Statement by TUV leader Jim Allister:-
“It is time to debunk the dishonest pretence – much peddled by Remainers and their media acolytes – that the Belfast Agreement is a barrier to a complete Brexit.
“I have much of an adverse nature to say about the Belfast Agreement, but there is nothing in it which impedes Brexit.
“Its three strands can operate whether or not the UK is in the EU, nor is it premised on EU membership. Hence the High Court ruling that Brexit is not incompatible with the Belfast Agreement – a ruling many conveniently ignore. The strands dealing with North/South and East/West cooperation are focused on exactly that, cooperation, not convergence.
“There is not a single mention of regulatory alignment in the entire Belfast Agreement. Thus, regulatory divergence is compatible with its operation.
“So, away with this nonsense that the Belfast Agreement is threatened by or is an impediment to Brexit. From my anti-Belfast Agreement perspective I have to say that sadly it is not.
“Let’s have some honesty from Remainers who love to cloak themselves as defenders of an Agreement which is agnostic on whether its cooperating target countries are within or outside the EU.
“If the Republic of Ireland also saw the wisdom of leaving the EU would anyone still contend the Belfast Agreement was at risk? Of course not, because it is not dependent on EU membership by either party.”