Brexit: DUP welcomes elements of Irish Sea border deal

The DUP has welcomed some elements of the agreement in principle struck between the British government and the European Union on how the new Irish Sea border will operate.

The DUP also has defended itself against criticism from the likes of the Ulster Unionist Party and Traditional Unionist Voice party that it was complicit in the new trade arrangement between Northern Ireland and Britain.

While the UUP and TUV complained that the protocol had the potential to weaken the North’s union with Britain, the DUP said it had opposed the Northern Ireland protocol, which has brought the new arrangement about, and voted against it in the House of Commons.

“We consistently warned both the [Theresa] May and the [Boris] Johnson government about treading this path. Sadly, despite our votes, the government continued to pursue arrangements for Northern Ireland that are both unnecessary and left uncorrected potentially damaging to the NI economy,” it said in a statement.

Brexit explainer: What is the latest deal on Northern Ireland about?

---

Brexit: ‘Grace period’ agreed to ease imports for trusted traders in North

---

Brexit could see 40% price hikes for online purchases

---

British readying for Brexit: They never saw it coming, mate

---

"Our guiding principle throughout the period of exit negotiations has been that Northern Ireland's place within the internal market of the United Kingdom must not be undermined and Northern Ireland must continue to enjoy unfettered access both to, and from, Great Britain," it added.

The DUP nonetheless said that some aspects of the agreement indicated that progress was made. “In particular we welcome the commitment that there will be no additional paperwork to be completed by businesses moving goods from Northern Ireland to Great Britain,” it said.

“We will want to ensure that regardless of wider circumstances there continues to be full-unfettered access for our businesses to the lucrative Great Britain marketplace. This is vital if Northern Ireland is to continue to be a full participant in the United Kingdom internal market.”

The DUP said that ultimately it would test and judge all these issues on the basis of how they operated in practice and whether they delivered “unfettered access” to the British market.

It added, “We would remind all those involved, and the European Union specifically, that unless arrangements have the support of both unionists and nationalists in Northern Ireland they will ultimately fail and on that basis it is imperative that on-the-ground implementation does not in any way disadvantage the people of Northern Ireland or our place within the UK market.”

The UUP leader Steve Aiken, however, said the deal was a "bad day for Northern Ireland".

“Despite the smoke and mirrors from the UK government, what has been agreed does nothing other than kick the can down the road for another three months and create further uncertainty for producers and consumers,” he said.

"It's shocking that [British cabinet secretary] Michael Gove has the audacity to try to tell the people of Northern Ireland that this is a good deal," he said.

“We urgently need to hear more than just bluster from the UK government on how they are truly going to protect Northern Ireland’s place within the UK internal market. Today’s statement just doesn’t cut it,” added Mr Aiken.

The Sinn Féin Deputy First Minister Michelle O'Neill said agreement on the protocol was welcome, while hoping it would signal a wider Brexit trade deal.

Calling for more clarity on the deal, she said, “the tariff-free grace period” which it had called for to ensure security of food supply for supermarkets would create breathing space for retailers and traders.

“It is now incumbent on the British government to engage directly with businesses in order to make them aware of exactly what the new arrangements will be and what they will be required to do and, crucially, what support will be available for them,” she said.

“It is welcome that the EU will have a permanent presence in the North to monitor the implementation and outworking of the Withdrawal Agreement and Irish protocol,” added Ms O’Neill.