• Privacy policy
  • T&C’s
  • About Us
    • FAQ
  • Contact us
  • Guest Content
  • TLE
  • News
  • Politics
  • Opinion
    • Elevenses
  • Business
  • Food
  • Travel
  • Property
  • JOBS
  • All
    • All Entertainment
    • Film
    • Sport
    • Tech/Auto
    • Lifestyle
    • Lottery Results
      • Lotto
      • Set For Life
      • Thunderball
      • EuroMillions
No Result
View All Result
The London Economic
SUPPORT THE LONDON ECONOMIC
NEWSLETTER
The London Economic
No Result
View All Result
Home Politics

Flashback to when David Frost received a dressing down in Northern Ireland over Brexit and the Protocol

“You were Britain’s chief negotiator for Brexit. Your eyes were open and your fingerprints are on every page of the protocol."

Jack Peat by Jack Peat
2022-05-16 15:21
in Politics
Brexit minister David Frost

Former Brexit minister David Frost. Photo: PA

FacebookTwitterLinkedinEmailWhatsapp

Reminders of David Frost’s dressing down in the Northern Ireland Assembly have resurfaced as Boris Johnson headed out for emergency talks.

The prime minister will convene political leaders from across the spectrum today in a bid to break a Stormont deadlock caused by post-Brexit trading arrangements.

The powersharing institutions have been plunged into crisis in the wake of the recent Assembly election with the DUP refusing to re-enter a devolved government in protest at the contentious Northern Ireland Protocol, which has created economic barriers between the region and the rest of the UK.

Heightened tensions

The prime minister’s visit comes amid heightened tensions between the UK and EU over the prospect of him moving to override elements of the protocol by way of domestic legislation at Westminster.

Brussels has made clear that such unilateral action to walk away from a key plank of the Brexit Withdrawal Agreement would represent a clear breach of international law.

Ahead of his trip to Northern Ireland, Mr Johnson said the UK will have a “necessity to act” if the EU is unwilling to reach a compromise in the deepening row over the protocol.

Frost frisked

Last year, former Brexit negotiator Lord Frost received a grilling over the Northern Ireland Protocol as he addressed the Stormont Executive committee.

Appearing in front of the Northern Ireland Assembly he said the UK government does not regard the protocol as ‘definitive’ – despite it forming part of an international treaty signed by the UK.

He argued that the protocol was difficult to operate because it enjoyed only 50/50 support among the Northern Irish public.

RelatedPosts

White House ridiculed after posting ’embarrassing’ Superman Trump pic

Keir Starmer takes savage swipe at Farage as migrant return deal reached with France

Reform’s membership ‘falls by almost 10,000 in a month’

Putin’s ice-cold response to Trump threat to ‘bomb the sh*t out of Moscow’

In 2016, just 44.2 per cent of people in the country voted to leave the European Union.

“Asleep at the wheel”

Taking Frost to task over the NI protocol, Sinn Féin former MEP Martina Anderson delivered a brutal take-down.

“You were Britain’s chief negotiator for Brexit,” she said.

“Your eyes were open and your fingerprints are on every page of the protocol… You weren’t asleep at the wheel. You knew that there were going to be trade adjustments – even the DUP knew there were going to be trade adjustments.”

Frost responded: “You’re absolutely right, I was the trade negotiator in 2019 and 2020”, but maintained “we knew the protocol was unusual in its construct” and insisted it was always planned “as a balance”.

“You have to read all of the provisions together. You can’t take one in isolation. It’s not reasonable to read it as a document which simply requires an EU external border to be established and that’s what’s happening.”

Ms Anderson disagreed.

“The reason it’s not working out is because you have not honoured it. We believe that the next agreement you honour will be your first.”

This is quite some video.

David Frost told to his face that the people of Northern Ireland voted against Brexit, support the Protocol, want it implemented in full – and do not trust him. 👏👏👏https://t.co/LwWDzKcdr0

— Mike Galsworthy (@mikegalsworthy) July 9, 2021

Related: McDonald’s to leave Russia as Greenpeace blocks tanker carrying Putin’s diesel to UK

Tags: BrexitDavid Frost

Subscribe to our Newsletter

View our  Privacy Policy and Terms & Conditions

About Us

TheLondonEconomic.com – Open, accessible and accountable news, sport, culture and lifestyle.

Read more

SUPPORT

We do not charge or put articles behind a paywall. If you can, please show your appreciation for our free content by donating whatever you think is fair to help keep TLE growing and support real, independent, investigative journalism.

DONATE & SUPPORT

Contact

Editorial enquiries, please contact: [email protected]

Commercial enquiries, please contact: [email protected]

Address

The London Economic Newspaper Limited t/a TLE
Company number 09221879
International House,
24 Holborn Viaduct,
London EC1A 2BN,
United Kingdom

© The London Economic Newspaper Limited t/a TLE thelondoneconomic.com - All Rights Reserved. Privacy

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
  • Politics
  • Lottery Results
    • Lotto
    • Set For Life
    • Thunderball
    • EuroMillions
  • Business
  • Sport
  • Entertainment
  • Lifestyle
  • Food
  • Travel
  • JOBS
  • More…
    • Elevenses
    • Opinion
    • Property
    • Tech & Auto
  • About Us
    • Privacy policy
  • Contact us

© The London Economic Newspaper Limited t/a TLE thelondoneconomic.com - All Rights Reserved. Privacy

← Poll shows Ukraine war means govt should halt plans to repeal human rights act ← Sweden joins Finland in seeking Nato membership as Russia moves nuclear missiles towards Finnish border
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
  • Politics
  • Lottery Results
    • Lotto
    • Set For Life
    • Thunderball
    • EuroMillions
  • Business
  • Sport
  • Entertainment
  • Lifestyle
  • Food
  • Travel
  • JOBS
  • More…
    • Elevenses
    • Opinion
    • Property
    • Tech & Auto
  • About Us
    • Privacy policy
  • Contact us

© The London Economic Newspaper Limited t/a TLE thelondoneconomic.com - All Rights Reserved. Privacy

-->