May’s Brexit deal is a betrayal of NI

THE Prime Minister keeps insisting that her withdrawal deal delivers on the referendum and is what the people voted for. This is not correct, and in looking at the document, one can clearly see that she is not being honest with those who voted Leave.

Firstly, it is Brexit in name only. Even the agreement it states so: “All references to member states and competent authorities of member states shall be read as including the UK.”

This, of course, is supposed to be only temporary, lasting until “31 December 2020”, according to the agreement.

In theory, the deal secures a “transition period”; time for both sides to workout the more complicated aspects of the divorce.

However, if no agreement is in place by the end of the transition period, the “backstop” kicks in.

Britain is then subject to a set of conditions that it cannot get out of without the permission of the EU.

Brussels retains a de facto veto over whether Britain can leave the customs union and, therefore, whether it can leave the legal orbit of the EU.

The UK could spend decades having its regulations and whole sections of laws handed down from Brussels without a say in the matter.

Brussels always wanted a price for Brexit, and that price, they decided, was Northern Ireland.

The withdrawal agreement confirms Northern Ireland would stay within the EU regulatory orbit.

This is a plot to amputate Northern Ireland from the UK, keeping it in the EU, run by the EU, but with no influence, except via Dublin.

There is a lot of ambiguity in the agreement — to the benefit of the EU — which is also in the political declaration.

Already, the French and Germans want to continue fishing in our waters. I wonder how the fishermen in ports like Kilkeel and Portavogie think about that.

These entire negotiations have been a betrayal of the referendum and, ultimately, of Northern Ireland by Theresa May.

Her assurances over the past two years regarding Northern Ireland have been hollow ones.

Former Conservative Party chairman Lord Norman Tebbitt described the agreement as “nothing other than part of a punishment beating of our country for daring to claim the right to self-government lest other EU states should follow our example.”

We did not surrender in two world wars, while others did, so why should we do so now?

ROBERT TINNEY By email