Conservative backbencher ‘glad’ the UK is ready to trigger Article 16

Conservative backbencher John Redwood has said he is ‘glad’ the UK is reportedly ready to trigger Article 16 of the Northern Ireland Protocol.

He wrote via Twitter this morning: “Glad to read the U.K. is getting ready to trigger Article 16 to start to sort out GB/NI trade. The government must show how the EU has trashed the Agreement by diverting trade and by its absurdly disproportionate action on the GB/ NI border against our internal trade.”

The Protocol was implemented to prevent a hard border between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland in the wake of Brexit by keeping Northern Ireland in the EU’s single market for goods. It has been heavily criticised by unionist groups for allegedly undermining the union between Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK, which remains outside the EU customs union.

The triggering of Article 16 would allow parts of the protocol to be unilaterally suspended. The Article is intended to be a “safeguard” if either the EU or UK believe that Protocol is leading to “serious” practical problems or a diversion of trade — “economic, societal or environmental difficulties”. There is no specific guidance on what qualifies as a “serious” difficulty.