As the dust settles on the latest Brexit deal agreed between the UK and EU, there is a growing consensus among Unionists that it presents an opportunity to “bank the wins” for Northern Ireland’s economy. With the post-Brexit landscape still a source of uncertainty for businesses and consumers alike, experts are urging those in the Unionist community to seize the chance to maximize the benefits of the new trading arrangements. In this article, we’ll explore why Unionists have cause for optimism and what steps should be taken to ensure Northern Ireland is well positioned for the future.
Former Northern Secretary Julian Smith has encouraged unionists to embrace the economic opportunities in the new Brexit trading deal for Northern Ireland. Speaking at an Ulster Unionist Party gala dinner to mark the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement, Smith suggested unionists should “bank the wins” of the so-called Windsor Framework, which has been proposed as a way of cutting post-Brexit red tape between Northern Ireland and Great Britain. The Democratic Unionist Party has opposed the framework and is currently blocking devolution at Stormont in protest at the post-Brexit trading arrangements, which it claims have created economic barriers between Northern Ireland and Great Britain.
The Windsor Framework is designed to address the challenges presented by the Northern Ireland Protocol, which requires the application of some EU laws in the region to maintain its ongoing unfettered access to the European single market post-Brexit. The UK and EU have agreed to the framework as a means of reducing the red tape associated with the protocol. While the DUP has said that the framework has gone some way to addressing its concerns, it claims that significant problems remain, and it has boycotted Stormont until its issues of sovereignty and EU law application in Northern Ireland are sufficiently addressed.
Smith, who was instrumental in restoring Stormont powersharing in 2020 after a three-year deadlock, believes that unionists should focus on the economic opportunities the framework presents, rather than its challenges. He told UUP members that Northern Ireland’s place within the fifth-largest economy in the world made it a highly attractive place to invest, and he encouraged unionists to “champion trade links, investment opportunities and growing the economy.”
Smith also assured unionists that Northern Ireland’s place within the UK was secure, stating that “the principle of consent is enshrined,” thanks to the party’s efforts and those of the late Lord David Trimble. “Northern Ireland will never leave this Union if its people do not want it to, and I cannot see the circumstances in which they would want to,” he added.
Although the UUP has acknowledged the serious challenges posed by the Windsor Framework, the party supports a return to devolution and has called for unionists to embrace the economic possibilities it offers. Smith echoed this sentiment, calling on unionists to “bank the wins” of the framework, set the agenda, and move forward with confidence in the protections afforded by the Good Friday Agreement and the support for the Union in Northern Ireland.
