Vote DUP to force Rishi Sunak to change Brexit deal, says Sir Geoffrey Donaldson

Sir Geoffrey Donaldson unveiled the DUP manifesto on local elections. Credit: Liam McBurney/PA Wire

Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) vote Sir Geoffrey Donaldson says local elections in Northern Ireland next week will force Rishi Sunak to amend the Brexit deal and pave the way for a comeback in Stormont.

The party leader told the prime minister to return to the negotiating room with Brussels and introduce a bill protecting the province's place in the UK to end the Windsor Framework's 'unfinished business'.

He called on the divided unions to rally ahead of the May 18 council elections and give the DUP, which is boycotting the Northern Ireland Assembly over the Brexit deal, the strictest mandate for 15 months.

“This will strengthen our position in receiving and defending from the government of what we need to fully and properly restore Northern Ireland's place in the UK, and then we can get Stormont up and running again,” said Sir Geoffrey, launching the project. DUP manifest.

The Windsor Framework, which the UK and the European Union agreed to in February, reduces the number of border checks faced by British goods and animals exported to Northern Ireland after Brexit.

Sir Geoffrey said the deal was an improvement and would not have taken place without the DUP boycott, but that it did not meet the party's seven criteria to accept the deal.

He attacked those whom he accused of spreading lies. DUP is about to weaken in its opposition to the Windsor Framework. According to him, similar accusations were made before the last elections in «stealing» the votes of the DUP.

«It was a lie then and a lie now,» Sir Geoffrey added.

The seven tests for a deal include protecting Northern Ireland's place in the UK under the Acts of Union, not diverting trade from British suppliers, not having an effective frontier in the Irish Sea, and giving people in Northern Ireland a say in the laws that govern them.

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DUP also demanded that there be «no checks» on goods moving between Northern Ireland and the UK if they remain in Northern Ireland.

The party also urged that no new regulatory differences be allowed between the province and the rest of the UK, and that a majority of citizens agree to any change in its status in the UK.

The Windsor Framework

While the Windsor Framework reduces the number of checks and paperwork, but does not eliminate them completely, it can still lead to some deviations in trading.

The European Court of Justice retains jurisdiction in the region. There are no guarantees to prevent changes in UK and EU law that could lead to regulatory discrepancies, and the DUP is not confident that the new Stormont Brake is strong enough to give Northern Ireland a strong enough say in the new laws in force there.

Sir Geoffrey said the Stormont Brake, which could delay EU law if 30 members of the Assembly oppose it, needs to be shown to be «legally valid».

«More work needed . by the UK government if we want to ensure the necessary conditions for the return of the executive power of Northern Ireland,” he said.

“The Windsor Framework hasn't gone far enough in securing our place in the UK, and we've made it clear to the government that we need them to deliver on what they've previously pledged to do.”

“This remains a work in progress. business, and it is time for the government to deliver on its promises and commitments.»

The DUP leader urged trade unionists not to «divide and split» as they did in the Stormont elections in May 2022, and to lead from the challenge of Sinn Féin and other parties seeking Irish reunification.

The DUP lost its seat as Northern Ireland's largest political party to Sinn Féin for the first time in this election.

Michelle O. Sinn Féin » Neil and Mary Lou MacDonald replaced the DUP as the largest party in Stormont in last year's Northern Ireland Assembly elections. The consequences of splits and divisions in the trade union movement are clear,” said Sir Geoffrey.

«In this election, we are looking for the support of our principled position to complete the work and lay the necessary solid foundation for the return of local accountable government to Stormont.»

Sir Geoffrey said that Northern Ireland's place in the UK Home Market was «a right ', and he demanded that it be 'protected by law'.

He said it was undermined by the Irish Sea border, which hindered trade between Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK, its largest market.

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Sir Geoffrey said the results of the election will be closely monitored internationally in the US and EU, as well as in Dublin and London.

In April, Joe Biden backtracked on a promise of billions in US investments, urging DUP to drop boycott during visit to Northern Ireland to mark 25th anniversary of Good Friday Agreement.

On Wednesday, the US president said he traveled to the island of Ireland to «make sure the British didn't cheat» and «abandoned» their obligations under the Good Friday Agreement due to Brexit.