Brexit: DUP protocol petition passes 100,000 signatures

A DUP e-petition calling on the British government to trigger a mechanism to override the Northern Ireland Protocol has passed 100,000 signatures.

It means the issue must be considered for debate in Parliament.

The e-petition was set up by the DUP as part of a five-point plan it published in a bid to scrap the protocol.

Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) leader Arlene Foster said it showed people had made a "very public appeal" to the government to act.

However, at the moment Westminster Hall petition debates are suspended due to the pandemic and there is no date for when they will resume.

Mrs Foster said the petition was a "demonstration" to parties supporting the protocol to accept it is flawed and must be replaced.

"This is not the time for more words and drawn-out processes," she added.

"This is the time for affirmative action to ensure that there is an unfettered flow of goods within the United Kingdom single market."

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There are currently 34 petitions waiting to be debated in Parliament.

In a statement, a spokesperson for the House of Commons said there was a "large backlog" of petitions due to Covid-19 and it was not yet possible to give information on a specific one.

Meanwhile, the President of the European Commission has written to Stormont saying she is "exploring all flexibilities" to facilitate the implementation of the NI Protocol.

Ursula von der Leyen was responding to a letter sent from Assembly Speaker Alex Maskey last year.

Stormont is at odds over the Irish Sea border, with unionists calling for the protocol to be scrapped.

Sinn Féin, the SDLP and Alliance have said it must remain in place.

Ms von der Leyen's letter, sent earlier this week, has been seen by BBC News NI.

In it she says she wishes to reassure assembly members that the EU is taking the implementation of the protocol "very seriously".

"It is our priority to ensure that it is implemented in a faithful, effective and timely manner," it adds.

On Wednesday, Stormont's first and deputy first ministers held talks with EU Vice-President Maros Sefcovic and UK Cabinet Office Minister Michael Gove about concerns with the protocol.

It follows criticism of the EU last week after it moved to trigger a mechanism known as Article 16, to override the protocol, amid a row on vaccine exports.

The EU later reversed the decision but the British government has now said "urgent action" must be taken to resolve issues caused by the protocol.

Currently, supermarkets and other businesses are being allowed to operate with reduced requirements for paperwork and certification when moving goods from Great Britain to Northern Ireland.

The first of those grace periods is due to expire in April, but in a letter to the EU the UK government has asked for an extension until 2023.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson has said the government will act "legislatively" or by invoking Article 16, if other solutions cannot be reached with the EU to remove GB-NI trade barriers.

In her letter, Ms von der Leyen said the European Commission was exploring "all flexibilities available" within the framework of the protocol, while protecting the "integrity" of the EU's single market and customs union rules.

Sinn Féin MLA Caoimhe Archibald said the letter showed the EU was "willing to work on practical solutions" to the problems that had resulted from the protocol and Brexit.

"While we condemn the events of last week relating to Article 16, we are assured that the EU have learned lessons and are committed to making the protocol work."