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THE UK IS damaging itself to appease the EU, DUP leader Arlene Foster has claimed.
Foster wants the post-Brexit Northern Ireland Protocol to be replaced because of disruption to trade from Great Britain to the region.
She said some parcels were still not getting through and major retailers like John Lewis were not delivering despite an extension to light-touch regulation in some areas until October.
The Stormont First Minister said: “There is damage happening to the Belfast Agreement and its successor agreement.
“It has also damaged the UK internal market by putting in place a system to protect the EU single market.
“What we are doing is damaging our own country.”
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson was in “listening mode” as he visited Northern Ireland on Friday and met business leaders and the First Minister to hear their concerns about trade.
Deputy First Minister Michelle O’Neill refused to meet him.
Stormont’s Agriculture Minister has stalled work on permanent border checkpoints for food entering through Northern Ireland’s ports from the rest of the UK.
Foster told Times Radio: “The Agriculture Minister (Edwin Poots) is looking at all of these issues.
“He is taking legal advice and speaking to officials as to what needs to be done.”
She said food from Great Britain heading for Northern Ireland, like lasagne, would be marked for sale in sterling so posed no risk of entering the Republic of Ireland where euros are used.
She said the EU was imposing third-party checks, similar to if somewhere like China wanted to send goods into its single market.
The DUP leader added: “It is completely disproportionate to what is necessary.”
The Northern Ireland Assembly will be able to vote on whether to scrap the protocol in 2024.
Foster said it needed to take action sooner because the economy was suffering.
She added: “We need replacement of the protocol and a much more sensible way to deal with the risk to the (EU) single market.”
Johnson has said the protocol was not operating in the way he envisaged.
The Prime Minister said he did not think arrangements he agreed with the EU would involve restrictions on the movements of food products such as sausages, on parcel deliveries and on soil from Great Britain entering Northern Ireland.
He said the protocol was operating in an imbalanced way and was causing irritation to the loyalist and unionist community in Northern Ireland as a consequence.
Johnson said the protocol was necessitating more processes and checks than it should and that is why the British government moved to delay its implementation until longer-term solutions are found with the EU.
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The NI protocol is a result of Brexit… Too late to moan now about it Arlene, you got the Brexit you wanted… Never happy is she…
Arlene Foster leads a glorified county council… NI is irrelevant in EU terms, DUP were only relevant to Boris when they held balance of power
She needs to stop whining. She got what she voted for. Majority of people in the north didn’t want to leave the EU, but she didn’t give a toss about them. Brexit was always going to cause issues and now she’s reaping what she sowed.
As per usual with DUP complain and moan about everything but offer no alternative
@john malonoy: Maybe another battle of the boyne would made her smile.
@Joe Johnson: They’d never pay the toll to come down to it.
@john malonoy: Sammy has been awful quiet recently, I feel like I’m missing some Gammon action.
Can someone please explain to Arlene this is of her and the DUP own making. Held brexit negotiations to ransom to with reckless regard to the ramifications for the Northern Ireland economy. And all this was done to be part of their precious union with the uk.
She’s negotiating with her supporters by press release and sound bites. It’s all meaningless because she and her DUP gave the Tories the negotiating mandate and they signed on the bottom line. Nothing can change by demand and the damage of unilaterally breaking agreements could involve the City financial people and guess what Arlene you’ll lose again.
The NI protocol is part of Brexit. Ergo, Brexit is damaging the United Kingdom. Arlene, we told you so. Repeatedly.
Give it another 6 months when the farmers are not getting their EU subsides and grants . You’ve seen nuttin yet.
@brendan o connell: that is precisely what I’m waiting to see. Should be fun.
@brendan o connell: Yep. Friend of mine runs a farm in Antrim, was breaking even just with EU payments. NI economy is ridiculously brittle, add the import/export woes and companies not bothered with the hassle of shipping to NI. Only a matter of time time when even the staunch loyalists have a pain in the rear. A tinder box.
Cake and eating it comes to mind …
Be wary Boris Johnson is in “listening mode”
She’s always smiling grand auld crater
@Tommy the postman: aah would oo shtop. Isn’t she just embarrassed to realise that Boris is a trustworthy as a pigs mickey and that she’s made the seven ends of a praiseach outa that Brexit malarkey. She ust needs to get the egg off her face somehow before she winds up in a very lumpy omelette.
@Fachtna Roe: *as *just
@Tommy the postman: I met her once, she was very nice, not at all like she’s portrayed.
