N.I. Brexit Protocol challenge denied

BELFAST (Reuters) – Northern Ireland’s High Court on Wednesday rejected a challenge by the region’s largest pro-British parties to part of the divorce deal with the EU, saying the Northern Ireland Protocol was consistent with British and EU law.

The court said Britain’s EU withdrawal agreement, which effectively left Northern Ireland in the bloc’s trading orbit, was legitimate as it was passed by the British Parliament and overrode parts of earlier acts, such as the 1800 Act of Union.

Judge Adrian Colton rejected a number of arguments based on both British and EU law, saying none justified the judicial review of the protocol requested by the parties.