Post-Brexit News and Discussions

[wjfox]

[Time_Traveller]

'The deal is done': UK and EU reportedly secure new Northern Ireland protocol deal

27 February 2023, 14:27

Rishi Sunak and European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen have struck a deal over the Northern Ireland protocol, according to reports.

The prime minister and EU chief finalised the long-awaited agreement to ease the trading issues created by the Northern Ireland protocol during a summit at Windsor on Monday, a senior government source told the PA news agency.

“An agreement has been reached. The deal is done,” they said.

The European Commission president will go on to have tea with the King at Windsor Castle despite criticisms that the meeting would drag Charles into the politically contentious deal.

https://www.upday.com/uk/uk-and-eu-repo ... tocol-deal

[wjfox]

So after yesterday's new deal, we're told today by Sunak, that being in both the European single market and the UK market makes Northern Ireland the "world's most exciting economic zone" and "an incredibly attractive place to invest."

i.e. the status which England, Wales, and Scotland all enjoyed before (but absolutely MUST NOT have now).

How do Brexiters hold such blatantly contradictory ideas in their heads?

[Time_Traveller]

So after yesterday's new deal, we're told today by Sunak, that being in both the European single market and the UK market makes Northern Ireland the "world's most exciting economic zone" and "an incredibly attractive place to invest."

i.e. the status which England, Wales, and Scotland all enjoyed before (but absolutely MUST NOT have now).

How do Brexiters hold such blatantly contradictory ideas in their heads?

Precisely, they need to get their thick heads looked at.

[weatheriscool]

Sunak draws ire after hailing Northern Ireland’s access to UK and EU markets

Rishi Sunak has eulogised Northern Ireland’s “unique” and privileged position in having easy trade access to both the UK and EU markets – prompting critics to note that this was the case for the entire country before Brexit.ework implemented, we get the executive back up and running, Northern Ireland is in the unbelievably special position, the unique position in the entire world in having privileged access not just to the UK home market, which is the fifth biggest in the world, but also the European Union single market.

Speaking at a Coca-Cola factory in Lisburn, he said: “If we get this right, if we get this framework implemented, we get the executive back up and running, Northern Ireland is in the unbelievably special position, the unique position in the entire world in having privileged access not just to the UK home market, which is the fifth biggest in the world, but also the European Union single market.

“Nobody else has that. No one – only you guys only here. And that is the prize. I can tell you, when I go around the world and talk to businesses, they say: ‘That’s interesting.’ Nowhere else does that exist. It’s like the world’s most exciting economic zone.”

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/20 ... trade-deal

[Time_Traveller]

No 10 gives DUP legal ‘assurances’ that Northern Ireland will remain in UK

Fri 3 Mar 2023 11.51 GMT

The government has promised to underline Northern Ireland’s place in the UK with legal “assurances” in an effort to convince unionists to back Rishi Sunak’s Brexit deal.

Chris Heaton-Harris, the Northern Ireland secretary, said on Friday that the government would introduce legislation to allay Democratic Unionist party (DUP) concerns about the Windsor framework.

Northern Ireland’s place in the UK was secure, he told the BBC. “So we’ll be looking to bring forward amendments to the Northern Ireland Act of 1998 to provide further assurances on that matter. Reassurances in law that Northern Ireland remains an integral part of the United Kingdom, and it’s the government saying that in primary legislation which is what people are asking for.”

The offer was an attempt to quell mounting pressure on Sir Jeffrey Donaldson, the DUP leader, to reject the revised Brexit deal for Northern Ireland that was announced on Monday. Donaldson has said the party would take its time – possibly weeks – to study the deal before giving a verdict. However, some high-profile DUP figures and hardline unionists outside the party have already signalled opposition, saying the deal eroded Northern Ireland’s place in the union.

Heaton-Harris said the “groundbreaking” agreement was “very good” for Northern Ireland and would not be renegotiated. “This is the deal we have done with the EU and this is what is on the table.”

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/20 ... main-in-uk

The British government unilaterally messes with the constitutional rights of the GFA on the 25th anniversary.

[wjfox]

[Time_Traveller]

UK’s Brexit Trade Deal

31 March 2023

The regulations and previous tariffs on palm oil at the behest of Malaysia – a country notorious for its rife logging, resource extraction, exploitation, corruption and land-grabbing.

Signed today, the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) will bring a mere 0.08% to Britain’s economy at the expense of environmental safeguarding against a product linked to mass deforestation.

The demand for palm oil has decimated forests across south-east Asia.

Used in many foods and household products, producers have logged huge swathes of forest in Indonesia and Malaysia to plant monocultures of oil palm trees – often at the expense of indigenous communities, biodiversity and top soil health. But that hasn’t stopped Trade Secretary Kemi Badenoch today announcing that palm oil is a “great product”.

The EU brought in new regulations against palm oil and other commodities in December, banning the sale of products linked to deforestation. The ban, celebrated by green campaigners, put the onus on importers to show that production of their specific goods has not damaged forests.

https://bylinetimes.com/2023/03/31/uks- ... -palm-oil/

[wjfox]

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