Wednesday, December 22, 2021
Former pro-European goes native in search of ultimate prize
If anybody thought that the appointment of a former pro-European to negotiate with the EU might lead to a more considered approach to the Northern Ireland protocol and the implementation of Brexit, then they would have been swiftly disabused of such a fanciful notion by Elizabeth Truss's early actions in her new role.
The Independent reports that the Foreign Secretary has been accused of using her new Brexit responsibilities to position herself for a future Tory leadership contest, after she told European Commission vice-president Maroš Šefčovič in their first phone talks that she was ready to suspend the UK/EU agreement on the Irish border by invoking Article 16:
To some observers, Boris Johnson’s appointment of the foreign secretary to lead Brexit talks is a way to broker a less belligerent approach to Brussels, after David Frost’s repeated threats to suspend the Northern Ireland Protocol at the risk of an EU trade war.
She also signed up to the PM’s climbdown on the European Court of Justice, which is thought to have played a part in provoking the resignation of her predecessor, known in Brussels as Frosty the No-man for his refusal to make concessions.
But she today sought to project a hardline stance, insisting that “the UK position has not changed” and telling Mr Šefčovič that Britain remains ready to trigger Article 1 if barriers to the flow of goods between Northern Ireland and the British mainland are not eased.
ECJ oversight of the protocol had long been an obstacle to agreement, due to Lord Frost’s insistence on sovereignty grounds that the court’s involvement must be entirely removed.
But new UK proposals would allow it to retain its role interpreting EU rules which continue to operate in the province because of Mr Johnson’s decision to create a customs border in the Irish Sea. Ms Truss echoed the language used by the UK when announcing the climbdown last week, saying that the ECJ must not be “the final arbiter of disputes between us”.
Liberal Democrats foreign affairs spokeperson, Layla Moran has accused Truss of trying to use the issue to position herself for a future Tory leadership contest.
The Independent reports that the Foreign Secretary has been accused of using her new Brexit responsibilities to position herself for a future Tory leadership contest, after she told European Commission vice-president Maroš Šefčovič in their first phone talks that she was ready to suspend the UK/EU agreement on the Irish border by invoking Article 16:
To some observers, Boris Johnson’s appointment of the foreign secretary to lead Brexit talks is a way to broker a less belligerent approach to Brussels, after David Frost’s repeated threats to suspend the Northern Ireland Protocol at the risk of an EU trade war.
She also signed up to the PM’s climbdown on the European Court of Justice, which is thought to have played a part in provoking the resignation of her predecessor, known in Brussels as Frosty the No-man for his refusal to make concessions.
But she today sought to project a hardline stance, insisting that “the UK position has not changed” and telling Mr Šefčovič that Britain remains ready to trigger Article 1 if barriers to the flow of goods between Northern Ireland and the British mainland are not eased.
ECJ oversight of the protocol had long been an obstacle to agreement, due to Lord Frost’s insistence on sovereignty grounds that the court’s involvement must be entirely removed.
But new UK proposals would allow it to retain its role interpreting EU rules which continue to operate in the province because of Mr Johnson’s decision to create a customs border in the Irish Sea. Ms Truss echoed the language used by the UK when announcing the climbdown last week, saying that the ECJ must not be “the final arbiter of disputes between us”.
Liberal Democrats foreign affairs spokeperson, Layla Moran has accused Truss of trying to use the issue to position herself for a future Tory leadership contest.
We now appear to be on course for a ruinous trade war just to accommodate the ambitions of a possible successor to Boris Johnson. Is this how things are to be for the future, our national interests taking second place to the manoeuvring to replace a weakened Prime Minister?
