Speech by TUV Cusher council candidate Keith Ratcliffe.
Conference, we all know that the Protocol has devastated local businesses in Northern Ireland by separating us from our largest market by far, Great Britain. The cold hard reality is that the Windsor Framework only ‘tinkers’ with the core economic issues. On the whole, it is style over substance and this is particularly the case with our trading arrangements. The core problem remains; we don’t have unfettered, free-moving trade between Great Britain and Northern Ireland thus ensuring that Ariticle 6 of the Acts of Union continues to be trashed.
I can speak with some authority on this issue because I am a business owner myself, with some 20 years experience. And through my business, I have experienced the pain of the protocol as a result of the significant cost which it has incurred for my business. It is for this reason that I really do believe in what I’m saying today.
Northern Ireland’s businesses shamefully still has cumbersome constraints placed upon them when attempting to trade within their own Country; the United Kingdom. For example, business must continue to make declarations whilst moving goods between GB and Northern Ireland, these declarations require 21 different data elements. Businesses must also join a ‘Trusted Trader Scheme’, which the EU can suspend at anytime. Does this sound like the Border has been abolished? Certainly not.
I want to briefly highlight three industries which have been devastated by the Protocol.
The first is the freight industry, which supplies all our goods from Great Britain. On last year’s canvass trail I spoke to a local haulage business owner who was forced to employ three extra staff just to manage the paperwork associated with the business declarations, at an additional cost of over £100k per annum to the business. Inevitably, these costs had to be passed to consumers, driving up the price of everyday items. The additional checks have resulted in significant delay in the delivery of goods, with lorries being stranded in GB, for up to 12 hours. This can have devastating effects particularly on goods, particularly if perishable. Yet, the great and the good tells us we are in an economic paradise as a result of the Protocol.
The second-hand car industry has been detrimentally impacted by the Protocol. Over night, around 40% of car part dealers in Great Britain stopped supplying to Northern Ireland once the Protocol came into force, again due to the onerous paperwork and its associated cost. The other 60% saw the gap in the market and simply doubled their prices as the demand grew. In order to transport a vehicle from GB, three declarations have to be completed which has driven up the market price of cars which again has resulted in the cost has been passed on to you and I. From now on, any cars coming into NI must meet EU specifications rather than UK specification, which is a lower spec. Not only will a car now cost you more but it will also be of a lower standard. Yet, some will try to tell you that the Protocol will mean you have more money in your pocket.
Finally, the agri-food industry has also been negatively affected by the iniquities of the Protocol. The agri-food industry in Northern Ireland consists of circa 20,000 farmers and represents a huge component of Northern Ireland’s economy, which turns over £4.5 billion every year. A significant part of the sector relies on the transport going to GB marts for sale. As a result of the Protocol, we are now in the ridiculous position which means that any livestock not sold must be quarantined for 6 months which is completely unworkable and is destroying agri-food trade. Yet we are told we have the best of both worlds.
Let me address this claim that the Protocol gives Northern Ireland the best of both worlds. In light of what I have just stated, it is an absolutely ridiculous claim to make. Regardless of how many times this myth is repeated, it will not replenish the money lost from the pockets of consumers.
The Windsor Framework is a spoof and the Tory’s sleight of hand and honeyed words does not change that fact. Nor does the ravings of the rigorous implementers.
Northern Ireland’s economy continues to realign with the Republic of Ireland, whilst moving away from the economy of the United Kingdom. We are moving from the 6th biggest economy in the world to the 29th. You do the maths.
This is clearly bad business and it is one key reason of many whilst we must continue the battle against the profitless protocol.