Northern Ireland Protocol and forming a government

Written by David Fletcher 13 May 2022
Northern Ireland Protocol and forming a government

The attorney general has been advised that it would be lawful to override parts of the Northern Ireland Protocol, the post-Brexit arrangement which requires some checks on goods between Britain and NI. This angers both Unionists and the EU. There has been no power-sharing executive for several months after the DUP withdrew in protest against the protocol. In the recent election Sinn Féin, whose goal is for NI to become one country with the Republic of Ireland, won the most seats and needs to form a government. It cannot take up the office unless the DUP nominates a deputy first minister. The DUP's leader said his party would respect the election result, but changes needed to be made to the protocol. Boris Johnson has said the most important treaty is the Good Friday Agreement, which established a cross-community power-sharing government to end decades of violence. 

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  • Pray: for the UK and EU to override the NI Protocol so that peace can be restored, and the parties re-establish a peaceful power-sharing executive. (Matthew 5:9)