DUP and TUV leaders at odds over Autumn changes to the Irish Sea border

DUP Leader Gavin Robinson speaking during the launch the party's manifesto at Danny Blanchflower Stadium in east Belfast. Photo: Liam McBurney/PA Wire

Earlier this year Gavin Robinson said that the border for goods moving within the UK would be removed in Autumn. The DUP has recently demanded an end to EU law and the Irish Sea border it creates – something the party had previously said had been achieved.

In its manifesto, the DUP promoted key parts of the Safeguarding the Union deal – but also stuck to its new position that the overarching structures must go. Gavin Robinson has denied that his party’s position on the Protocol is confusing – arguing the confusion is caused by journalists and others.

Speaking on Channel 4 News he said: “What we’ve done is got a commitment from the government, endorsed by Labour, that we will eradicate all routine checks within what will become the UK Internal Market system.

Traditional Unionist Voice (TUV) leader Jim Allister says "Regardless of how you badge it, what is coming into operation on 1 October is a customs border, something that marks the boundary between two economies rather than the presence of one internal market". Photo: Liam McBurney/PA Wire

“Would I have liked to have seen that delivered before an election? Yes”.

The DUP boss has argued that the green lane is gone, and will be replaced with the UK Internal Market system. However, none of the key legislation governing the EU-controlled border has changed.

Jim Allister says that regardless of “how you badge it” a customs border is coming into effect on October 1, under the original Windsor Framework plan. He says that “marks the boundary between two economies rather than the presence of one internal market”.

The TUV leader says the changes the DUP has “boasted" about are “a series of deeply embarrassing own goals that have only served to save the Irish Sea Border by exchanging an unenforceable Protocol with arrangements that are enforceable”.

He added: “This demonstrates why those who wish to continue living in the UK now need new leadership going forward, leadership that is competent, that understands the issues and leadership that is honest with the electorate”.

The government has said it will no longer reveal how many checks are conducted on the border – meaning it will be difficult to know how it compares to the 5% required by the Windsor deal.