Ulster Unionists launch Judicial Review to "protect" Belfast Agreement

By Q Radio news

The Ulster Unionist Party is launhcing legal proceedings against the Northern Ireland protocol.

They'll bring a judicial Review which the party claims is to protect the Belfast Agreement.

The hearing will take place at the Royal corts of jstice this morning.

Steve Aiken OBE MLA and Lord Empey are bringing the Judicial Review.

(Ulster Unionist Party leader Steve Aiken)

Mr Aiken said: “As the party central to the negotiation and delivery of the Belfast Agreement we are deeply concerned at the damage being done to the Agreement by the imposition of the Northern Ireland Protocol.

We have no option, but to act to protect the Belfast Agreement.

“Our application is based upon the fact that the Northern Ireland Protocol breaches the rights and safeguards granted to the people of Northern Ireland by the Belfast Agreement. If this is allowed to proceed it undermines the rights afforded to those of all traditions and undermines the very basis on which the Belfast Agreement was negotiated.

In our view, the Northern Ireland Protocol runs roughshod over the Belfast Agreement.

“We believe that the Belfast Agreement granted real protections and real rights to the people of Northern Ireland, whatever their identity, culture or creed.

This application will bring legal definition and legal certainty to the question of what the Belfast Agreement gives to the people of Northern Ireland and to the question of whether the Northern Ireland Protocol is compatible with it.

“The Belfast Agreement was founded on non-majoritarianism that enshrined protections and safeguards for, and gave rights to, all the people of Northern Ireland to ensure, amongst other things, that key decisions are taken on a cross-community basis.

“The British Government, the Irish Government and, indeed, the EU have all repeatedly reaffirmed the importance of protecting the Belfast/ Good Friday Agreement.

The Withdrawal Act of 2018 expressly requires the British Government in exercising any powers under that Act to 'act in a way that is compatible with the terms of the Northern Ireland Act 1998'.

Indeed, the NIP/2020 Regulations themselves expressly require the Government to 'protect the 1998 Agreement in all its dimensions.'

“We believe that the Northern Ireland Protocol fundamentally and detrimentally changes the status of Northern Ireland and seriously damages the economic, societal and democratic fabric of Northern Ireland and that it is unlawful and incompatible with the Belfast Agreement and also the Withdrawal Act itself.

We have brought this application to avail of the protections afforded to the people of Northern Ireland by the Belfast Agreement and we hope and believe that the courts will find that the Northern Ireland Protocol and the 2020 Regulations are unlawful.”