SDLP South Belfast MLA Matthew O’Toole has called on Foreign Secretary Liz Truss to reengage with the European Union rather than pursuing the divisive and illegal plan to disapply the Northern Ireland Protocol at Westminster.
The SDLP’s Brexit Spokesperson said that legal action taken by the European Commission today was a predictable response to the British Government’s rogue actions over the last week.
Matthew O’Toole MLA said:
“Boris Johnson’s government is at risk of becoming a domestic and international pariah administration. Casual law breaking in Downing Street appears to have been a taster for full scale default on obligations entered into by this government only two years ago which will result in a significant breach of international law. For Johnson to cite the Good Friday Agreement, a peace accord rooted in internationalism and multilateral support for the democratic settlement in Northern Ireland, as an excuse for his behaviour is brass necked dissembling on an industrial scale.
“There is no one in Northern Ireland whose life has been made easier by the cynical skirmishes that the UK Government is setting up with the European Commission. Abusing the delicate and sensitive balance of the political settlement here in order to create political wedge issues for selfish gain is unforgivable.
“The Commission has again published further detail on their proposals to make the Protocol work in the interests of all sides today. Instead of pursuing a divisive, illegal and diplomacy shattering piece of legislation at Westminster, Liz Truss should reengage with Maroš Šefčovič’s team to build on the proposals published today. Unilateral action has never succeeded in Northern Ireland. It is literally the prime lesson of our peace process.”