade threatens 17,000 jobs - Buckley

Suppliers “no longer see Northern Ireland as commercially viable” under the Windsor Framework, MLAs have been told

Trading relationships being lost due to Windsor Framework, MLAs told

Geraldine McGahey, Chief Commissioner at the Equality Commission of Northern Ireland says that equality laws use terms like 'sex', 'men' and 'women' "without providing comprehensive definitions".

Equality Commission guidance a 'political document dressed in legal language'

Lord Empey said there had been reports of 'friction' arising from the Windsor Framework

Windsor Framework: 'Disconnect' between government and businesses

A landmark survey by the Federation of Small Businesses has found that the Windsor Framework is causing "widespread disruption" to trade with GB, with 58% of businesses reporting "moderate to significant" challenges.

FSB says Windsor Framework causing ‘widespread disruption’

Sammy Wilson pictured with the Indian trade envoy, taken from a tweet Mr Wilson posted

Sammy Wilson dismisses claim he 'has become a Protocol advocate'

placeholder image

Unionist concerns about EU vet medicine clamp down

Mr Robinson said that the post-Brexit trading deal could never be effective until fundamental issues around lack of consent from unionists are addressed

Windsor Framework structures ineffective and overly bureaucratic – Robinson

EU law takes sovereignty over Westminster re immigration in Northern Ireland

Letter: Loyalists should focus on NI Protocol over migration

An Ulster University academic says new trade figures highlight the "worrying" impact of the Irish Sea border.

Economist highlights 'substantial drop’ in GB-NI trade under Irish Sea border

Jim Allister's party has told the government that the criteria for triggering an emergency clause in the Protocol has been met. Photo:Liam McBurney/PA Wire

Consultation an attempt to 'draw out the poison' of government's border stance

Morning View

Editorial: Latest issue over EU medicines rules shows what a mess NI is in

DUP Leader Gavin Robinson. (Image © House of Commons)

DUP leader: Customs a 'missed opportunity' in UK-EU trade deal

Crawford Ewing of Ewing's the fishmongers has spoken out about the headaches caused by the Irish Sea border

Fish supplier says Irish Sea border 'disastrous' after shipment turned back

Despite the UK leaving the EU, Northern Ireland must follow decisions by the Court of Justice of the European Union in certain areas, due to the Windsor Framework.

Windsor Framework will likely impact Supreme Court's landmark sex ruling - MP

TUV MP Jim Allister speaking in the House of Commons during a debate on the Protocol and trade tariffs, 08-04-25

Unionists demand government assert itself over Northern Ireland tariff situation

Sir Reg Empey has been a long-term critic of those unionist parties which advocated Brexit. Picture Mark Marlow/pacemaker press

'The people who are railing the most against the Protocol led us into it'

View from the Chair with FSB NI’s policy chair, Alan Lowry

Trump tariffs and Windsor Framework: 'We want to hear your views'

The Windsor Framework protocol means some are finding it 'impossible' to buy seeds for plants from Great Britain

Gregory Campbell: The Irish Sea border on plants into NI from GB is absurd

News you can trust since 1737

© 2026 Iconic Media Group Ltd. All rights reserved.Terms and Conditions Privacy notice