Statement by TUV leader Jim Allister:-
“Remember how Sir Jeffrey boasted he had dealt with the application of EU law? Well, someone had better tell the DUP’s executive colleague, the Economy minister, because he has just answered an Assembly Question from me detailing 86 different EU laws that continue to impact on his portfolio. Considering this is the Economy department, this EU rule cuts to the very heart of what matters.
“These are laws all beyond the reach of the so called Stormont Brake, because they are imposed directly by the unaltered Protocol.
“They are not incidental matters, but dictate in detail with how we manufacture and market our goods, be it machinery, textiles or anything else. They control what can and can’t be done. They micromanage our economy with the identical laws as the Republic and with inevitable alignment consequences.
“But the most constitutionally dire EU law, that this answer confirms still applies, is that which imposes the EU Customs Code (EU 952/2013). It is this on which the Irish Sea border is predicated, because this Customs Code requires GB to be treated as a third/foreign country. It doesn’t get anymore Union-dismantling than that! Yet all this still stands and now the DUP is implementing the Protocol on that basis. Well done Jeffrey!”
The full text of Mr Allister’s question and the Minister’s answer is online here.