Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has agreed a new deal with the European Union to reset the relationship following the damage caused by Brexit.
10 Downing Street says it will “make food cheaper, slash red tape, open up access to the EU market, and add nearly £9 billion to the UK economy by 2040.”
The government has said that the deal has removed checks on animal and plant products, which means these goods can now “flow freely” between Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
The border in the Irish Sea, which was introduced as a result of Brexit, has been a major sticking point in politics here. Checks on items coming into Northern Ireland from Great Britain have proved costly for smaller businesses.
A new SPS (Sanitary and Phytosanitary) agreement will “make it easier for food and drink to be imported and exported by reducing the red tape that placed burdens on businesses and led to lengthy lorry queues at the border,” says the UK government.
British passport holders will also be able to use more eGates at airports throughout Europe.
Reaction from party leaders
Sinn Féin’s president and vice-president, Mary Lou McDonald and Michelle O’Neill, met with NI Secretary Hilary Benn on Monday.
In a press release, Mary Lou McDonald welcomed the agreement between the UK and the EU.
“I especially welcome the progress on practical areas such as youth mobility and the SPS veterinary agreement. These are steps that will reduce trade barriers, and benefit communities, workers, and businesses across these islands,” she said.
First Minister Michelle O’Neill acknowledged the improved relationship between the UK government and the European Union, but said the “devil will be in the detail.”
Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) leader Gavin Robinson said his party will “take time to scrutinise in detail what has been agreed” and they will make their judgement “solely through the prism of how it impacts NI and our place within the UK.”
“An SPS agreement may help ease the flow of trade between Great Britain and Northern Ireland, but it will not be a silver bullet to the host of problems created by the application of EU law specifically in Northern Ireland only,” he added.
“We will continue to make the case for full restoration of Northern Ireland’s place within the United Kingdom, including removing the application of EU law in our country and the internal Irish Sea border it creates.”
Leader of the Alliance Party, Naomi Long, said the agreement is a “positive step in a closer and better relationship between the UK and EU.”
“Alliance has always said the key to resolving the frictions imposed by Brexit has been closer alignment between the UK and EU, and today is proof of that.”
“Despite not creating this situation, we have consistently come to the table with pragmatic solutions. We were the first party to propose an agreement to ease food, plant and animal movements across the Irish Sea.”
Traditional Unionist Voice (TUV) leader Jim Allister has said, “Today was about giving back control in GB to Brussels, and paying for the privilege.”
“At one level the surrender of UK fishing waters for another 12 years to the EU is the most vivid illustration of the government’s agenda to sabotage Brexit.”
“As for seeking to mitigate some of the damage of surrendering sovereignty over NI in the Protocol by doing the same for GB, in terms of being a supplicant rule-taker from Brussels, this too is edging the whole UK back into the EU’s orbit of control,” he added.
The leader of the Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP), Claire Hanna, has welcomed the agreement saying it would benefit Northern Ireland.
“This agreement between the UK and the EU is an important moment for all of us who want to undo the damage caused right across these islands by Brexit. These are common sense proposals that deal with the world of today and tomorrow.”
“There are a number of important initiatives included in this deal that will make things easier for businesses here and for many of our citizens when travelling abroad. A renewed warmth to UK-EU relations is also very significant, particularly at this worrying time for humanity with conflict raging around the globe,” she added.
