Statement by TUV leader Jim Allister:
“The DUP leader’s threat to bring down the institutions in his meeting with Mr Šefčovič unless the Sea Border is removed is decidedly hollow. His deadline for action by the end of October passed without action. Every day that the Protocol remains in operation Northern Ireland’s place in the Union is further undermined and the all-Ireland economy continues to bed in.
“A year ago this week DUP MLAs trooped though the lobbies to vote for the legislation necessary for much of the Protocol to operate. Edwin Poots has built the infrastructure which partitions us from the rest of the U.K. Day and daily the Poots’ Posts operate.
“Earlier this week the Health Minister confirmed in response to a question from myself that the First Minister signed off on appointments to various North-South bodies thus permitting them to operate and making a farce of the DUP boycott.
“All of that sends entirely the wrong message to the EU and to Westminster.
“The time for words and threats is long past. The time for due serious, sustained and robust political action was months ago. If the price of the institutions is operating the Union dismantling Protocol then the price – as should have been clear a year ago – is one no Unionist should pay.”