Commenting on reports that the Government has postponed indefinitely plans to introduce “not for EU” meat and dairy labelling TUV MP for North Antrim Jim Allister said:
“The imposition of Not for EU labels on any part of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland on the basis that the EU has divided our country into two through the imposition of an international SPS border courtesy of EU Regulation 2023/1231 (referenced sixed times in the draft GB ‘Not for EU’ Regulations) actively disrespects the territorial integrity of the UK.
“It is not for the EU27, if they wish to abide by the norms of international relations, to pass legislation first dividing our country into two and then governing the movement of goods from one part to the other, and yet that is what regulation 1231 does. The UK Government should require, as would any other self-respecting state, that the EU27 recognise the territorial integrity of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
“The civic implications of the Government’s not doing so are unthinkable but lest it should be tempted by such a feeble policy it should know that in this context anything less than the imposition of Not for EU labels across the whole country would be unthinkable because failure to make this demand would further undermine UK (GB – NI) trade. I hope that the Government will take a longer view, demand the removal of the border and fully re-enfranchise the people of Northern Ireland.’