DUP repeats threat to collapse Stormont over NI protocol

The leader of the Democratic Unionist Party, Sir Jeffrey Donaldson, has written to DUP members to reiterate his threat to collapse Stormont if the Irish Sea border is not removed.

In the letter, Sir Jeffrey said: “Last Tuesday, I met with Lord Frost, the UK negotiator on the NI Protocol, and on Wednesday, I was challenging the prime minister in the House of Commons about the lack of movement on the Irish Sea border being removed”.

“The prime minister must realise that if there is no progress then, as I said, on September 9th our continued participation in political institutions [Stormont] that are being used to impose the protocol is not sustainable”, he added. 

On Wednesday, Prime Minister Boris Johnson told Mr Donaldson that he believed the NI Protocol could be worked “differently”, but that the EU was not yet convinced. He did not rule out the use of Article 16 if talks with the EU do not progress.

PM Johnson has frequently warned that the UK government will trigger Article 16 to suspend elements of the protocol if progress is not made. But Mr Donaldson, along with others in the DUP, are concerned that Mr Johnson is yet to follow through with that threat.

The triggering of Article 16 would allow parts of the controversial NI 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”. However, there is no specific guidance on what qualifies as a “serious” difficulty.