Brexit minister Lord Frost claims EU ‘doesn’t always look like it wants UK to succeed’ as he demands N Ireland changes

Published

4 years ago

October 12, 2021

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Brexit minister Lord Frost has accused the EU of being an organisation “that doesn’t always look like” it wants the UK to succeed as he demanded changes to post-Brexit arrangements for Northern Ireland.

In a speech in Lisbon, the cabinet minister called on Brussels to help “tackle the fundamental issues” with the Northern Ireland Protocol – which he claimed was “not working” – and to show “the same ambition and willingness” to solve problems.

He also reiterated a threat to suspend post-Brexit arrangements for Northern Ireland by triggering Article 16 of the Protocol.

But critics attacked Lord Frost for now trashing an agreement he helped negotiate with Prime Minister Boris Johnson less than two years ago, and for risking a new row with the EU.

In his speech on Tuesday, Lord Frost said the Protocol was “the biggest source of mistrust” between the EU and UK and said the border arrangements had “completely lost consent in one community in Northern Ireland”.

“There is a widespread feeling in the UK that the EU did try to use Northern Ireland to encourage UK political forces to reverse the referendum result or at least to keep us closely aligned with the EU,” he added.

“And, moreover, that the Protocol represents a moment of EU overreach when the UK’s negotiating hand was tied, and therefore cannot reasonably last in its current form.

“Whether or not you agree with either analysis – the facts on the ground are what matter above all.

“Maybe there is a world in which the Protocol could have worked, more sensitively implemented.

“But the situation has now moved on. We now face a very serious situation. The Protocol is not working.”

Lord Frost revealed he had shared a new legal text with the European Commission on Tuesday with his planned changes for the Protocol.

These include the removal of the European Court of Justice (ECJ) from oversight of the Protocol.

He spoke ahead of EU vice-president Maros Sefcovic delivering Brussels’ response on Wednesday to the UK government’s suggested changes to the Protocol, which Lord Frost outlined in July.

The Brexit minister said the UK was “really ready” to discuss the EU’s own proposals “whatever they say and we will obviously consider them seriously, fully, and positively”.

But he warned the EU must be ready to agree to “significant change” to the Protocol.

“We need the EU to show the same ambition and willingness – to tackle the fundamental issues at the heart of the Protocol head on,” Lord Frost added.

Senior EU figures – including French President Emmanuel Macron – have previously warned that “nothing is negotiable” with regards to the Protocol.

But, while Lord Frost admitted he understood why the EU “feels it is difficult to come back to an agreement reached only two years ago”, he stressed “that in itself is far from unusual in international relations”.

The last great battle of Brexit

By David Blevins, senior Ireland correspondent

Some are describing this as the last great battle of Brexit.

It’s less about the practicalities of the Northern Ireland Protocol and more about the politics – who has the power to enforce the trading arrangements.

When the UK voted to leave the EU, Northern Ireland became the square peg in the round hole.

How would Northern Ireland exit the EU with the rest of the United Kingdom without the need for a border with the Republic?

In the end the two sides compromised, leaving Northern Ireland in the EU’s single market, much to the angst of Unionists.

Now, there is a new dilemma. How can Northern Ireland remain in the EU’s single market and the European Court of Justice (ECJ) not have oversight here?

It’s too soon to know if Lord Frost’s stance on the ECJ is a negotiating position or a red line for a UK government seriously considering Article 16.

Responding to Lord Frost’s speech, former Conservative minister Gavin Barwell – who was also chief of staff to ex-prime minister Theresa May – accused the Brexit minister of causing new tensions with EU nations.

“The absolute state of David Frost trashing the deal he negotiated + hailed as a triumph – despite many, yours truly included, warning it was a dud – *and worse* now using it to further undermine our relationship with some of our closest friends in an increasingly dangerous world,” he posted on Twitter.

Labour’s shadow Brexit minister, Baroness Chapman, claimed senior Conservatives were “desperate to use a tussle with Brussels to distract from their domestic failures – whether on COVID, the energy crisis, or the needless culling of thousands of pigs”.

She added: “Today was an opportunity for the government to reset relations with our partners in the EU after a fractious start to our new relationship.

