Statement by TUV East Belfast candidate John Ross:
“Bertie Ahern’s insulting dismissal of the people of East Belfast reeks of sectarianism and is grossly insulting.
“Not only that but it is wrong in point of fact. Ordinary loyalists have grasped the reality of the Protocol to an extent I only wish Unionist politicians could.
“If Ahern wants to find an example of someone who “hasn’t got a clue” about the Protocol he would be better looking for someone foolish enough to actually believe his claim that the Protocol is just related to trade.
“The core issue when it come to the Protocol is constitutional. It leaves Northern Ireland in a foreign single market, subject to foreign laws we do not make and overseen by a foreign court. The High Court has already found that Article Six of the Acts of Union is incompatible with the Protocol.
“The only unintelligent people – to use the former Irish Prime Minister’s terminology – in this debate are those fool enough to swallow Ahern’s propaganda on this matter.”