Ulster Unionist leader, Steve Aiken OBE MLA, has warned that unless the EU changes its stance, in five weeks time, Northern Ireland consumers are facing the prospect of very severe disruption to the food supply, as barriers to trade will be erected when it comes to importing food from Great Britain.
Mr Aiken said:
“The remarks made by the Secretary of State this morning on BBC Radio’s Good Morning Ulster programme should be filling us all with alarm. That the EU Commission, and Simon Coveney have ignored the joint calls of the FM/dFM to give clarity to the people of Northern Ireland on our security of food supply with just over one month to go, just shows the level of contempt shown by those who supposedly are putting the ‘Belfast Agreement’ first. That political parties like Alliance, the Greens and the SDLP whose Leaders are quite happy to drive to Dublin for a photocall during a pandemic, have been completely quiet about the very severe risk of disruption to our food supply - and remember this is food coming into Northern Ireland from our own country - speaks volumes for where their real position lies.
“For literally years now the Ulster Unionist Party has been making clear the challenges that an Irish Sea Border will bring. We are now five weeks away from the date when the United Kingdom is due to leave the European Union, and yet the European Commission and supporters of the Protocol still refuse to acknowledge the very real concerns that exist regarding the future availability of goods within our supermarkets, our branches of TESCO, ASDA, M&S and others because these goods are somehow deemed to be ‘a risk.’ Food sent to Northern Ireland from the rest of the United Kingdom is not ‘a risk’ in the eyes of local consumers, who should be very clear who is to blame should the EU not see sense and drop their foolish and dangerous stance.
“We are now a long way away from the much promised and heralded ‘best of both worlds.’ In fact, unless something drastically changes, it will be the worst start to the New Year.”