Liz Truss appointment ‘a disaster’ says Richard Tice

We use your sign-up to provide content in ways you’ve consented to and to improve our understanding of you. This may include adverts from us and 3rd parties based on our understanding. You can unsubscribe at any time. More info

Boris Johnson appointed Ms Truss earlier this month on December 19 while keeping her foreign and equalities duties intact. The move came after she had spent months proving herself as a negotiator capable of constructing international trade agreements on behalf of the Government. While the new position is a step-up from her previous briefs, it charges her with a series of tasks her predecessor struggled to tackle during his nine months in post.

The Northern Ireland protocol

The Government developed the Northern Ireland protocol to preserve borderless passage between the country and the Republic of Ireland and, in turn, the Good Friday Agreement.

The protocol has divided the ministerial ranks, however, as it keeps Northern Ireland within the EU’s Customs Union.

Officials perform goods checks at ports, with a line drawn through the Irish Sea, something to which the Government objects.

Lord Frost failed to make much headway in this area, meaning the minutiae of the protocol falls to Ms Truss.

The protocol debate separates into two others, one surrounding the European Courts of Justice (ECJ) and another around Article 16.

EU Courts of Justice oversight

The ECJ is working with the European Commission to oversee the protocol.

Their involvement means European judges get the final say on trade disputes that sprout from negotiations.

The Government wants to remove the EU’s involvement as a final arbiter, and Ms Truss will likely work hard to pursue this.

Speaking to Express.co.uk, Steve McCabe, associate professor at Birmingham City University’s Centre for Brexit Studies, said people should not expect her to “back off from conflict with the EU”.

Ms Truss has confirmed this herself after holding talks with European Commission vice-president Maros Sefcovic.

She said the UK wants to “end the role of the ECJ” and “resolve other issues”.

She added: “If this does not happen, we remain prepared to trigger Article 16 safeguards to deal with the very real problems faced in Northern Ireland.”

Article 16

Lord Frost, despite threatening it as a “very real possibility” never triggered Article 16.

The article is attached to the protocol that would allow both parties to suspend agreements contained within.

They can only trigger it should they discover it causes “economic, societal or environmental difficulties”.

Ministers have previously claimed that aspects of the protocol meet this requirement but never used the option.

Dr McCabe said Ms Truss may not have been bluffing in her recent statement.

He said: “It may be assumed that Truss would relish the opportunity to do what Frost could not, that is, trigger Article 16.”

While doing so would create conflict with the EU, it could work in her favour, he added.

He said: “This would potentially create a trade war with the EU but would also strengthen her credentials as a new ‘Iron Lady’ potentially making her even more attractive to party members as an authentic Conservative.

“Whether the economic impact this would create would be as popular among hard-pressed voters at the next election is, however, debatable.”

Source: Read Full Article