Ulster Unionist MEP Jim Nicholson, has warned that no ‘assurances’ from the Government nor the European Union have the same weight as a legally binding international treaty, as MPs prepare to vote later today on the EU withdrawal agreement.
Jim Nicholson MEP said:
“Clearly, both the Government and the EU finally recognise that the democratic and constitutional flaws inherent in the backstop are the key sticking point in getting this deal over the line. We have to get this right: the withdrawal agreement will become a legally binding international treaty - so without changes to the legal text these assurances are worthless. The reality is that yesterday’s letters show nothing has changed.
“There is still room for manoeuvre if this deal is rejected. It would be grossly irresponsible for the UK and EU to bring us to the cliff edge of ‘no deal’ simply because they refuse to fix the backstop. We can still leave the European Union with a deal that does not diminish the constitutional integrity of the United Kingdom.
“There are MPs across the House, including in the cabinet, who are sincere unionists. My message to these individuals is: trust your instincts, push for a better deal, do not jeopardise the integrity of the UK for the sake of getting a deal over the line.”