May’s deputy defends ‘ask Dublin’ advice to North
THERESA May’s deputy has defended the British government’s advice to firms in the North that they should ‘ask Dublin’ in the event of a no-deal Brexit.
The Tories were dubbed ‘clueless’ this week over a report that told businesses involved in cross-border trade that ‘you should consider whether you will need advice from the Irish Government about preparations you need to make’.
But British prime minister Mrs May’s deputy, David Lidington, defended the report yesterday in a visit to Derry to meet business leaders and community groups.
He said: ‘It can’t be for UK ministers to determine or give authority upon what steps are taken in the Irish Government, any more than what we can say the French would be doing at Calais.
‘We can only describe, as we did yesterday, what we can do within the powers we as a UK government have.’
Mr Lidington’s remarks were rejected yesterday by Fine Gael’s Neale Richmond, who is the Government’s spokesman on European Affairs.
Senator Richmond said: ‘To be fair to him, David has given us a bit more detail than [UK Brexit Secretary] Dominic Raab did. But he still leaves out the responsibility they have to Northern Ireland businesses and the advice they will need in dealing with a-no deal Brexit. They cannot abdicate that responsibility.
‘If Britain crashes out of Europe without a deal they are going to default to WTO [World Trade Organisation] rules. The WTO are going to force them to put customs posts up all along the border and that is what we have to work to avoid.’
On Thursday, 25 reports were released by Mr Raab about UK preparation for a no-deal Brexit. However, these were criticised by politicians and business groups for lacking detail on what will happen in the North.
The reports all say ‘the Irish Government have indicated they would need to discuss arrangements in the event of no deal with the European Commission and EU member states’.
Mr Lidington said yesterday: ‘Our message to business trading across the border is that our commitment is to respecting every detail of the Good Friday and Belfast agreements and working as hard as we can to ensure there is no friction on the border.
‘We will be striving to keep the border open, but what I can’t do is say what the Irish Government would do within its jurisdiction as they will have to talk to the European Commission.’
But Senator Richmond said: ‘It’s not helpful to say Ireland has to talk to the European Commission. The UK talks to Europe and there’s absolutely no reason to single us out from that.’
Accountancy firm EY also yesterday questioned how helpful advising Northern firms to check with Dublin would be. Michael Hall, EY Ireland head of markets, said: ‘Any government is unlikely to be able to provide clear advice on how to prepare for a no-deal in isolation.’
‘Leaves out the responsibility’