Thread by @hayward_katy

What do people in N.Ireland need to know about the #WithdrawalAgreementBill?
(for reasons obvs to folk in NI, I won’t use the acronym 😕).

I gave an interview to @BBCgmu this am, & here are the key points...

TL;DR: Hugely important for NI but ltd. scope & time to affect.

1/14

@BBCgmu The Bill puts the #WithdrawalAgmt into domestic law.

📣**REMEMBER: the difference btn this WA & May’s is the Protocol on NI/IRL – so hugely important for N.Ireland **

This Bill sees amendments to the NI Act (1998) to reflect the Protocol. But no new devolved powers per se.
2/14

@BBCgmu The last time this WA came to Parl it fell on the matter of the timetable for processing the Bill.

MPs then saw the 3 days allowed for scrutinising the detail & tabling amendments as outrageously tight for such an important bill.

It'll be 3 days this time round too. 🗓️

3/14

@BBCgmu After a whirlwind race thru HoC in early Jan, it'll go to
@UKHouseofLords. HoL may make some changes re: scrutiny but unlikely to be enthusiasm for ping pong.
So, a smooth path to Royal Assent...

Then it’s to European Parliament & European Council to approve the WA.
🇪🇺👋🇬🇧
4/14

@BBCgmu @UKHouseofLords Altho WA is same as the one put forward in Oct, the #WABill differs in 2 key respects as far as NI is concerned.

1st, an extension beyond 31 Dec 2020 is all but ruled out.
So 11m to negotiate future UK-EU deal covering all from fish to funding, services to security coop.
😰
5/14

@BBCgmu @UKHouseofLords Why is this important?

Because what UK-EU deal looks like will potentially determine the extent of procedures, checks & controls needed on goods moving across the Irish Sea. 🌊

Closer UK-EU relationship = fewer controls. But difficult to negotiate in such a short time.

6/14

@BBCgmu @UKHouseofLords 2nd, this WA Bill greatly reduces the scope for Parliament to scrutinise what is going on there in the UK-EU negotiations.
🔭

(Tho does impact on what happens re: Joint Committee & allows HoL & HoC European committees scrutiny re: new EU laws issued during transition.)

7/14

@BBCgmu @UKHouseofLords But – significantly – UK Govt ministers
do not have to set their negotiating objectives out to Parliament,
do not have to report every 3 months to Parl
(*nor to the devolved legislatures*),
nor do they have to set the final treaty before Parl.

This is new in the Bill.

8/14

@BBCgmu @UKHouseofLords Even though Johnson now has a parl. majority primed to approve his approach & whatever he brings home, he wants to avoid all need to do so.

Parliament taking back control. Hmmmm.

Here's a good article by @ThimontJack on why this is no small matter.
instituteforgovernment.org.uk/blog/parliamen…

9/14

@BBCgmu @UKHouseofLords @ThimontJack And now to N.Ireland specifically...

The #WABill allows for the future working out of the Protocol, which (note) doesn’t just affect NI/IRL but also potentially NI/GB.

It allows a devolved authority & UK Govt Ministers to make regulations to implement the Protocol.

10/14

@BBCgmu @UKHouseofLords @ThimontJack Notably, WA Bill doesn’t allow NI Ass/Exec to act outside devolved competence (e.g. not on trade policy).

BUT
bear in mind NI MLAs will have a vote 4yrs after end of transition to decide whether NI will continue to follow the terms of Arts.5-10 of Protocol (inc. trade).

11/14

@BBCgmu @UKHouseofLords @ThimontJack Other parts of Protocol, e.g. protection for rights in 1998 Agmt plus continuation of North/South cooperation are incl. in WA Bill.
‘The prevention of new [land] border arrangements’ is too, but inc. not allowing Protocol to lead to expansion of N/S coop.
No mention of CTA.
12/14

@BBCgmu @UKHouseofLords @ThimontJack This isn’t the end of Brexit by any means.

After all this, the Protocol in the WA will be like a living document for NI (& for IRL).

Even after the end of the transition period & into the new UK-EU relationship, NI’s position in the world will be shaped by this Protocol.
13/14

@BBCgmu @UKHouseofLords @ThimontJack In sum: 2020 will be decisive for the future of N.Ireland.

And there is precious little means by which NI can shape those decisions or even keep an eye on exactly how they are being made.

Between now & then is a tiny window thru which NI MPs can seek to make a difference.
14/14