Speaking to Lagan Valley TUV annual fundraising dinner on Friday evening, Jim Allister said the Supreme Court determination that a key portion of Art 6 of the Acts of Union is in suspension, because the Protocol overrides it, leaves no room for doubt as to the constitutional crisis we now face.
“The Union has two key components. It is a political union with one sovereign parliament, as established by the Acts of Union, and it is an economic union, as established by Article 6. Art 6 guaranteed unfettered trade between and within all parts of the U.K. by reason of a common customs zone and single market.
“Now, the highest court in the land has decreed that the Protocol trumps Article 6 and that its guarantee of unfettered trade in goods from GB to NI is in suspension because the Protocol places our trade in goods under foreign EU law and customs rules. It doesn’t get more Union-dismantling than that!
“The Union as established in this key trading dimension for over 200 years is gone. That is not a challenge it is a crisis!
“When allied with the fact that NI is now subject to the laws of a foreign legislature, the reality of constitutional change is undeniable. Yet, the Supreme Court confirms such salami slicing of the Union is lawful and unaided by the supposed protection of the Belfast Agreement principle of constitutional change only with consent. The much relied upon ‘consent principle’ in the Belfast Agreement has proved to be a fraud and a deceit.
“Faced with such dismantling of the Union, Unionists, more than ever, must use the political leverage to hand. That means that so long as key parts of the Acts of Union are in suspension, then so too is Stormont. To operate Stormont now is to operate the Protocol, implement the Irish Sea border and meekly accept the suspension of the very foundation of the Union.
“No unionist can do that and none now can pretend anything short of the full restoration of the Acts of Union is capable of reactivating Stormont. This is the common ground which should unite all unionists. I trust it does.”