Gregory Campbell says Union and position in Ireland provides unique trading advantage

The East Derry MP made the point during a discussion of the Northern Ireland Protocol Bill which seeks to give the British Government the power to override elements of the Brexit Withdrawal Agreement it negotiated with the European Union.

Mr. Campbell said: "There are those who repeatedly say that the protocol provides two-way trading access into the UK market and then into the Irish Republic and the EU market."

The East Derry MP asked his DUP colleague Sammy Wilson: "Does he agree that it is not the protocol that provides that?

"What should provide it is, first, our membership of the United Kingdom and, secondly, our physical geographical position on the island of Ireland, with a 300-mile land border that nobody could seal to provide a hard border to prevent open access?"

Mr. Wilson replied: "That is the whole point, of course, which is one of the reasons why the border is placed down the Irish sea."

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