Commenting after the Joint Committee’s non- statement, TUV leader Jim Allister said:-
“It is now abundant clear that the EU has no intention of relinquishing its ill-gotten sovereignty over Northern Ireland and that the British Government is being strung along while all the time the Protocol beds in further. This is Brussels strategy which HMG needs to stop playing along with.
“Tinkering is of no interest to anyone unalterably opposed to the iniquitous Protocol, because such does not address the fundamental, namely, that we have been colonised into the EU, subject to their foreign laws and court, with GB treated in terms of our economy and trade as a ‘third country’.
“Such can never be made acceptable to anyone with the least unionist convictions.
“Ironically the statement talks about engagement with the Northern Ireland Executive – an Executive which cannot meet because of the resignation of the First Minister because of the Protocol!
“Whereas action under Art 16 has long been justified, no one should be conned into thinking it provides a longterm solution. It merely pauses selected aspects which are then subjected to up to another two years of ‘negotiations’.
“The Protocol must go, no ifs, no buts.”