Tag: Belfast (Good Friday) Agreement

Fulfilling the promise of the Belfast (Good Friday) Agreement

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak made a speech at Queen’s University in Belfast on the occasion of the 25th anniversary of the Belfast (Good Friday) Agreement

The Belfast (Good Friday) Agreement will always be remembered as one of the most extraordinary political achievements of our lifetimes.

Because step by step, faltering at first, people on all sides began to do things that were once unthinkable, in the search for peace. 

But you don’t need me to tell you that because many of you in this room created it. 

It is humbling to be with you today. 

And with the people of Northern Ireland, who have endured so much. 

After three long decades where violence and terror were part of everyday life… 

…a generation has grown up in a place that is vastly more peaceful, more prosperous, and more at ease with itself. 

Of course, we meet here today in circumstances that are far from perfect. 

But my argument today is this: the Belfast (Good Friday) Agreement remains the best and only foundation for peace and prosperity. 

And if we can take inspiration and instruction from the way peace was achieved 25 years ago… we can fulfil the true promise enshrined in that Agreement. 

The promise of: Stable devolved government. A prosperous economy. And a more united society. 

That’s the future for Northern Ireland we must build. 

Now to do that, we must first ask why. 

Why did peace talks succeed in 1998 when so many failed before? 

I believe that’s because people on all sides showed courage, imagination, and perseverance. 

First, those who worked for peace had the personal courage to keep going in spite of daily threats to them and their families. 

And the political courage to take risks in pursuit of a higher goal. 

John Hume, over his entire career, never relented in his insistence on non-violence. 

David Trimble took enormous risks to do what he thought was right for the union. 

And they were rightly honoured as the preeminent architects of peace, with a joint Nobel peace prize. 

Gerry Adams and Martin McGuiness persuaded Republicans to join a constitutional, power-sharing Assembly. 

And, encouraged by the intensive efforts of Mo Mowlam, the leaders of loyalism also lent their weight behind the deal. 

Female leaders from the Women for Peace and the Women’s Coalition worked so hard for peace.  

And Bertie Ahern showed the wisdom and statecraft to see the historic opportunity.   

At a critical moment, he recognised unionist concerns over the proposed North-South arrangements and stepped back. 

Trimble himself, in his last public appearance, at this university, just weeks before he passed away… 

… embraced his old counterpart and thanked Bertie for giving him the space to act. 

These acts of courage were more powerful than a thousand bombs and bullets. 

Because there is nothing glamorous about violence.  

There is nothing glorious about terror. 

Squalid acts are always justified with some false dream about what they will achieve.  

But they have never worked – and they never will. 

Instead, let us glorify moderation; romanticise respect; and make heroes of those with the courage to reject absolutes, not kill for them. 

Second, making peace required leaps of imagination. 

To conceive of a system for sharing power between traditions. 

To design an agreement with three strands of equal importance… 

To enshrine the principle of consent – so that Northern Ireland remains a part of the United Kingdom for as long as its people wish… 

…while protecting the aspirations of those who seek a different future through peaceful means. 

And for the first time… 

…the people of North and South were both given the opportunity to support this deal… 

…and they did so, in overwhelming majorities. 

And let us never forget the crucial work after 1998 to build a broader consensus – helped by the leadership of Dr Ian Paisley. 

Third, the peace took extraordinary perseverance. 

In the aftermath of the Shankill bomb and Greysteel massacre in 1993, many thought the peace process was over… 

…but just two months later John Major and Albert Reynolds delivered the Downing Street Declaration. 

George Mitchell persuaded all parties to sign up to the principles of democracy and non-violence, without which the talks could not have begun.  

In the difficult final hours, President Clinton’s timely interventions helped get the deal done. 

And whenever people walked away, Tony Blair sought to bring them back… 

…always committed, always attuned to the concerns of all parts of the community. 

Together with Bertie Ahern, he showed us what’s possible when the UK and Irish governments work together… 

…a partnership I know will continue alongside my friend, Leo Varadkar. 

And in the spirit of perseverance, it’s also fitting to recognise the contribution of the security forces. 

Like my predecessors, I acknowledge that at times they made mistakes. 

But we must also recognise their bravery, suffering, and sacrifice – and that of the police. 

Without their courageous service, there would have been no peace process at all. 

They created the conditions that ultimately allowed their own presence on the streets to be reduced or entirely withdrawn. 

So: courage, imagination, and perseverance. hose qualities brought an imperfect but enduring peace to a place taught to believe no such peace was possible. 

