The Democratic Unionist party has launched an official and coordinated campaign to get the Northern Ireland protocol scrapped from the Brexit agreement. It marks a rapid escalation of tensions with Boris Johnson who was swept to power on the back of an “oven ready” Brexit deal that included a trade barrier down the Irish sea the DUP opposed. In a statement, the Democratic Unionists vowed to actively oppose at every opportunity any negative measures, laws or bills that continue to flow from the protocol and which undermine Northern Ireland’s place in the UK internal market. And they put Dublin and London on notice that the party will not participate in any talks with the Irish government related to the protocol warning ominously that “north south relations will be impacted”. Using the slogan “restore our place in the UK internal market”, it said it will “work with other unionists to send a united message” to Johnson. It also vowed to “oppose any protocol related measures” in Stormont that undermine the internal market and would launch an e-petition with the ambition of securing enough signatures to force a debate on the issue in parliament.
DUP leader Arlene Foster will have a virtual meeting with the prime minister on Wednesday in addition to a conference call with the Cabinet Office minister Michael Gove and the European commission vice-president Maroš Šefčovič. Up to now Foster has largely been preoccupied by the Covid crisis at home leaving the anti-protocol protests to Westminster DUP MPs including Ian Paisley. But the EU’s decision on Friday to trigger, and quickly revoke, article 16 of the protocol to as part of a vaccines trade war has united and emboldened the Westminster and domestic leadership. The DUP statement claimed that the EU’s move revealed that its commitment to the Good Friday Agreement institutions were not borne out of political opportunism. Behind the scenes briefings have also been taking place with the European Research Group with individual MPs such as Sir Bernard Jenkins expressing great interest in the cause. The launch of their Brexit battle came at the end of a day when Michael Gove vowed to work with the EU to bring an end to some of the Brexit issues that have caused upset in the wider NI community including new rules on pet transport and plant imports from English garden centres. He also said he would address the looming end to a three month grace period for checks on certain goods including chilled meats such as British sausages and large supermarket consignments. “We do need to make sure that supermarkets and other traders can continue, as they are at the moment, to be able to supply consumers with the goods that they need.” Gove admitted damage had been done but said the backtracking on Article 16 showed they had simply “mucked up”. However the DUP maintains the EU’s move has caused lasting harm and “compounded the notion that the EU is playing fast and loose with Northern Ireland, attempting on the one hand to require the UK Government to enforce its obligations whilst being prepared to waive elements of the protocol when it suits the needs of the EU”. “This is unsustainable,” it said.