Frost finally admits his deal is crap for the UK
The UK government has warned that the special Brexit arrangements for*Northern Ireland*as they stand are unworkable, in an intervention made at a sensitive phase in talks with the EU on the controversial border checks.
After a visit to meet business leaders in Belfast on Tuesday, the*Brexit*minister, Lord Frost urged the EU to take a pragmatic approach in talks.
And he warned that the UK would “continue to consider all our options” in relation to the protocol, which in the past has included unilateral action to suspend it in part.
This protocol is part of the Brexit WA ratified by both the EU and the UK Parliaments before the end of the transition period 16 months ago, for a renewable four years period starting Jan. 1st of 2020. The NI protocol also includes a co-joint EU/UK commission to resolve implementation issues when they arise. Therefore there is no reason to abuse this protocol and try to get rid of it now: it can be stopped in Dec. 2023 and it has a built-in flexibility in the co-joint commission.
Since a hard border on the Irish island would contradict the terms of the Belfast treaty of 1998 (GFA), a soft border in the Irish sea was agreed upon, and the so-called NI protocol strictly follows that decision. Blaming it now is not only outrageous but non-sensical. It's a call for a land border under disguise.