So to all those who led us to that peace… including those here in this hall and those no longer with us… …let us take this moment to say to you: Thank you. 

For those of us, like me, who inherit this extraordinary, even intimidating legacy… 

…our challenge today is to fulfil the promise of the work that you began.  

To honour your legacy, we need to create a more stable devolved government in Northern Ireland. 

And that means getting the institutions up and running.  

I believe there are two tasks.  

First, to remove the biggest block to the institutions returning. 

That’s why, when I came into office, I made it a priority to fix the Northern Ireland Protocol. 

And we were deeply conscious of the lessons of history as we did so. 

That’s why our aims were to: 

Balance and respect the aspirations of all parts of the community. 

Protect the relationships between East and West as much as North and South. 

And persist through careful, detailed negotiation. 

And I pay tribute to Ursula von der Leyen who I am so pleased to see here today. 

The Windsor Framework is a breakthrough moment.  

It solves practical problems and, crucially, strengthens Northern Ireland’s place in our Union and our UK internal market.  

It gives the Assembly significant new powers – ready for when it sits again.  

And I am confident we can build broad support for it across all communities. 

So I share people’s frustration that the institutions are not back up and running.  

But that points to our second task.  

We must keep working to persuade all parts of the community that returning to the institutions is the best path. 

And we will do that.  

We will talk, we will listen, we will try to persuade – and we will not give up.  

And I want to speak directly for a moment to the representatives of unionism… 

…who include many diverse voices and whose concerns with the Protocol we have focused on addressing. 

I urge you to work with us to get Stormont up and running again.  

That’s the right thing to do on its own terms. 

And I’m convinced that it’s also the right thing to do for our union.  

I am a proud unionist. 

We believe passionately that Northern Ireland is stronger within the UK… 

…and the UK is stronger with Northern Ireland within it.  

But we must also build support beyond those of us who already identify as unionists.  

To do that, we have to show that devolved government within the United Kingdom works for Northern Ireland. 

The fact that the institutions have been down for nine of the last 25 years should be a source of profound concern. 

Over the long term that will not bolster the cause of unionism – I believe that deeply.  

So we need to get the institutions up and running – and keep them up and running.  

And let me also say to those who would seek to reform the institutions right now: I understand your frustrations. 

But history reminds us that nothing in Northern Ireland has ever been achieved by trying to get round one community or another. 

So any conversation about reform can only begin once the institutions are up and running again… 

…and if it attracts widespread consent. 

The Belfast (Good Friday) Agreement left us an extraordinary and precious legacy.  

When we look back in 25 years from now… 

…surely we should aspire for our legacy to be nothing less than this:  

That the institutions have been up and running for every single year.

Because our focus must be on the future.  

Getting the institutions back up and running is our most pressing challenge to honour your legacy.  

But that’s only the beginning.  

Together we must fulfil the true promise of the 1998 Agreement. 

That future enshrined in the very words of the text – of “sustained economic growth”, and where we tackle the problems of “a divided society”.  

I will give everything to help deliver that vision. 

Because I talked earlier about learning the lessons from history. 

One thing I took from George Mitchell is the idea that the agreement itself is only 20% of the task – the rest is delivery.  

Once the Agreement was done, people asked of Tony Blair: Would he walk away?  

He didn’t.  

And neither will I.  

Because there is work to be done. 

So let me tell you what I’m going to do.   

First, economic growth. 

Progress has been remarkable – in April 1998, Northern Ireland had the highest unemployment rate in the UK.  

Today – it’s the second lowest.   

But we need to do more.  

In 25 years, when we look back, I want to see that Northern Ireland has changed. 

From an economy too reliant on the public sector… 

To a thriving, dynamic economy built around the power and innovation of private enterprise.  

I talk a lot about the idea of levelling up.  

About making sure young people feel they can fulfil their dreams and aspirations in the place they call home.  

That idea has particular resonance here in Northern Ireland. 

And we won’t achieve it without a cascade of new investment – to create jobs and opportunity.  

That journey has already begun. 

Last week, President Biden came – and told the world to invest here.  

He didn’t say that out of sentimentality.  

He said it because he can see the opportunity for American businesses. 

And because of the enormous potential of this place. 

The potential of the people – resilient, ingenious, determined. 

The potential of your businesses… 

…with world-class strengths in cyber, life sciences, financial services, and the creative industries.  

And one of Europe’s most thriving start-up scenes.  

I know that journey to prosperity won’t be easy – and we aren’t there yet. 

