Thread by @mdouganlpool

As promised, a second thread on the UKGov's Bill on the UK Internal Market - this time, focusing on the provisions relevant to the Protocol on Ireland / Northern Ireland. Voila:

For the avoidance of any doubt: the Bill is utterly shameless in explicitly empowering the UKGov directly, deliberately and consciously to breach the UK’s legally binding international obligations under its very own Withdrawal Agreement & Protocol on Ireland / Northern Ireland

First point: UKGov’s unionist bias is absolutely overt, eg explicit duties for all public bodies to approach every question about Protocol based on overriding goal of protecting NI’s status in the UK. Nothing, eg about need to protect peace & stability or to avoid hard border?!?!

More serious: UKGov claims power to breach Protocol as regards movement of goods from NI to GB (though not vice versa). One hand: that's less of a “hard border” worry than first glance. After all, such UK delinquency affects goods leaving rather than entering Single Market

Other hand: for UK to breach Protocol even when it comes to movement of goods from NI to GB would still raise serious questions about WTO compliance; as well as obvious issues about smuggling, fraud, tax evasion and other regulatory risks posed by a de facto uncontrolled border

Most serious = UKGov claiming powers to run roughshod over state aid commitments contained in Protocol. This could indeed have direct “hard border” implications. After all, why should EU allow NI to be used as back door for UK to dump unfairly subsidised goods into Single Market?

To conclude on UKIM Bill:
- justifies fears already expressed about impact on devolution
- risks creating serious problems for Northern Ireland
- & undermining future talks with EU (possibly also eg US)
- reveals Johnson Gov’s lack of integrity and contempt for the rule of law