Sunak and von der Leyen speak on NI protocol deal
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Resolving the Northern Ireland Protocol is “music to the ears of” the UK’s squeezed e-commerce traders, according to an expert. Prabhat Shah, a veteran Amazon trader who now works as a consultant, believes that Rishi Sunak’s proposed deal with the EU presents a “fantastic opportunity that should be grasped with both hands”.
Yesterday, the prime minister announced that a new agreement has been reached with the bloc on the protocol.
It will remove the majority of checks on goods travelling between the province and the rest of the UK provided they remained in Northern Ireland.
Despite many welcoming the development – which aims to resolve issues over the agreement that then-prime minister Boris Johnson agreed in 2020 – it could face significant opposition from the Democratic Unionist Party and some Brexiteer Tory MPs.
Commenting after Mr Sunak hosted EU Commission president Ursula von der Leyen, Mr Shah said: “There’s no denying that e-commerce has grown exponentially in recent years, but it is also not immune from the cost of living crisis.
“There are Amazon and eBay traders up and down the country who are giving the economy a massive boost by working incredibly hard to make a living.
“Anything that can be done to make their lives easier in the current cost of living crisis would be music to their ears and should be grasped with both hands.
“It’s evident that allowing sellers from England, Scotland and Wales to trade as frictionlessly as possible with Northern Ireland would give them a huge boost.
“It’s also been well documented that the protocol has created issues for traders, and some have even stopped selling to customers in Northern Ireland.
“Should this deal go through, that will hopefully stop that overnight. It would reassure e-commerce sellers and allow them to focus on growing their businesses instead of worrying about red tape.”
Mr Shah – who is hosting Amazon sellers conference Amafest in October in Brighton – spoke as the news split opinions between Brexiteers.
Northern Ireland minister and Eurosceptic Steve Baker that Mr Sunak “is on the cusp of securing a really fantastic result for everyone involved”.
However, former Commons leader Jacob Rees-Mogg was not so upbeat.
The former Brexit opportunities minister said support for it “will all depend on the DUP. If the DUP are against it, I think there will be quite a significant number of Conservatives who are unhappy.”
“So, if the DUP doesn’t think that it meets its test, that will be very influential among Conservative MPs,” Mr Rees-Mogg added to ITV’s Good Morning Britain.
DUP leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson has been coy so far about his party’s stance on the deal.
Speaking yesterday, he said: “I’m neither positive nor negative.
“I think that we need to take time to look at the deal, what’s available and how does that match our seven tests (his party has laid out for accepting any deal).”
For more information on Amafest visit: https://amafestuk.com/
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