A Stormont vote on continuing post-Brexit trading arrangements for Northern Ireland is the most significant in the history of devolved governance in the region, the leader of the Traditional Unionist Voice (TUV) has said.
North Antrim MP Jim Allister said MLAs were being asked to “surrender” sovereignty to Brussels in more than 300 areas of law.
His claim was rejected by the leader of the official opposition at Stormont, SDLP MLA Matthew O’Toole, who said the arrangements should be extended as they provided necessary protections against negative consequences of Brexit.
The process to trigger the vote began on Thursday when Northern Ireland Secretary Hilary Benn sent a letter to the Speaker of the Assembly Edwin Poots asking First Minister Michelle O’Neill and Deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly to table a motion by the end of November.
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The vote must be held on articles five to 10 of the Windsor Framework, which underpins the EU trade laws in force in Northern Ireland, before they expire.
MLAs are expected to back the continuation of the measures for another four years, even though unionists are set to oppose the move.
The framework, and its predecessor the Northern Ireland Protocol, require checks and customs paperwork on goods moving from Britain into Northern Ireland.
Under the arrangements, which were designed to ensure no hardening of the Irish land Border post-Brexit, Northern Ireland continues to follow many EU trade and customs rules.
Unlike other votes on contentious issues at Stormont, the motion does not require cross-community support to pass.
If it is voted through with a simple majority, the arrangements are extended for four years. If it wins cross-community support – which is a majority of unionists and a majority of nationalists – then it is extended for eight years.
DUP leader Gavin Robinson has already made clear his party will be voting against continuing the operation of the Windsor Framework.
TUV leader Mr Allister questioned why the usual requirement for cross-community support had been set aside when it came to continuing the controversial Brexit measures for four years.
“Stormont is built since 1998 on the imperative of cross-community support, then along comes the protocol, and at the behest of the EU, for the first time, a vital issue, a wholly controversial issue, is to be made on a majoritarian basis,” he told BBC Radio Ulster.
“Majority rule is suddenly acceptable whenever it puts down unionism and that is the consequence of this vote.”
Mr Allister added: “This is the most significant vote to be taken in the history of Northern Ireland by an Assembly at Stormont because for the first time ever MLAs are being asked to surrender sovereignty over not one area of law, over 300 areas of law – not to Westminster, but to a foreign parliament sitting in Brussels.”
Mr O’Toole said the arrangements were not ideal but they were the necessary consequence of Brexit, as he highlighted that a majority of people in Northern Ireland voted to remain in the EU.
He insisted the issue was not a top priority for most people in Northern Ireland.
The deadline for holding the vote is December 17th. – PA
