Statement by TUV leader Jim Allister:-
“At one level the surrender of U.K. fishing waters for another 12 years to the EU is the most vivid illustration of the government’s agenda to sabotage Brexit.
“The deal copper-fastens NI as EU territory. It is notable the SPS deal would be between EU and GB – simply because NI has already been captured by the EU.
“As for seeking to mitigate some of the damage of surrendering sovereignty over NI in the Protocol by doing the same for GB, in terms of being a supplicant rule-taker from Brussels, this too is edging the whole UK back into the EU’s orbit of control.
“But in regard to the spin of diminishing the Irish Sea border, the key points are these:-
NI remains wholly subject to the EU Customs Code; there is no diminution of the customs border and its intrusive and expensive paperwork.
Indeed, EU Regulation 2017/615, which treats NI as EU territory and GB as foreign/third country, seems unaffected, meaning EU tariffs and checks still apply – in fact the government continues to spend £190m building border posts at our ports. Without removal of NI from the ambit of EU 2017/625, the Irish Sea border stays!
The recently imposed and trade-stifling parcel border remains.
The transfer of non-food goods from GB to NI is wholly untouched by the deal.
“The promise of Brexit was ‘taking back control’; today was about giving back control in GB to Brussels, and paying for the privilege!”