On this day in 1996: the IRA bombs the Docklands Opinion 30 years ago today, two men were killed in a massive explosion at Canary Wharf – and the IRA proved that you can bomb your way to the negotiating table, writes Eliot Wilson At around 5.00 pm, 30 years ago today, a blue Ford Iveco Cargo truck was parked 80 yards from South Quay DLR [...]
Brexit: Sunak holding urgent talks with Northern Ireland’s leaders amid speculation protocol deal is close Prime Minister Rishi Sunak is holding talks with Stormont leaders as speculation mounts that a deal on the Northern Ireland Protocol could be close. Sunak and Northern Ireland Secretary Chris Heaton-Harris are meeting the politicians near Belfast to discuss the contentious post-Brexit trading arrangements. Following his visit to Northern Ireland, Sunak is set to join [...]
Can Starmer solve Ireland’s Brexit woes? Labour leader visits Belfast today for meeting with Irish premier Varadkar Labour's bid Irish premier Leo Varadkar and UK Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer are to travel to Belfast on Thursday as efforts to resolve the dispute over the protocol ramp up. The Taoiseach and Sir Keir are to meet with the main Stormont parties to discuss the deadlock over the post-Brexit protocol, which the DUP party has [...]
Brexit: The govt must please both the Europeans and the DUP to solve the stalemate in Northern Ireland January 6, 2023 There aren’t many causes for optimism in British politics right now. Yet one that seems to be getting people increasingly excited is the possibility that Britain and the EU are close to agreeing a deal on the Northern Ireland Protocol. British ministerial sources are reporting good progress is being made in the talks, and even [...]
A Northern Irish compromise is a balancing act of conflicts August 17, 2022 The Northern Ireland Protocol, the compromise Boris Johnson signed in October 2019 in order to secure Brexit, was – and remains – a running sore first for the Conservative party and now for the Unionist parties in Northern Ireland. The Protocol has effectively created a border down the Irish Sea, with goods moving from mainland [...]
Good Friday Agreement architect Lord Trimble dies aged 77 July 25, 2022 Former Northern Ireland first minister David Trimble died at the age of 77, following a short illness.
Explainer-in-brief: the new Brexit wars over Northern Ireland June 15, 2022 On Monday, the government introduced a bill that allows it to change parts of the Northern Ireland Protocol, which governs post-Brexit trade rules on the island of Ireland. On Tuesday, the EU started devising retaliatory legal action. Here come the new Brexit battles, with a potential trade war in sight. Amongst the areas of contention [...]
Truss unveils ‘reasonable’ bill to rip up Northern Ireland Protocol June 13, 2022 The UK has unveiled new legislation that will rip up large parts of the post-Brexit Northern Ireland Protocol, with a new bill handing ministers powers to unilaterally “fix” anything they deem to be problematic. The legislation will scrap most checks on goods crossing the Irish Sea and allow Great Britain’s businesses to designate themselves whether [...]
NI Protocol changes will not break international law, minister says June 12, 2022 New UK legislation to unilaterally change the post-Brexit Northern Ireland Protocol will not break international law, Northern Ireland secretary Brandon Lewis has insisted. Lewis said the government’s plans, which will be brought forward to parliament tomorrow, are “lawful and correct”, despite comments from EU leaders saying any unilateral change to the protocol will break international [...]
US issues final Brexit warning to UK not to take unilateral action as American delegation visits Dublin and Belfast May 23, 2022 The UK government has been warned by a delegation of US politicians not to unilaterally remove the Northern Ireland Protocol as such a move “will not work”. Democratic Congressman Dan Kildee urged Foreign Secretary Liz Truss to engage in face-to-face negotiations with Brussels to resolve the outstanding issues. It comes as the bipartisan US congressional [...]