MP quashes Northern Ireland ‘quit’ rumours

By Connor Steel

HOME SECRETARY Suella Braverman has played down media suggestions she could resign over potential changes to the Northern Ireland Protocol as she participated in a live interview with GB News (February 22); coming hours after Prime Minster Rishi Sunak offered MPs an update on European Union (EU) negotiations.

It comes as the PM visited Northern Ireland during the Parliamentary recess last week to discuss the current arrangements, which were negotiated by Boris Johnson and came into effect two years ago. It has seen the country follow limited EU laws in order to reduce a need for checks at the UK border with Republic of Ireland.

However this “trading agreement” has caused tension with the Government wanting to create green and red “lanes” for goods imported from the UK into Northern Ireland. Green lanes would be used for trusted traders transporting goods only into Northern Ireland and would be exempt from all border checks / custom controls, whilst in contrast red lanes would be used for products going to Republic of Ireland and fellow EU countries.

The UK Government are furthermore looking to change tax rules for businesses in Northern Ireland, that are currently following the EU regulations on state aid and VAT. They are also asking for an independent body to settle future legal disputes over the Northern Ireland protocol instead of the European Court of Justice (ECJ).

But political parties in Northern Ireland are divided with the DUP arguing that EU laws have been imposed on the country with “democratic scrutiny or consent” and this must be changed. They also oppose the UK “lane” proposals as it could create an “invisible border” across the Irish Sea, which they argue risks the sovereignty of Northern Ireland and its place in the union; continuing to prevent a devolved Government within Stormont.

The EU have said they are unprepared to make major changes to the protocol but did approve to talks about certain factors, including reducing paperwork and reducing customs / checks on goods. Negotiations started in June last year on the Northern Ireland protocol and the parties are hoping to conclude the process by mid April, which will mark the twenty-fifth anniversary of the historic Good Friday Agreement signed back in 1998.

With a deal due in the coming weeks there have been suggestions of multiple Government resignations if it doesn’t match demands from Brexiteer MPs. One of these key names is the Fareham MP who resigned her role under Theresa May over Brexit and was a high profile member of the European Research Group (ERG).

Members of the ERG have expressed their concerns about any new deal and sources say they are prepared to quit as ministers in protest if required, with this subject discussed in a televised interview between the MP and GB News. In response Ms Braverman said: “I do not think we need to be talking about resignation. I’ve taken a very forthright position in the past because I’ve found the terms of previous agreements intolerable.”