UK proposals on protocol a breach of trust and international law

Labour spokesperson on Foreign and EU Affairs, Brendan Howlin TD said:

“The latest stunt by the UK government on the Northern Ireland protocol has the potential to seriously damage the peace process in Northern Ireland, fundamentally damage east-west relations, and undermine efforts to build trust between the UK and EU.

“If the Foreign Secretary moves ahead with this naked political posturing then it would be a breach of international law, and critically undermine efforts to normalise the post-Brexit trade landscape on our islands.

“It is crystal clear that political solutions can be found to outstanding issues with the protocol, but that the UK have no interest in using dialogue and negotiation to achieve that.

“The Prime Minister and Foreign Secretary are using the Good Friday Agreement as an excuse for their latest appeal to Brexit hardliners in the Conservative Party, having created this problem in the first place along with the DUP by pursing the hardest of Brexits.

“Unilateral action will not help resolve this, or appease the demands of the DUP, instead it will foster more problems for Northern Ireland.”