“The only reason Sinn Fein or any other party in Northern Ireland is offering views on the Windsor Framework is because of the determination and action of the Democratic Unionist Party. It is notable that all of those who have been quick to welcome the Framework without significant scrutiny are the same parties who told us that the Protocol could never be re-opened and that the European Union would never agree to fresh negotiations.
Michelle O’Neill and her fellow travellers should apologise for urging the EU to “rigorously implement” the NI Protocol. Sinn Fein was so blinded by anti-DUP sentiment they couldn’t see a bad deal.
Sinn Fein are welcoming “economic opportunities” presented by these proposals whilst ignoring their determination to rigorously implement the economic harm of the Protocol. We hear yet again about the need to ensure there is no hard border, except of course when it comes to Sinn Fein’s own finances where they’re more than happy to erect one inside their own organisation.
We will take time to fully scrutinise both the political and legal texts to assess whether this Framework meets our seven tests and whether it restores Northern Ireland’s place within the United Kingdom. The intention behind the efforts to bring forward this framework however has been to resolve problems which many people denied even existed.”
