What did the DUP leadership say about the Irish Sea border in the days running up to Stormont's return?

In an interview on the BBC’s Nolan Show this morning, Gavin Robinson acknowledged that the deal had been oversold.

So what did the DUP leadership actually say about the deal in those crucial days between the announcement of a deal and the return of Stormont?

Sir Jeffrey Donaldson

Gavin Robinson’s predecessor said the Safeguarding the Union deal “takes away the border within the UK”, safeguards Northern Ireland’s place in the Union and restores its place within the UK internal market. He also said the deal is not perfect and the party will continue to fight.

The former Lagan Valley MP said the DUP-Government deal would deliver “Zero checks, zero customs paperwork on goods moving within the United Kingdom. That takes away the border within the UK, between Northern Ireland and Great Britain, and that is something that is very important. Now are these proposals perfect? Have we achieved everything we wanted to achieve? No we haven’t.. I will be honest with people about what we’ve been able to deliver”.

As the News Letter pointed out on 30th January – “none of the fundamentals of the Windsor Framework have been changed – if they had the DUP leader would certainly have mentioned it – the Irish Sea border will remain”.

That same day, standing outside Stormont Castle, flanked by his deputy Gavin Robinson, Sir Jeffrey Donaldson said: “On customs paperwork… customs declarations, supplementary declarations will be gone and therefore we believe this represents a significant change. Some people said you're going to take the green lane and paint it red white and blue. Well if someone wants to put a flag on it, whatever, but we as far as we are concerned, the green lane will go and be replaced by the UK internal market system that reflects the reality that Northern Ireland is part of the United Kingdom, that goods flowing within the United Kingdom flow freely. That was our core key objective. I believe what we have secured represents real change and everybody will be able to see it for themselves”.

On the DUP’s seven tests – which said any new arrangements must not constitute a border in the Irish Sea – Mr Donaldson said “We have measured the outcome of these negotiations against those seven tests and my party is satisfied with the progress we have made. As I have said – did we get everything we wanted? No. Will we continue to fight for further change? Absolutely yes we will. And we will work within Stormont and at Westminster to secure that further change”.

On 2nd February, the day before Stormont was restored, Sir Jeffrey and deputy leader Gavin Robinson strongly defended the deal in Parliament – and vowed to hold the government’s feet to the fire to ensure that the commitments made in the ‘Safeguarding the Union’ command paper were honoured.

However, when flaws in the deal were pointed out by his own MPs – Sir Jeffrey reprimanded his colleagues.

Sammy Wilson – one of the toughest internal opponents of the deal – told the House of Commons: “It is well known that I don’t support the deal. I have given reasons why not.” He said that legislation giving the EU the “final say” is still in place. He also questioned the arrangements for the red lane – prompting a rebuke from his party leader.

Mr Donaldson, looking towards Mr Wilson on the Commons benches, said: “The red lane was endorsed by my party. The red lane was supported by my party. And every one of my MPs voted for that proposal. And that was my mandate. And it is what I secured. And that removes the Irish Sea border within our internal market of the United Kingdom. And it means that the only checks that we need to carry out are those on goods moving into or at risk of going into the European Union.”

Gavin Robinson

It is widely acknowledged that Gavin Robinson was much more cautious than Sir Jeffrey Donaldson in the claims that he made about the deal – however, he did not criticise overselling until now.

In the days after its publication, Mr Robinson said he was proud to support the deal. He added: “What we were told couldn't happen – change to these texts, tablets of stone – happened.”

He also caveated his position, saying it is “predicated on the full and faithful implementation of delivering what we have achieved”.

On 1st February the then-deputy leader said the green lane is gone and defended the principle behind the red lane. He said the government “had provided constitutional harm, which we have repaired. They imposed friction on trade – which we have reduced”. He also accused the Tory administration of injecting “a democratic deficit which is now removed”.

Asked by the BBC about whether the Irish Sea border had been removed, the East Belfast MP said: “We have always said that there should be no barrier to trade within the United Kingdom and its internal market. The green lane is gone. The checks that were outlined within the green lane, within the Windsor Framework, are gone. There will be no checks – physical or identity checks – on goods moving from one part of our country to another within the internal market.

"The border posts are there for the red lane. And the red lane is there for goods that are moving to, or at risk of moving to, the European Union. So we have never taken issue with that. We have never taken issue with that – but we do take issue with the fact that there were checks”.

DUP critics of the deal

Senior party figures such as Lord Dodds, Lord Morrow and the previous East Antrim MP Sammy Wilson were consistent in their view that the Irish Sea border remained.

As early as 2nd February in the Lords, DUP peer Nigel Dodds said there are “many, many unionists who are deeply worried and concerned that the Irish Sea border – and we must drill down into the details of this deal – that the Irish Sea border still exists”.

On the same day Sammy Wilson made his opposition to the deal clear in Parliament.