BREAKTHROUGH - BRITISH GOVT TO IMPLEMENT AGREEMENT

Foreign Secretary Brandon Lewis and PM Boris Johnson

Some days it is hard not to be cynical when listening to the British government’s spin. Today, they agreed to implement the withdrawal agreement and the irish protocol. An agreement that they signed into international law at the beginning of this year. The British government in September tried to walk away from this agreement breaking their word and breaching international law. They thought no one would notice.

Today's announcement should remove the threat of a hard border emerging on the island of Ireland and that is to be welcomed for sure. The change of heart came about when the United States lead by the Friends of Ireland Caucus in the US House of Representatives and the Ways and Means Committee chaired by Rep Richard Neal (D-MA) made crystal clear that any future trade agreement between Britain and the US was conditional on the prevention of a hard border and the protection of the Good Friday Agreement - a position also shared with the European Union.

In the face of such opposition, the British government had nowhere to run but back to the initial agreement. So well done to all our friends and supporters and to the bi-partisan support in the US Congress that made today’s news possible. Trade talks continue and we have further to travel but today we saw the power of the United States changing the course of the British government. So onward and upward, but for now well done to all.