Northern Ireland

UUP pledges no further support for schemes that 'embed the protocol'

Jamie Bryson said Sir Jeffrey Donaldson had assured him that he would personally intervene to try to reverse the measures
Jamie Bryson said Sir Jeffrey Donaldson had assured him that he would personally intervene to try to reverse the measures Jamie Bryson said Sir Jeffrey Donaldson had assured him that he would personally intervene to try to reverse the measures

THE Ulster Unionist Party has said it will "not support a further scheme which would embed the protocol" in the wake of revelations showing councillors backed measures enabling EU oversight of the post-Brexit trade arrangements.

It emerged this week that each of the north's 11 councils had implemented a scheme that will "enhance their provision to operationalise the Northern Ireland Protocol".

The revelation on the Unionist Voice website caused embarrassment for the DUP, which is boycotting the Stormont institutions in protest at the protocol.

Website host Jamie Bryson claimed he had received a personal assurance from DUP leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson that the Lagan Valley MP would personally intervene to try to reverse the measures, which see each local authority undertake to “carry out risk-based market surveillance interventions on goods throughout the supply chain” and to “manage and act on intelliegence”.

The objective of the scheme, which has been operating for up to three years in some council areas, is to “co-operate and coordinate market surveillance activity across Northern Ireland to ensure compliance with EU regulatory requirements”.

TUV councillor Stephen Cooper has criticised his UUP and DUP counterparts for not stopping the measures.

"No unionist should have ever supported its passage through council," he said.

The Orange Order, which seemingly only became aware of the measures through news reports, said they would "continue to damage the integrity of the union, both economically and constitutionally”.

It called on all elected unionist representatives to "do all within their power to halt any council policy or contact that gives succour to the protocol in any shape or form".

"It must be the aim of every unionist - elected and unelected - to oppose and frustrate the protocol by any lawful means," a statement from the Grand Lodge of Ireland said.

An Ulster Unionist Party spokesperson said: "Ulster Unionist councillors along with other councillors have a difficult job ensuring we maintain our place within the UK single market while ensuring the Northern Ireland protocol is not embedded here.

"Things have changed since 2020 when this scheme first appeared and negotiations, which we have always advocated, could potentially find a solution around the protocol issue. Taking this into account as a party we would not support a further scheme which would embed the protocol."