First reaction to this UKG statement on the 'Notwithstanding' clauses:
It is quite the opposite of reassuring.
TL;DR Less of a climbdown than a feint.
#Protocol
1/
gov.uk/government/pub…
The statement shows the UK Internal Market Bill was only the half of it...
At the end it promises more such moves to come in the Finance Bill,
"inc. the same Parliamentary process that the Govt has committed to for the UKIM Bill" to related to "tariffs on GB-NI movement"...
2/
This is a statement for those not familiar with the NI/IRL Protocol - i.e. it is aimed at MPs who may still have niggles about the whole 'putting law-breaking into law' thing.
It is certainly not one intended to address the key matter, or to rebuild necessary trust with EU.
3/
The hope, I guess, is to assure the fainthearted by mention of the fact that, in parallel with law-breaking, the govt would 'activate appropriate formal dispute settlement mechanisms'...
Silent on participating fully in them or abiding by the outcome of those mechanisms.
4/
Worse - much worse -
The justification for the powers they seek to take is a completely inaccurate presentation of what the NI/IRL
#Protocol is & does.
There's a hell of alot of drum-banging & scare-mongering here for a statement purportedly intended to calm the waters.
5/
E.g.
- "GB-NI" tariffs are not a thing. Tariffs will be paid on GB goods going into EU if No Deal, inc. if they go to EU via NI.
- There's no threat of export declarations on NI goods going to GB. (Shorter) Exit summary declns are subject to negotiation. UK cd yet 'win' that.
6/
- EU waiting on UK to give the necessary info to have 3rd country listing. It's not really in any doubt.
- The state aid point? Well if that wasn't there, it would mean more difference btn NI & GB. And if there was a UK-EU agmt on state aid, this Art.10 wdn't be an issue.
7/
Fuelling heat & ire over the #Protocol is the v. opposite of what's needed
NI has no choice but to sit at UK/EU nexus long-term
Setting fire to trust & good faith around this is so irresponsible
The damage will endure here long after England forgets what the fuss was about
8/8
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