But this is my commitment to you:  

I will use the full force of the UK Government… 

…to help you make this one of the best places in the world… 

…to start and grow a business, create jobs… 

…train and learn new skills… 

…and attract investment. 

And just as we want to look back on a more prosperous, dynamic economy… 

…so in 25 years, I also want us to look back on a more integrated and contented society. 

Of course, we cannot simply wish away those social realities that have been present for decades.  

The tragic loss of Lyra McKee and the attack on DCI John Caldwell remind us how far we still have to go. 

But people are already voting with their feet in the choices they make for their children’s education and their social and sporting lives.  

A growing body of the electorate does not define themselves solely as Unionist or Nationalist, British or Irish.  

A growing portion of people sample life in a different part of these islands but still return.  

And a growing number of local communities are signalling that their patience with thuggery is over. 

But there’s yet more to do.  

In 25 years’, should not the poisonous grip of the paramilitaries… those gangsters and drug dealers who wrap themselves in the fake cloak of legitimacy… be broken once and for all?  

In 25 years’, should not a fragment of a peace wall be nothing more than a stop on the tourist trail?  

In 25 years’, should integrated education not be the norm rather than the exception?  

Of course, we won’t build that better future overnight. And it won’t be easy. 

Every time I visit Northern Ireland, I feel more optimistic and hopeful.  

Because to paraphrase the late David Trimble… 

…there may be hills ahead of us, but there are mountains behind. 

I want to close by reflecting on an extraordinary story. 

Just weeks before the agreement, two lifelong friends, Damien Trainor and Philip Allen, were murdered at Poyntzpass. 

One was a Protestant, the other Catholic. 

The people who murdered them may have hoped to sow chaos and division and derail the peace talks. 

They failed. 

Because the story of this remarkable friendship inspired one of the most decisive breakthroughs of the whole peace process… 

…the agreement to share power between equal first and deputy first ministers, in a co-premiership, with one from each community. 

As Mark Durkan, the SDLP’s lead negotiator, said at the time:  “The stories of Philip and Damien’s special friendship… could be a parable for the sort of society that we might create if we could reach agreement”.  

And he was right. 

That is the promise of the Belfast (Good Friday) Agreement. 

And together we can – and we must – fulfil it.

PM meets US President Joe Biden

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak welcomed US President Joe Biden to the United Kingdom for a meeting in Belfast today.

The Prime Minister welcomed US President Biden to the United Kingdom for a meeting in Belfast today.

The leaders reflected on the legacy of the Belfast (Good Friday) Agreement, which was signed 25 years ago this week. They agreed that this anniversary is a moment to celebrate the progress that Northern Ireland has made over the last quarter of a century and to recommit to building an even brighter future for Northern Ireland.

The Prime Minister thanked President Biden for the role the US people and businesses have played in Northern Ireland’s prosperity, with billions of pounds of investment creating tens of thousands of jobs.

The Prime Minister and President Biden both expressed their sincere hope that the institutions in Northern Ireland will be restored as soon as possible.

The Prime Minister and President Biden discussed the wider relationship between the UK and the US.

They agreed that manipulation of global markets by authoritarian leaders demonstrates, more than ever, the need for likeminded partners to work together to support the economic health and security of our nations.

The leaders said that the thriving trade relationship between the UK and US demonstrates we are doing just that.

They looked forward to discussing the issue of economic security further during the G7 Summit next month and the Prime Minister’s visit to Washington DC in June.

They also agreed on the importance of using global forums like the G7 and G20 to challenge economic coercion and market manipulation, and promote the economic well-being of our countries.

UK Government introduces bill to ‘fix’ the Northern Ireland Protocol

Scottish Government: Northern Ireland Protocol legislation “reckless”

  • bill ‘ensures the delicate balance of the Belfast (Good Friday) Agreement is protected in all its dimensions and provides robust safeguards for the EU single market‘
  • introduces durable solutions to fix the four key issues with the Protocol
  • legislation will remove unnecessary costs and paperwork for businesses

The government has introduced legislation to fix parts of the Northern Ireland Protocol – making the changes necessary to restore stability and ensure the delicate balance of the Belfast (Good Friday) Agreement is protected.

The Northern Ireland Protocol Bill will allow the government to address the practical problems the Protocol has created in Northern Ireland in 4 key areas: burdensome customs processes, inflexible regulation, tax and spend discrepancies and democratic governance issues.

These problems include disruption and diversion of trade and significant costs and bureaucracy for business. They are undermining all 3 strands of the Belfast (Good Friday) Agreement and have led to the collapse of the power-sharing arrangements at Stormont. The UK government is committed to seeing these institutions back up and running so that they can deliver for the people of Northern Ireland.

