Labour government would axe laws that override Northern Ireland protocol, vows Keir Starmer

A Labour government would axe laws designed to unilaterally override aspects of Brexit’s Northern Ireland Protocol, Sir Keir Starmer has vowed.

The Labour leader made the pledge on a visit to Belfast where he met with political leaders.

His trip to the island of Ireland, which also involved meetings with Irish government ministers in Dublin, came amid the deepening row over the post-Brexit Irish Sea trading arrangements.

The Government has confirmed it will table legislation at Westminster on Monday that will give ministers powers to scrap parts of the protocol.

Labour party leader Sir Keir Starmer (right) walks with Desmond Rea, former chairman of the NI Policing Board, outside the Titanic visitor building. Picture: Charles McQuillan/Getty Images

The protocol was jointly agreed by the UK and EU as part of the Withdrawal Agreement to keep the Irish land border free-flowing.

The arrangements instead require regulatory checks and customs declarations on goods moving between Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

Unionists in Northern Ireland are vociferously opposed to the protocol, claiming it has undermined the region’s place within the United Kingdom.

The DUP has blocked the formation of a new power-sharing government at Stormont following last month’s Assembly election in protest at the protocol.

The Bill due to come before Parliament next week will see the Government move without the consent of the EU to change the terms of the international treaty in a bid to reduce the checks on the movement of goods across the Irish Sea.

The EU has made clear such a step would represent a breach of international law and could prompt retaliatory action from the bloc.

Sir Keir said the focus should be on achieving a negotiated settlement with the EU to resolve issues with the protocol’s implementation.

“We would scrap the legislation and I think there has been an impasse in the negotiations because we haven’t seen the high levels of trust that we need for negotiations like this, not least from our Prime Minister,” he told reporters in Belfast.

“But also we need give and take on both sides. The EU, as well as the UK, to give and take, to be flexible about the approach.

“I do not think that the remaining issues of the protocol cannot be resolved with a different approach, with that high level of trust, with an honest broker prime minister getting people around the table and negotiating what needs to be negotiated.”

Sir Keir confirmed his party would vote against the legislation at Westminster.

“We think it is the wrong approach,” he said.

“I’m not pretending there aren’t issues and challenges with the protocol, of course there are.

“We have been listening to the political parties here, to communities, to business groups. I think those challenges can be overcome around the negotiating table with statecraft, with high levels of trust.”

Sir Keir held discussions with Alliance leader Naomi Long and SDLP chief Colum Eastwood at Parliament Buildings in Belfast on Friday.

After their meeting, Mrs Long said reform of the Stormont institutions was necessary to prevent single parties such as the DUP from being able to block the formation of a devolved executive.