UK Government more interested in continued confrontation than seeking solutions, says Farry

The UK Government is more interested in continued confrontation than seeking solutions over the Northern Ireland Protocol, Alliance Deputy Leader Stephen Farry MP has said.

Dr Farry was speaking after Brexit Minister Lord Frost proposed plans for an entirely new Protocol, aiming to replace the existing version on Tuesday afternoon. The North Down MP said it showed “another layer of delusion”.

“It is clear Lord Frost is more interested in continued confrontation than seeking solutions. Rather than await the proposals from the European Commission on Wednesday, he has chosen to enter into another layer of delusion,” he said.

“Brexit was imposed on Northern Ireland against the will of a majority of people. With any hard Brexit, some form of special arrangements were inevitable to address the particular challenges of a society that only works on the basis of sharing and interdependence.

“The Protocol is the product of the choices made by the UK Government. Indeed, it is the product of Boris Johnson and Lord Frost directly.

“Short of the UK rejoining the Customs Union and Single Market, there is no alternative than for the UK to work with the EU in a spirit of partnership to achieve as many mitigations and flexibilities as possible.”