Gavin Robinson, leader of the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP), acknowledges the party oversold a Brexit-linked agreement aimed at addressing the Irish Sea border issue, calling for further action to address concerns about EU law in Northern Ireland.
Gavin Robinson, leader of the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP), has conceded that the party oversold a Brexit-linked agreement intended to restore Northern Ireland’s power-sharing executive. Robinson stated that there should have been more “cautious realism” regarding the four-month-old deal, which was promoted by the DUP as effectively removing a post-Brexit customs border in the Irish Sea.
The Irish Sea border has been a contentious issue, as it differentiates Northern Ireland from the rest of the UK while maintaining access to the EU single market post-Brexit. The original deal aimed to reduce checks at this border and affirm Northern Ireland’s place within the UK. However, Robinson acknowledged that the border remains, and further efforts are needed to address this and the application of EU law in Northern Ireland.
The DUP had withdrawn from the Stormont Executive between 2022 and 2024, arguing that the Windsor framework deal negotiated by Prime Minister Rishi Sunak with the EU did not fully resolve Brexit-related concerns. The subsequent agreement to restore Stormont was reached in February 2023, but recent statements by Robinson have drawn criticism from rivals.
Political leaders, including Eóin Tennyson of the Alliance Party, accused Robinson of backtracking on previous claims. Likewise, leaders of the Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) and Traditional Unionist Voice (TUV) criticized Robinson’s latest remarks, proposing that his change in stance shows the deal’s limitations remain unchanged.
Robinson has pledged to continue efforts to eliminate the Irish Sea border and to secure Northern Ireland’s position within the UK. With nuclear ramifications expected for the upcoming UK general election in Northern Ireland, the DUP is preparing to navigate another electoral fight centered on Brexit issues.