“Instead of approaching the occasion with maturity and in the spirit of cooperation, Lord Frost has effectively asked to rip up the agreement he negotiated – and the Prime Minister signed – just two years ago.”

And Liberal Democrat MP Alistair Carmichael, the party’s Northern Ireland spokesperson, said: “This Conservative government is playing out like a badly-written farce.

“The same minister who just months ago was trumpeting the government’s botched Brexit deal now says it’s intolerable and has to be changed.

“After all the upheaval British businesses have suffered and all the challenges they face now, they need certainty and support from the government, not more pointless posturing.”

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FBOT registry won’t bring offshore crypto exchanges to the US — Attorney

Published

18 hours ago

September 6, 2025

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<div>FBOT registry won't bring offshore crypto exchanges to the US — Attorney</div>

The Foreign Board of Trade (FBOT) framework is designed for the legacy financial system and is a poor fit for cryptocurrency exchanges.

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‘Scam of all scams’: Crypto dev claims Trump-linked WLFI ‘stole’ his money

Published

1 day ago

September 6, 2025

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‘Scam of all scams’: Crypto dev claims Trump-linked WLFI ‘stole’ his money

A crypto developer says Trump-linked crypto project WLFI froze his tokens and refused to unlock them, calling it “the new age mafia.”

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Farage confirms he wants to deport women asylum seekers back to Taliban in Afghanistan

Published

1 day ago

September 6, 2025

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Farage confirms he wants to deport women asylum seekers back to Taliban in Afghanistan

Nigel Farage has confirmed he wants to deport women asylum seekers back to the Taliban in Afghanistan if he becomes prime minister.

The Reform UK leader’s position on the topic has not been clear, with him previously saying he would send women back to the fundamentalist regime that took over after western militaries withdrew, before now saying he would.

Mr Farage was speaking to Sky News’ political editor Beth Rigby at the Reform UK party conference in Birmingham.

Politics live: Govt responds to Farage wanting early election

When asked if he would “detain” women and children and “send them back”, the Clacton MP said “yes”.

Challenged on when he said in August that he was not “discussing” women and children, Mr Farage claimed this was a reference to his desire to seeing men detained on arrival in the UK.

At the time he said he was “very, very clear” on the “deportation of illegal immigrants”, adding: “We are not even discussing women and children at this stage – there are so many illegal males in Britain, and the news reports that said that after my conference yesterday were wrong”

Speaking today, Mr Farage claimed that the UK has a “duty of care” if a four-year-old arrives in a dinghy, for example – but not so for women and men.

“For clarity, those that cross the English Channel will be detained and deported, men and women,” Mr Farage went on.

“Children, we’ll have to think about.”

The Reform leader also rowed back on his pledge to stop all boats within two weeks if he is elected prime minister.

Speaking to the conference yesterday, Mr Farage said: “You cannot come here illegally and stay – we will stop the boats within two weeks of winning government.”

But speaking to Beth Rigby today, he changed tack – saying “the passing of legislation” would be required.

He said the boats would then be stopped within two weeks, or sooner.

In the interview with Rigby, Mr Farage tried to claim he did not say he would end the boats within two weeks of “winning government”.

But the video of his speech, as well as the transcript released by Reform UK, clearly show him saying: “We will stop the boats within two weeks of winning government.”

When asked why he wouldn’t be able to stop the boats within two weeks of winning government, Mr Farage said it was impossible and “no one” can prevent them crossing the Channel.

The Reform UK leader said the law he wants to introduce will be called the Illegal Migration Act once it is passed by parliament.

He confirmed his agenda includes leaving the European Convention on Human Rights, shutting down asylum hotels and housing people at RAF bases instead, as well as deporting Channel migrants.

Mr Farage also claimed that deportation flights would also begin within two weeks of the law changing, and this combination of factors would stop people from wanting to travel from France.

This strategy all depends on Reform UK winning the next general election – which Labour does not have to call until 2029.

However, Mr Farage says he believes the government will collapse in 2027 due to economic pressure and other factors.

Reform are currently well clear of Labour and the Conservatives in the polling, and are targeting next year’s Welsh, Scottish and English local election to try and win more power in councils and national assemblies.