After speaking out against Irish Sea Border legislation last week and forcing a division yesterday, Jim Allister, Leader of the TUV hails the vote a significant moment in the fight against the Irish Sea Border. Mr Allister said:
“It is vital that we force votes of all legislation that gives effect to the construction of the Irish Sea Border, regardless of numbers, because anything less communicates the message that we are prepared to live with the Irish Sea Border dividing our country.
“In the context of Labour’s massive majority, I never expected to win. That wasn’t the point.
“Rather Northern Ireland unionist MPs needed to demonstrate that Northern Ireland has not given up and has the resolve to continue as part of the United Kingdom, despite the best efforts of the EU.
“In taking that stand yesterday a significant moment was reached.
“Whereas up until that point it has never been possible to persuade more than 30 MPs (including those of us from Northern Ireland) to stand with Northern Ireland on border legislation, yesterday we broke through what had felt like a glass ceiling and more than doubled that number to 77.
“I am particularly grateful to the Leader of the Opposition Kemi Badenoch and the Leader of Reform Nigel Farage for their support for Northern Ireland.
“The injustice of the Irish Sea Border both constitutionally and economically render it morally completely unsustainable.
“Our task responding to this is twofold. First, we must call out and expose this injustice and never seek to accommodate it. Second, we must provide a viable alternative which is what I am doing through my Mutual Enforcement Bill.
“My Bill makes provision for the customs and SPS aspects of the border to pertain to the international border with the Republic of Ireland, but without infrastructure along the border.
“In so doing it makes provision for the re-enfranchisement of the people of Northern Ireland and it respects the territorial integrity of the UK, while avoiding a hard border.”
Ends
Notes to Editors
The legislation in question was the Official Controls (Amendment) Regulations 2024
The Division list can be accessed here.
The Regulations are unacceptable because:
1. They treat Northern Ireland as a ‘third country’ in relation to Great Britain, i.e. as a foreign country, disrespecting the territorial integrity of the United Kingdom, with far reaching constitutional implications for us all.
2. They make provision for a soft border in relation to goods coming from the Republic of Ireland and wider EU into Great Britain via Northern Ireland and in doing so remove the rationale for the Irish Sea Border which was that there was need for a hard border and that this could not happen on the international border.
More information about Mr Allister’s Mutual Enforcement Bill can be found at www.restoretheunion.co.uk