The Democratic Unionist Party have slammed remarks made by US Congress Speaker Nancy Pelosi regarding the Northern Ireland Protocol.
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
Pelosi said yesterday that Congress will refuse to back a US-UK free trade agreement should Westminster push on with “deeply concerning” proposals to “unilaterally discard” the Northern Ireland Protocol.
Pelosi stressed that the “Good Friday Accords are the bedrock of peace in Northern Ireland and a beacon of hope for the world. Ensuring there is no physical border between the Irish Republic and Northern Ireland is necessary for upholding this landmark agreement, which transformed Northern Ireland.”
Liz Truss has said the UK intends to bring forward changes to the Northern Ireland Protocol, should EU negotiations continue to stall.
DUP leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson hit back at Pelosi’s remarks, arguing that if she wishes to honour the Good Friday Agreement, “she needs to recognise that it is the protocol that is harming and undermining the agreement and that is why we need to deal with it”.
Speaking to the BBC, Donaldson went on: “We will not re-enter the political institutions in full until we see decisive action taken on the protocol, that is the mandate I sought from the people of Northern Ireland and on the strength of the votes that we received we have made clear to the Government that decisive action is required.”
Northern Ireland minister Conor Burns said following Pelosi’s remarks that while the UK remains eager for an FTA, “there can be no connection between that and doing the right thing for NI”.
In this month’s Northern Ireland Assembly elections, Irish nationalist party Sinn Féin became the largest party for the first time in its history, with the DUP coming runners up.
While Sinn Féin was once firmly opposed to the European Union, it is now in favour of keeping the Protocol the UK negotiated with the bloc in place.
However a functioning Executive is yet to be formed in Northern Ireland, as the DUP are refusing to nominate deputy ministers until “decisive action” is taken on the Protocol.
Sinn Féin’s vice president Michelle O’Neil has accused the DUP of “denying democracy” ahead of this afternoon’s talks with Irish Taoiseach Micheal Martin.
