John Redwood:
Will the right hon. Gentleman confirm that there has already been diversion of trade away from GB into Northern Ireland, and is he worried that the draft regulations will create a lot more diversion of trade away from GB?
Sammy Wilson:
The right hon. Gentleman is quite right: that is the problem. In the absence of detailed knowledge about what the new arrangements will be, businesses will simply turn their back on Northern Ireland. I spoke to a constituent today who wanted to buy a mattress from Argos. Although Argos clearly brings goods into Northern Ireland, that was obviously inconvenient for it and it simply said, “We don’t sell mattresses to Northern Ireland any longer.” That is exactly what is happening. Even if the Minister is correct, the threat that there will be different arrangements for taking goods and postal packages into Northern Ireland will discourage businesses from entering into those kinds of arrangements. We are already seeing the diversion of trade.
The Government’s argument is that the draft regulations improve the situation, but actually, they do not. If we had stopped even with the provisions of the protocol, the grace periods would have prevented this from happening. It does not happen at present. If the Government really want there to be no interference, why not stick with the grace periods? Why not make it clear that the regulations are not needed? There has been no leakage during the grace periods, and there is no evidence that hazardous goods and so on are moving into the EU. Why did the Government not take that stance? Why are the Government still not taking that stance? There would then be no need for the regulations.
July 19, 2023
Sammy Wilson’s point is telling. There is no need for regulation, yet the government presses ahead with regulation.
We need less government, most of what this ghastly bureaucratic monster does is to hinder people from leading peaceful, healthy and prosperous lives.
July 19, 2023
Good morning.
All the links below Sir John are relevant and from what I can tell reputable sites. Although I must warn you the UK Government site does look a bit dodgy [that’s a joke BTW] 😉
Three points
1) Most regulations are created elsewhere not by the EU. For example, the ISO Standards. Then there are standards for motor manufacturers and so on. So long as the UK meets these standards which are either equivalent or better than EU standards then there should be no issues.
2) What about goods entering the UK market from the EU via Ulster, are they too subject to restrictions ? If not, why not. We had many years back the scandal of the adulterated meat from Ireland the rest of the EU. And what of animal rights ? Does the meat entering the UK meet with our standards ? Why is is it that we have to pander to the EU and not seek reciprocal treatment ?
3) Goods entering the EU from non-UK sources. These goods usually carry the CE Mark on them. It is nothing but a badging exercise and is open to abuse. If the EU were that concerned they would tighten up there.
If our kind host allows :
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/ce-marking
https://www.politico.eu/article/firms-protest-over-abuse-of-ce-mark/
So a dodgy company selling from say, China can stamp a CE Mark on their goods and all is well with the EU and they can sell their goods into their market no questions. But a British company, which is tightly regulated, cannot sell their goods to British citizens in Ulster because they EU a scared it might end up in say, Finland. Really ???
https://www.conformance.co.uk/ce-marking-for-products/what-brexit-means-for-ce-marking
July 19, 2023
Addendum
If one was to type into Google (or similar) search : “CE Marking fraud” you will discover that this is rife. Just stick a badge on it and all is well.
The UKCA Mark should be treated as either equivalent or better than the EU’s CE and vice versa.
Simple.
July 19, 2023
A proper government makes changes only if changes are needed. A proper government makes changes for the better and not for the worse. This government is improper in many ways.
July 19, 2023
Northern Ireland is being abused by the EU & the Government to punish us all for Brexit. It is so obvious that the plan is to ensure there are more & more issues on trade so reducing commercial benefits. That eventually ‘to save UK’ our political quislings will be forced to return the UK to the bosom of the EU commission. The few will get richer while the population return to being a huge cash cow again! Democracy is well & truly broken now! Thanks to our duplicitous politicians & civil servants putting their wants before those of the people!
July 19, 2023
Sunak basically handed over NI to the EU in order to curry favour with Biden – the man who cut and ran from Afghanistan without even bothering to warn the British Government in advance and then repaid the UK by blocking Ben Wallace from the NATO Leadership.
I fully expect that if Biden told him the Falklands must be handed over to Argentina, Sunak would say “is tomorrow soon enough?”
July 19, 2023
As I have said before, I think Sunak’s future is in the USA, he won’t stay around to sit on the opposition benches when they get kicked out next year. He needed the PM title on his CV to enhance his prospects, which I believe is why he stabbed Boris in the back after having been given the chance to be Chancellor from nowhere.
July 19, 2023
It has always been the case that Northern Ireland is to be the price of Brexit as revealed in that fly on the wall video organised by Guy Verhofstaft.
Now The Sunak Framework has surrendered Northern Ireland to permanent EU rule and ECJ enforcement. Boris squandered the opportunities of Brexit but Sunak has betrayed it.
July 19, 2023
The UK government are not taking ‘that stance’ because they are woefully not up to the job of representing the wishes of the majority of the people who sent them to Parliament