Speaking ahead of the Prime Minister’s discussions with President Trump North Antrim MP Jim Allister said:
“Although we are entering unchartered territory, we have to assume for now that if President Trump proceeds with his 25% tariff on the EU that this will apply to Northern Ireland since the courts have ruled that we are part of the EU Customs territory.
“This is something the Prime Minister, if he cared about Northern Ireland, should discuss with President Trump when he sees him later today. However, as Prime Minister his first job should be to reclaim sovereignty over Northern Ireland and thereby remove us from this bind of being within the EU’s customs control.
“A 25% tariff would have a devastating effect on Northern Ireland exporters.
“This provides yet another object lesson in the fact that, despite all talk of ‘having got Brexit done’ this is a fallacy.
“Part of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland remains in the EU.
“The answer to this development is not for the UK Government to effectively apply the costs of the tariff to the whole UK and refund Northern Ireland businesses the difference.
“It is rather that they stand up for the people of the whole United Kingdom and explain to the EU that an arrangement that disrespects the territorial integrity of the UK, that disenfranchises 1.9 million UK citizens, that causes trade diversion in violation of Article 16 of the Windsor Framework, and that has the effect of leaving any part of the UK vulnerable to 25% US tariffs cannot be allowed to continue.”