Ulster Unionist Peer, Lord Empey, said:

“Over 100 days ago, Sir Jeffrey Donaldson promised to take ‘resolute action’ in the event that the Government did not move to make radical changes to the Protocol, ending Northern Ireland’s distancing from the UK Single Market. What has happened during this time? The Government has got Sir Jeffrey’s measure and have run the clock down so that his foolish threats to bring down the Institutions can have little effect. The Assembly’s mandate is coming to an end and in a few weeks the Assembly dissolves for the elections.

“The much-hyped triggering of Article 16 has not happened. Foolishly, some had seen this as an opportunity to get rid of the Protocol. It isn’t. Article 16 is a safety valve to protect the Protocol and won’t remove it.

“Sir Jeffrey’s foolish and empty threats have not only embarrassed him and his Party, they have once again embarrassed and demoralised Unionism in general.

“What is needed is a negotiation to amend the existing Treaty with the EU to re-instate the proper constitutional mechanisms of the United Kingdom so that we will no longer be treated like an EU Protectorate. We remain rule takers with no democratic input.

“Only a madman would bring down Stormont in Northern Ireland’s centenary year when we are in the middle of a pandemic which is getting worse.

“Sir Jeffrey and his colleagues must accept and acknowledge their role in all of this mess. On the eve of the biggest betrayal of the Union by any Prime Minister, he and his colleagues were cheering Boris Johnson at the Tory conference. A few hours later, Boris Johnson threw Northern Ireland under a bus by proposing to the EU that there be a regulatory border in the Irish Sea. Even worse was to follow that day when the DUP endorsed Boris Johnson’s proposals for a border in the Irish Sea.

“Instead of backing Boris, if the DUP, which held the balance of power in Westminster at the time, had withdrawn support from his Government, the Protocol could have been avoided.

“Only by following a clear negotiating path, bringing sound arguments to the table, will we be able to replace the Protocol which has been imposed upon us in part by the utter incompetence of DUP MPs back in October 2019. Empty threats from Stormont won’t cut it anymore."