Alex Easton MP has today issued a firm call for the current review of the post-Brexit arrangements to reject any attempt to legitimise the deeply damaging political and constitutional violations imposed by the Northern Ireland Protocol and its subsequent developments.
Mr Easton said:
“This review must not be used to justify or legitimise the deeply damaging political and constitutional violations that have been imposed under the current arrangements. Instead, it should serve as an opportunity to reverse them.”
Highlighting the severe consequences of the current system, Mr Easton pointed to the continued operation of the Irish Sea Border and the resulting partitioning of the United Kingdom:
“The implementation of the Northern Ireland Protocol, and the continued operation of border checks within our own country, has led to the disenfranchisement of nearly two million UK citizens in Northern Ireland across 300 areas of law and constitutes a fundamental breach of the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement. These are not theoretical concerns—they cut to the very core of democratic accountability, constitutional order, and national sovereignty.”
Mr Easton reaffirmed his support for a constructive and workable alternative—Mutual Enforcement—which he described as a “principled and pragmatic solution” that could replace the current damaging arrangements:
“Mutual Enforcement offers a method of managing trade that respects the UK’s territorial integrity, does not disenfranchise anyone, and upholds both the letter and the spirit of the Belfast Agreement. This review must embrace this approach without delay.”
Referring to the Mutual Enforcement Bill, introduced by the Member for North Antrim, Mr Easton continued:
“The Bill presents a legally sound and economically sensible alternative that would eliminate the need for costly and politically inflammatory infrastructure at places like Larne Port. It would maintain the integrity of both UK and EU markets while removing the burden of excessive bureaucracy from Northern Ireland businesses.”
Mr Easton also pointed out that the model is not untested or unprecedented:
“Mutual Enforcement is already in use between the EU and New Zealand. This shows that it works. The failure to apply it to Northern Ireland is not a matter of practicality—it is a matter of political will.”
Concluding his statement, Mr Easton made a strong appeal:
“Northern Ireland must not be treated as a constitutional exception or bargaining chip. Any future arrangements must reaffirm our place within the United Kingdom and respect the democratic will of our people. Mutual Enforcement provides the only viable, stable, and constitutionally coherent way forward. I urge this review to act accordingly.”
Alex Easton MP
Member of Parliament for North Down
