Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) leader Jeffrey Donaldson said on Thursday that if there were no solutions to the post-Brexit Northern Ireland Protocol to be found within a matter of weeks, his ministers would pull out of the shared devolved government
LONDON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 09th September, 2021) Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) leader Jeffrey Donaldson said on Thursday that if there were no solutions to the post-Brexit Northern Ireland Protocol to be found within a matter of weeks, his ministers would pull out of the shared devolved government.
"Let me be clear: if the choice is ultimately between remaining in office or implementing the Protocol in its present form, then the only option for any Unionist Minister would be to cease to hold such office," Donaldson said in a keynote speech delivered in Belfast and posted on the party's website.
As part of the Brexit agreement, Northern Ireland remained in the European single market and customs unions after the UK left the bloc for good on December 31, 2020.
Although there is no hard border between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland, under the Protocol all goods and animal-based products coming from the rest of the British territories must be checked upon arrival in Northern Ireland to comply with EU sanitary regulations, leading to delays in the arrival of products and protests from Unionists who fear their close ties with London might be damaged.
The DUP leader said his ministers would also seek to block additional checks at the ports and will boycott North-South meetings of ministers until the party's concerns are addressed.
According to the Belfast Telegraph, the independence party Sinn Fein, which shares power with the Unionists, branded the DUP leader's comments reckless and irresponsible, while the Social Democratic and Labour Party called them naïve.
Donaldson's threats come as European Commission Vice-President Maros Sefcovic arrived in Belfast on Thursday for a two-day visit to discuss the functioning of the Brexit agreement with local politicians, civil society and business representatives, following the British government's unilateral decision to extend the grace period of the Northern Ireland Protocol.
