The Daily Express, June 27, Sir Jeffrey Donaldson MP
It remains the firm view of the Democratic Unionist Party that any return to fully-functioning devolved institutions at Stormont without further progress, including legislation that restores our place in the United Kingdom and its internal market, would be a retrograde step in our efforts to build a Northern Ireland where every tradition is respected and where there is economic opportunity for everyone everywhere.
Progress in building peace and stability in Northern Ireland has been painstakingly slow at times but it was achieved on the basis of consensus and with a recognition that to function effectively, the institutional arrangements require the support and participation of both unionists and nationalists.
The Protocol undermines that delicately balanced consensus, including through the continued application of EU law on the manufacture of goods here which creates the potential for divergence between Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
The Belfast Agreement was sold to unionists as containing a backstop against any change in Northern Ireland’s constitutional position without the advance and express consent of a majority of its people.
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