Supreme Court appeal against NI protocol dismissed

A Supreme Court challenge to the post-Brexit Northern Ireland Protocol trade arrangements was unanimously dismissed, meaning the court has ruled the protocol is lawful.

Responding to the news, DUP leader Jeffery Donaldson said the case illustrated why unionists oppose the trade deals.

Jeffrey, who attended the sentencing hearing in London, said: “A solution to the protocol would never be found in court, but the cases have helped to demonstrate some of the reasons why unionists have consistently opposed the protocol.

“The government must take into account this ruling and its own arguments in court and take the necessary steps to replace the protocol with agreements that trade unionists can support. The Protocol poses an existential threat to Northern Ireland’s future within the Union. The longer the Protocol lasts, the more damaging it will be to the Union itself.

“The controls at the Irish Sea border are symptomatic of the underlying problem, which is that Northern Ireland is subject to a different set of laws imposed on us by a foreign body without a say or vote from an elected representative of the people of Northern Ireland.

“More than eighteen months ago we outlined the parameters for further action. We have defined our tests and these remain our benchmark for measuring any EU-UK deal.

“Political progress in Northern Ireland was hard won and built on support from unionists and nationalists. Not a single union MLA or MP supports the protocol. The idea that one section of our people will dominate the other and ignore unionist concerns is the opposite of power-sharing and will never produce lasting or balanced results.

“There will be no solid basis for an Executive and Assembly until Protocol is replaced with regulations that restore NI’s place in the UK internal market and respect our constitutional rules.”