London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Thursday, Jul 10, 2025

UK MPs to debate removing the Northern Ireland Protocol from Brexit deal with EU, after Brussels triggered it during vaccine row

UK MPs to debate removing the Northern Ireland Protocol from Brexit deal with EU, after Brussels triggered it during vaccine row

The UK parliament will discuss removing the Northern Ireland Protocol from the Brexit deal, after politicians called for urgent debate to address the damage in the wake of the EU’s triggering of the article over a Covid jabs row.

The Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) of Northern Ireland launched a petition calling for the debate, after it declared that London needs to address the “growing crisis” over the Irish Sea border, which they feel was exacerbated by the EU’s recent actions due to the disagreement over vaccine delivery targets.

The petition, which has received more than 140,000 signatures, is a five-point proposal that seeks to remove all trade barriers between Northern Ireland and the rest of Great Britain, as they see the existing protocol as not about protecting peace along its border with the Republic of Ireland, but “entirely about protecting [the EU’s] own single market.

“Northern Ireland is already suffering real economic and societal difficulties as a consequence of the first month of the Protocol.”


The Northern Ireland Protocol was added to the UK-EU Withdrawal Agreement to prevent the emergence of a hard border on the island of Ireland, which could threaten the peaceful relationship between the two nations that share it.

The measure means that goods are able to move between Northern Ireland and Ireland without customs checks, tariffs or paperwork, as though it were still in the EU. However, to allow this to occur, trade barriers were created between Northern Ireland and the other UK nations, requiring checks for goods crossing the Irish Sea.

The EU attempted to trigger the protocol, formally known as Article 16, to restrict vaccine deliveries from Europe to the UK, after several pharmaceutical companies had warned the bloc that they wouldn’t be able to meet delivery targets for European nations, despite the UK’s orders remaining unaffected.

European leaders ultimately backed down and reversed their decision to trigger Article 16, but the saga sparked anger in Northern Ireland and Ireland, with the DUP’s leader describing the invocation of the article as an “incredible act of hostility”.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Severe Heatwave Claims 2,300 Lives Across Europe
NVIDIA Achieves Historic Milestone as First Company Valued at $4 Trillion
Declining Beer Consumption Signals Cultural Shift in Germany
Linda Yaccarino Steps Down as CEO of X After Two Years
US Imposes New Tariffs on Brazilian Exports Amid Political Tensions
Azerbaijan and Armenia are on the brink of a historic peace deal.
Emails Leaked: How Passenger Luggage Became a Side Income for Airport Workers
Polish MEP: “Dear Leftists - China is laughing at you, Russia is laughing, India is laughing”
BRICS Expands Membership with Indonesia and Ten New Partner Countries
Weinstein Victim’s Lawyer Says MeToo Movement Still Strong
U.S. Enacts Sweeping Tax and Spending Legislation Amid Trade Policy Shifts
Football Mourns as Diogo Jota and Brother André Silva Laid to Rest in Portugal
Labour Expected to Withdraw Support for Special Needs Funding Model
Leaked Audio Reveals Tory Aide Defending DEI Record
Elon Musk Founds a Party Following a Poll on X: "You Wanted It – You Got It!"
London Stock Exchange Faces Historic Low in Initial Public Offerings
A new online platform has emerged in the United Kingdom, specifically targeting Muslim men seeking virgin brides
Trump Celebrates Independence Day with B-2 Flyover and Signs Controversial Legislation
Boris Johnson Urges Conservatives to Ignore Farage
SNP Ordered to Update Single-Sex Space Guidance Within Days
Starmer Set to Reject Calls for Wealth Taxes
Stolen Century-Old Rolls-Royce Recovered After Hotel Theft
Macron Presses Starmer to Recognise Palestinian State
Labour Delayed Palestine Action Ban Over Riot Concerns
Swinney’s Tax Comments ‘Offensive to Scots’, Say Tories
High Street Retailers to Enforce Bans on Serial Shoplifters
Music Banned by Henry VIII to Be Performed After 500 Years
Steve Coogan Says Working Class Is Being ‘Ethnically Cleansed’
Home Office Admits Uncertainty Over Visa Overstayer Numbers
JD Vance Questions Mandelson Over Reform Party’s Rising Popularity
Macron to Receive Windsor Carriage Ride in Royal Gesture
Labour Accused of ‘Hammering’ Scots During First Year in Power
BBC Head of Music Stood Down Amid Bob Vylan Controversy
Corbyn Eyes Hard-Left Challenge to Starmer’s Leadership
London Tube Trains Suspended After Major Fire Erupts Nearby
Richard Kemp: I Felt Safer in Israel Under Attack Than in the UK
Cyclist Says Police Cited Human Rights Act for Riding No-Handed
China’s Central Bank Consults European Peers on Low-Rate Strategies
AI Raises Alarms Over Long-Term Job Security
Saudi Arabia Maintains Ties with Iran Despite Israel Conflict
Musk Battles to Protect Tesla Amid Trump Policy Threats
Air France-KLM Acquires Majority Stake in Scandinavian Airlines
UK Educators Sound Alarm on Declining Child Literacy
Shein Fined €40 Million in France Over Misleading Discounts
Brazil’s Lula Visits Kirchner During Argentina House Arrest
Trump Scores Legislative Win as House Passes Tax Reform Bill
Keir Starmer Faces Criticism After Rocky First Year in Power
DJI Launches Heavy-Duty Coaxial Quadcopter with 80 kg Lift Capacity
U.S. Senate Approves Major Legislation Dubbed the 'Big Beautiful Bill'
Largest Healthcare Fraud Takedown in U.S. History Announced by DOJ
×