‘Don’t sign anything!’ Ireland warns against trade deals with UK over Cummings’ claims

Brexit: 'Big confrontation ahead' on NI protocol says expert

We use your sign-up to provide content in ways you’ve consented to and to improve our understanding of you. This may include adverts from us and 3rd parties based on our understanding. You can unsubscribe at any time. More info

The former government special advisor claimed that Boris Johnson always intended to “ditch bits” of the Brexit trade deal. In a series of tweets, the Downing Street and Vote Leave adviser said they “wriggled through with [the] best option we could” and “prioritised” getting a Brexit deal. He said he “always intended an [Internal Markets Bill] after we won a majority to tidy things up”.

In response, Ireland’s deputy premier has warned political leaders not to enter any agreements with the British Government until they are confident they will keep to their promises.

Leo Varadkar made the comment after Mr Cummings indicated that it is not the British Government’s intention to keep to the Brexit deal.

“I saw those comments; I hope Dominic Cummings is speaking for himself and not for the British Government,” the Tanaiste told RTE Morning Ireland.

“But those comments are very alarming because that would indicate that this is a Government, an administration, that acted in bad faith and that message needs to be heard around the world.

“If the British Government doesn’t honour its agreements, it doesn’t adhere to treaties it signs, that must apply to everyone else too.

“At the moment they’re going around the world, they’re trying to negotiate new trade agreements… Surely the message must go out to all countries around the world that this is a British Government that doesn’t necessarily keep its word and doesn’t necessarily honour the agreements it makes.

“And you shouldn’t make any agreements with them until such time as you’re confident that they keep their promises, and honour things, for example, like the protocol.”

It comes as the EU Commission prepares to put to Britain today a package of measures to ease the transit of goods to Northern Ireland, while stopping short of the overhaul London is demanding of post-Brexit trading rules for the province.

The EU executive’s measures are designed to ease customs controls, such as the clearance of meat, dairy and other food products and the flow of medicines to the British province from the UK mainland.

However, it will not open up for renegotiation the protocol governing Northern Ireland’s unique trading position, leaving Brussels and London on a potential collision course.

Maros Sefcovic, the commission vice-president in charge of EU-UK relations, will present the plans to EU countries and to members of the European Parliament on Wednesday afternoon before a news conference.

The commission will also set out plans to engage more with people in Northern Ireland.

DON’T MISS:
Thousands could miss out on state pension due to Brexit [INSIGHT]
Brexit POLL: Should Boris trigger EU nuclear option? [POLL]
Brexit LIVE: EU tears itself apart over Frost’s demands [LIVE BLOG]

Oliver Dowden, the co-chairman of Britain’s ruling Conservative Party, said the British government would engage fully and constructively with the European Union on the proposals, adding that the steps he had read about so far were “welcome”.

“We will look at them and engage properly with them,” he told Sky News, while also saying it was important there was “fundamental change” to the protocol.

Irish Prime Minister Micheal Martin told Newstalk radio station that the EU had listened to legitimate concerns about the protocol and was in “solution mode” and the British government had a responsibility to be in that mode too.

“It takes two to tango,” he said.

The proposals could enable supermarkets to supply Northern Irish stores with sausages and other chilled meat products from Britain that are banned from entry into the European Union – and so in theory into Northern Ireland.

While remaining part of the United Kingdom, Northern Ireland has stayed in the EU’s single market for goods, meaning its exports to the rest of the bloc face no customs checks, tariffs or paperwork.

Sefcovic has said the arrangement allows Northern Irish businesses to enjoy the best of both worlds. However, the result is an effective customs border in the Irish Sea, disturbing trade from Britain to Northern Ireland and angering the province’s pro-British unionists.

Under the commission’s plans, British sausages, for example, would be allowed into Northern Ireland as long as they were solely intended for Northern Irish consumers.

“That’s our proposal. We will put it on the table. If this is rejected, then indeed we have a problem,” Sefcovic said in comments last week.

British Brexit Minister David Frost said in a speech on Tuesday that London would be ready to discuss the proposals “whatever they say”, but also demanded a new “forward-looking” protocol, one without oversight from European judges.

The EU has said it cannot see how a body other than the EU’s top court could rule on the EU single market.

Source: Read Full Article