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UK: Gov't Rejects Unionist Calls For Pulling 'Stormont Brake'

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The UK gov't has confirmed that it has rejected a request from unionist parties in Northern Ireland to invoke the post-Brexit 'Stormont brake'. The 'Stormont brake' permits members of the legislative assembly (MLAs) at Stormont to object to EU laws if they see them as having a "significant impact specific to everyday life of communities in Northern Ireland in a way that is liable to persist". A motion from the hardline unionist Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) was backed by all unionist MLAs claiming that changes to EU rules on packaging and labelling of chemicals would have a "significant and prolonged" impact in Northern Ireland and that they would not be required in the rest of the UK.

  • Secretary of State for Northern Ireland Hillary Benn, in a letter to Speaker of the Assembly Edwin Poots, said that the new rules did not reach the threshold for implementing the brake.
  • DUP leader Gavin Robinson said the decision was 'wrong' and 'utter foolishness.' As Sky News reports, "If the brake had been pulled, there would have been unprecedented and intensive talks between the UK and EU, and possibly a vote on the rules applying in Stormont. It would undoubtedly have torn the scab off some of the old Brexit wounds, at a time when Sir Keir Starmer's government has much more pressing matters to attend to. It didn't happen this time…but it's unlikely unionists will be deterred from trying again in the future."
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The UK gov't has confirmed that it has rejected a request from unionist parties in Northern Ireland to invoke the post-Brexit 'Stormont brake'. The 'Stormont brake' permits members of the legislative assembly (MLAs) at Stormont to object to EU laws if they see them as having a "significant impact specific to everyday life of communities in Northern Ireland in a way that is liable to persist". A motion from the hardline unionist Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) was backed by all unionist MLAs claiming that changes to EU rules on packaging and labelling of chemicals would have a "significant and prolonged" impact in Northern Ireland and that they would not be required in the rest of the UK.

  • Secretary of State for Northern Ireland Hillary Benn, in a letter to Speaker of the Assembly Edwin Poots, said that the new rules did not reach the threshold for implementing the brake.
  • DUP leader Gavin Robinson said the decision was 'wrong' and 'utter foolishness.' As Sky News reports, "If the brake had been pulled, there would have been unprecedented and intensive talks between the UK and EU, and possibly a vote on the rules applying in Stormont. It would undoubtedly have torn the scab off some of the old Brexit wounds, at a time when Sir Keir Starmer's government has much more pressing matters to attend to. It didn't happen this time…but it's unlikely unionists will be deterred from trying again in the future."