The Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) MP Sammy Wilson has said he does not think a deal on the Northern Ireland Protocol will be reached this week. In an interview with Sky News, he expressed concern that the UK government had taken an attitude of defeat in its talks with the EU. Wilson also stated that his party would not accept any agreement that would leave Northern Ireland subject to EU laws.
In response to this, Maroš Šefčovič, the EU’s chief negotiator, is set to meet with James Cleverly and Chris Heaton-Harris, the UK Foreign Secretary and Northern Ireland’s Secretary of State, respectively. Tánaiste (Irish Deputy Prime Minister) Micheál Martin commented that it was time to put “power-play” aside and focus on getting a solution for the people of Northern Ireland.
The UK and EU have been in negotiations for over a year to resolve issues with the protocol, a set of post-Brexit trade rules for Northern Ireland. Despite sources suggesting a deal could be sealed this week, it now appears unlikely that anything will be announced until mid-week at the earliest.
Martin met with Šefčovič on Sunday night for an update on the negotiations. He noted that the pace of talks had not slowed and that Prime Minister Rishi Sunak had taken a more “problem-solving approach” than his predecessors in Number 10.
The protocol has caused controversy as it has resulted in checks on goods travelling from Great Britain to Northern Ireland. Unionist parties argue that placing an effective trade border across the Irish Sea undermines Northern Ireland’s place within the UK. The DUP is refusing to take part in Northern Ireland’s power-sharing government until its concerns are addressed. However, a majority of members of the Stormont assembly are in favour of the protocol in some form remaining in place. Sinn Féin, the Alliance Party and the SDLP have said improvements to the protocol are needed to ease its implementation.
In conclusion, it appears unlikely that a deal on the Northern Ireland Protocol will be reached this week, despite sources suggesting otherwise. The DUP is still refusing to take part in power-sharing government until its concerns are addressed, while a majority of members of the Stormont assembly are in favour of the protocol in some form remaining in place. It is clear that both sides must put “power-play” aside and focus on getting a solution for the people of Northern Ireland.