I guess if you’re leader of the DUP, you have to act the part.
@Fachtna Roe: tiz Mother’s Day
@John Mulligan: John you’d hug her if you didn’t get caught
@Tommy the postman: we may have to learn to hug them all, DUP, RA, Mary Lou.
Well, maybe not Mary Lou. Not even if unity was at stake.
Britain must be wishing they had some way to throw Northetn Ireland over the side.
Unfortunately with Sinn Fein and the DUP dominating NI politics, they can’t just walk away and allow a bloodbath.
If we want a united Ireland, the moderate parties on both sides will have to be supported.
@John Mulligan: well Brits made a balls of it a century ago and still suffering the consequences.
@Joe Johnson: they would probably agree with you, but they’re stuck with it until inclusiveness becomes the norm in NI.
@Joe Johnson: And they’re still making a balls of it.
This is the result of DUP playing hardball with Teresa May. Old Boris will waffle and ‘understand’ but ultimately the DUP overplayed the brinkmanship and lost the game.
But you got what you voted for Arnold – I’m confused
I really love reading about the various musings of DUP politicians, it’s the closest I’ll ever get to understanding what living in an alternate reality is like.
I hope the nationalists keep clear now and let the uk and the dup turn on each other
@FlopFlipU: SF haven’t the wit to walk away from any chance to spout vitriol.
@John Mulligan: on a British/ DUP made problem you have managed to mention SF twice now. Vitriol??? Nice sound bite but have you any substance behind it.
FFG are proud of you. Now can you help Leaky out on the criminal investigation thread.
@John Mulligan: Says yer man spouting vitriol.
DUP took a punt on brexit on tightening the union and having a sniff of power, backfired badly, so maybe time for them to cash in the chips and face reality
Gordon Lyons DUP is the minister for agriculture responsible for this autocratic decision. Edwin Poots stood aside on medical leave.
FACT CHECK: Michelle O’Neill did not not refuse to meet Boris Johnson, he refused to meet her and Mary lou McDonald, but I suppose you knew that anyway.
Wonder will she visit Leo in the joy.
Arlene, either come up with an alternative or STFU.
Commical Arli. Joe Pasquale just called, he wants his look back.
Poor Arlene,
One day she will realise that it’s Brexit that’s damaging the UK and especially NI.
Here just give us back our country and forget about the empire or as you call it the united kingdom or what ever the narrative you call it” the name kinda gives it away ” it’s
I was trying to pitch a new sitcom a few years back called Dodds army. It was about a ragtag bunch of reservists.
Arlene Foster would play a pompous character called Capt. Mainwaring.
Jeffrey Donaldson as mild mannered Sergeant Wilson.
Sammy Wilson as dithering Cpl. Jones.
Gregory Campbell as an embittered Scotsman.
Edwin Poots as a silly boy called Pike and Nigel Dodds as a wideboy Cockney called Walker.
She looks like she needs a dump.
Anyone else think she’d have made a great character in Father Ted?
For a party that only represents 30% of the population in NI they have a lot to say for themselves? A bit like their republican counterparts south of the border….
Begun the lasagne war has.
Brexit for slow learners.
Arlene would have a very objective view on anything like that.
imagine if the Europeans & the us hadn’t got our backs when the British are the topic,especially now when it seems ol boris just makes the rules up as he likes….. Arlene give Nancy Pelosi an bell there & I’m now she’d be only happy to put u right in your box
It’s not an ” appeasment” Arlene, it’s an international agreement. But then the Brits have a pretty poor record with honouring anything Boris’s ramshackle government signs.
The DUP don’t run government, the people do. Blame Bumbling Boris
Dear God , she is hot.
after everything said, there isnt a shortage of the vaccine, up there, just across the ould border, seaneen
@Anita Ward: We have one of the highest rates of vaccination in Europe right now per head of population, not that it has anything to do with this thread.
IRA vs UVF + British army … just something for Arlene to remember. Not that I want war, just that the Ulster Unionists still have no respect for the GFA and want a border on the island of Ireland.
Lenny Foster needs to learn how to smile
I really hope it will not result in conflict, even if gets nasty. Its the Ulster Unionists and British government who are breaking treaties here, let them do it if they want, its their loss. I don’t think bloodshed and tears will return again, people don’t really hate each other anymore and ROI is mainly atheist these days.
@David Jacobsen: l
a lot of hatred in the whole country, so no chance perhaps one day if you see pigs flying seanie
have your say