Following 18 months of discussions with the EU, the UK’s preference remains for a negotiated solution to fix these problems which are baked into the Protocol.  But the EU must be willing to change the Protocol itself.  Ministers believe that the serious situation in Northern Ireland means they cannot afford to delay.

Foreign Secretary Liz Truss said: “This Bill will uphold the Belfast (Good Friday) Agreement and support political stability in Northern Ireland. It will end the untenable situation where people in Northern Ireland are treated differently to the rest of the United Kingdom, protect the supremacy of our courts and our territorial integrity.

“This is a reasonable, practical solution to the problems facing Northern Ireland. It will safeguard the EU Single Market and ensure there is no hard border on the island of Ireland.

“We are ready to deliver this through talks with the EU. But we can only make progress through negotiations if the EU are willing to change the Protocol itself – at the moment they aren’t. In the meantime the serious situation in Northern Ireland means we cannot afford to allow the situation to drift.

“As the government of the whole United Kingdom, it is our duty to take the necessary steps to preserve peace and stability.”

The legislation enables the government to bring forward durable solutions in each of the 4 key areas. The solutions are:

  1. green and red channels to remove unnecessary costs and paperwork for businesses trading within the UK, while ensuring full checks are done for goods entering the EU
  2. businesses to have the choice of placing goods on the market in Northern Ireland according to either UK or EU goods rules, to ensure that Northern Ireland consumers are not prevented from buying UK standard goods, including as UK and EU regulations diverge over time
  3. ensure Northern Ireland can benefit from the same tax breaks and spending policies as the rest of the UK, including VAT cuts on energy-saving materials and Covid recovery loans
  4. normalise governance arrangements so that disputes are resolved by independent arbitration and not by the European Court of Justice

These changes are designed to protect all 3 strands of the Belfast (Good Friday) Agreement, including North-South cooperation, and support stability and power-sharing in Northern Ireland.

They will provide robust safeguards for the EU Single Market, underpinned by a Trusted Trader scheme and real-time data sharing to give the EU confidence that goods intended for Northern Ireland are not entering its market. The legislation also ensures goods moving between Great Britain and the EU are subject to EU checks and customs controls.

The UK’s proposals protect the elements of the Protocol that are working, such as the Common Travel Area. It also contains a provision for it to be replaced by a negotiated settlement, if one is agreed with the EU.

It is consistent with international law and further information on the government’s legal position has been published today.

The government has today also published a ‘problems and solutions’ explainer document setting out each of the proposals in detail.

The UK has engaged extensively with the EU to resolve the problems with the Northern Ireland Protocol over the past 18 months. In the recent intensive discussions between October and March, the negotiating team held more than 300 hours of official and ministerial discussions and spent hundreds more examining the EU’s non-papers in detail.

However, it has become clear the EU proposals don’t address the core problems created by the Protocol. They would be worse than the status quo, requiring more paperwork and checks than today. The EU have said they will not allow changes to the Protocol within its current negotiating mandate.

Scottish Ministers are calling on the UK Government to withdraw legislation aiming to abandon parts of the Northern Ireland Protocol negotiated with the European Union.

Following the publication of the legislation, External Affairs Secretary Angus Robertson has reiterated the danger that disregarding parts of the UK-EU Withdrawal Agreement could lead to a trade war when the UK is already close to recession and in the middle of a cost of living crisis.

Mr Robertson said: “It is extremely reckless and frustrating that the UK Government has decided to bring forward this legislation. The UK Government has deliberately set itself on an entirely avoidable collision course with the EU.

“Brexit is forecast to cause more harm to the economy than COVID, and this action by the UK Government could trigger significant additional damage to our economy when we are already facing the worst cost of living crisis seen for decades.

“Scotland has direct interests at stake in the Protocol, particularly in trade and border control, and yet the UK Government has shown no willingness to engage us on these issues. It is also directly impacting other Scottish interests, such as participation in the flagship Horizon Europe research programme.  

“We have repeatedly called for the UK Government to step back from this confrontational approach and focus instead on dialogue with our European partners, who stand willing to work in partnership to find a negotiated solution. Those calls have also been ignored.

“We urge the UK Government to return to the negotiating table and withdraw this Bill. It is inconceivable to think that the Scottish Government would recommend legislative consent for a bill that would negatively impact Scotland’s economy, that could be deemed to break international law and could risk sparking a trade war with our fellow Europeans, which is in no one’s interests.”

