An interview with DUP leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson on the Northern Ireland Protocol
The Northern Ireland protocol is demonstrably causing societal & economic issues in Northern Ireland including trade diversion & the unavailability of some medicines. Many more such issues will materialise upon the end of the various grace periods such as the ban on chilled meats from the rest of the UK entering Northern Ireland, products requiring EU labelling, customs forms for Amazon & Ebay orders.
1. Do you support replacing the Northern Ireland protocol in order to protect the Union & UK internal market?
A: Yes. It is essential that the barriers to trade between Great Britain and Northern Ireland created by the protocol in the form of the Irish sea border are removed. The protocol has to go and be replaced with new arrangements that respect the economic and constitutional integrity of the United Kingdom and ensure that goods moving between Great Britain and Northern Ireland do so without any additional checks or bureaucracy. Additionally, goods that comply with British standards should be available in Northern Ireland as in the rest of the United Kingdom. The only checks that are necessary are those on goods moving from Great Britain through Northern Ireland into the EU. We believe That practical arrangements can be put in place to satisfy the EU that these goods meet their standards and do not dare threaten the integrity of the single market.
2. Do you believe the Protocol threatens or weakens the Union including aiding Scottish Independence arguments?
A: In a recent judicial ruling in the High Court in Belfast the judge made clear that the barriers to trade created by the protocol between Great Britain and Northern Ireland repeal the rights that are enshrined in Article 6 of the Act of Union. Article 6 prohibits any barriers to trade being created within the United Kingdom or between the constituent parts of the UK. It is therefore evident that the protocol harms Northern Ireland‘s relationship with the rest of the United Kingdom and therefore undermines the very Act of Union itself. Creating an internal trade the border within the United Kingdom undermines the constitutional integrity of the UK and aids those who argue for separation and independence, including in Scotland.
3. What would you change in the Protocol?
A: We believe that any new arrangements must remove the Irish sea border and restore Northern Ireland’s place within the UK internal market. There should be no additional checks or bureaucracy on goods being supplied from Great Britain to Northern Ireland and any product that meets British standards should be freely available in Northern Ireland as with the rest of the UK. We also believe that it is wrong for Northern Ireland to have EU regulations imposed upon us without our political institutions having any say in this process. This also must change. The EU must respect the principle of consent that it is at the heart of the Belfast & St Andrew’s agreements and the political institutions that were created under these accords.
4. Do you agree that if we can & do conduct checks on milk tankers & sheep crossing the NI-ROI border (at the points of origin & destinations) without a physical frontier then why can’t we do the same for sausages, cheese & flatscreen TV’s?
A: in principle, there is no reason why additional checks could not be carried out on the border between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland but in practice, there is already technology in existence and tracing systems that should largely reduce the need for such checks in the future. The UK Government, supported by unionists, have made clear that they do not desire to create a hard border between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland for these purposes and we hope that the EU will cooperate in putting in place practical solutions that will protect the integrity of their market and the UK internal market.
5. Are you aware the EU also has various pre clearance schemes around the world for regulatory checks & reducing agri-food SPS checks similar to how US customs & immigration run pre clearance in Dublin Airport. Instead of the protocol checking goods moving within the UK internal market should we not be using NI ports as a pre clearance point for goods destined for the Republic of Ireland/EU whilst goods remaining in Northern Ireland /UK internal market are free to circulate?
A: Yes, we would happily consider such a solution as it would respect the integrity of the UK internal market, whilst offering assurance to the EU about protecting the single market. It would remove internal barriers to trade within the UK.
6.Lord Frost recently highlighted that the EU have introduced 800 regulations that Northern Ireland must now comply with. Do you have any concerns on the democratic deficit of the Protocol? Neither Westminster or the Northern Ireland Assembly had sight of these regulations nor debated any of them. (We could see proxy representation via Dublin MEPs)
A: We believe that it is wrong for the EU to impose new laws and regulations on Northern Ireland without our elected representatives having any say in this process. This must be altered as a result of any new arrangements that are put in place so that there is democratic accountability and this democratic deficit is removed. The principle of consent and the need for cross community consensus in our political institutions must be fully respected by the EU.
7. Anything to add. .
A: The political progress that has been made in Northern Ireland is based upon a consensus approach to dealing with sensitive and divisive issues. The protocol is undoubtedly one such issue and the fact that not a single Unionist elected representative or party supports the protocol is proof in itself that the protocol arrangements are unacceptable and unsustainable. Without cross community support, the protocol will continue to harm political and economic stability in Northern Ireland. It will continue to result in a significant diversion of trade and loss harm the economic prospects for Northern Ireland. Peace and prosperity go hand in hand and because the protocol threatens the prosperity of Northern Ireland, then it also threatens peace and stability in Northern Ireland. That is why we believe that the protocol is unacceptable and the UK government must now take the necessary steps to introduce new measures that fully restore Northern Ireland’s place within the UK internal market and put right the harm that has been caused to the Union.
Sir Jeffrey Donaldson MP
Leader — Democratic Unionist Party
Sir Jeffrey Donaldson is the leader of the Democratic Unionist Party and has been the Member of Parliament for Lagan Valley since 1997. He is a former member of the Ulster Defence Regiment.