The TUC and NIC-ICTU yesterday issued a joint statement to condemn the UK government’s “reckless” decision to unilaterally suspend its obligations under the Northern Ireland Protocol.

The union federations warn the decision will threaten the peace process in Northern Ireland and lead to a potentially damaging trade war.

Commenting on the new legislation, TUC General Secretary Frances O’Grady said: “It says everything about ministers’ warped priorities that in the middle of a cost-of-living emergency, they announce legislation that could provoke a trade war and cause prices to skyrocket further.

“Working people must not pay the price for this reckless move.

“The government must drop this bill, honour the agreement they signed up to and put practical solutions ahead of posturing.   

“Ministers need to get back around the table with the EU as soon as possible and come to an agreement that protects jobs, rights and the Good Friday Agreement.

“The government must show that it respects international agreements to repair its now-trashed reputation as a trading partner.”

ICTU Assistant General Secretary Owen Reidy said: “We all accept that there are practical issues with the protocol that must be addressed in the interests of all of the people of Northern Ireland.

However, the only credible way to do this is for the UK government to start to engage with the EU in good faith, as opposed to taking unilateral action which makes an agreement on the implementation of any protocol more challenging and difficult.”

The full joint statement from the TUC and NIC-ICTU reads:

We are deeply concerned that the UK government has stated an intention to unilaterally suspend its obligations under the Northern Ireland Protocol.

Trade unions played a critical role in the development of the Good Friday Agreement – but the government’s actions now threaten peace.

It is essential that the Good Friday Agreement is protected.

This reckless action also risks provoking a trade war with the EU.

In the middle of cost-of-living crisis, it is appalling for the UK government to suggest it will take actions that could see prices skyrocket even further.

Working people must not pay the price of the government’s reckless actions.

UK ministers must honour the international agreement they signed and put practical solutions ahead of ideological posturing.  

They need to get back around the table with the EU as soon as possible and come to an agreement that protects jobs, livelihoods and the Good Friday Agreement.

And they must act in good faith to repair the UK’s reputation as a trading partner.

Democratic impasse: Lewis moves to break Northern Ireland deadlock

The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, Brandon Lewis, made a statement following a series of meetings with party leaders:

The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, Rt Hon Brandon Lewis MP, yesterday met with the leaders of Northern Ireland’s five main political parties; Michelle O’Neill, Sinn Féin; Sir Jeffrey Donaldson, DUP; Naomi Long, Alliance; Doug Beattie, UUP; and Colum Eastwood, SDLP.

In all his meetings, the Secretary of State reiterated the need to respect the electoral outcome of Thursday’s election and restore the full functioning of the devolved institutions as soon as possible – both the Executive and the Assembly.

All parties agreed on the importance of maintaining political stability. The Secretary of State encouraged all party leaders to come together to form an Executive as soon as possible, starting with the nomination of an Assembly Speaker.

The Secretary of State acknowledged that the Northern Ireland Protocol remains a clear barrier to political stability and re-confirmed that the Government will do whatever it takes to protect the Belfast (Good Friday) Agreement, in all of its dimensions.

He reiterated the Government’s desire to address the outstanding issues by agreement with the EU, but confirmed that the Government stood ready to take further steps to rectify those issues, should that be necessary.

He noted that negotiations with the European Commission related to the Protocol were the responsibility of the UK Government and that they should not stand in the way of restoring the Stormont institutions and enabling the Executive to deliver for all the people of Northern Ireland.

He reiterated the importance of taking advantage of the new provisions in the NI (Ministers, Elections and Petitions of Concern) Act passed earlier this year to enable continuity in decision-making during the Executive formation process. This will ensure existing Northern Ireland ministers can remain in place to oversee NI departments, allow legislation to progress and support the delivery of vital public services.

Speaking after his meetings, the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, Brandon Lewis MP, said: “Northern Ireland’s party leaders must come together to agree a way forward to deliver a stable and accountable devolved government.

“The UK Government’s overriding priority remains the preservation of peace and stability in Northern Ireland and the protection of the Belfast (Good Friday) Agreement in all its strands.

“The current situation with the Protocol is fundamentally undermining the Belfast (Good Friday) Agreement and creating an unacceptable situation in Northern Ireland. We will continue to press the EU to agree the crucial changes that are urgently needed but will take nothing off the table in our pursuit of those solutions.

“As I conveyed to party leaders today, our collective focus must be on the restoration of the Stormont institutions so that those newly elected representatives can come together and deliver in the best interests of all the people of Northern Ireland.

“I will remain in close contact with the party leaders over the coming days.”