‘It is our belief that the Protocol is damaging to Northern Ireland’

THOUSANDS of unionists met in Orange Halls across the North last weekend to sign their names on a declaration opposing the NI Protocol.

The Orange Order said that more than 60 of the some 250 Orange Halls that threw open their doors to the public last Saturday were in Tyrone.

Orangemen, unionist politicians and voters persuaded by the constitutional and economic arguments against the Protocol, were among those who put pen-to-paper.

The Orange Order have said that they believe the event gave unionists everywhere the opportunity to show their dissatisfaction.

Omagh UUP councillor, Matthew Bell, was one of those who turned out to formalise their opposition to what has become one of the most unpalatable parts of the Brexit process for a sizeable portion of the population here in the North.

Mr Bell said, “Last Saturday, I, along with my Ulster Unionist colleagues and thousands of others across Northern Ireland, signed the Anti-Protocol Declaration, confirming support for the joint statement made by all unionist parties on September 28, 2021.

“It is my belief and clearly the belief of thousands across Northern Ireland that the protocol is damaging to Northern Ireland.”

Outlining the fundamental reasoning behind his opposition to the protocol, Mr Bell expressed familiar economic and constitutional objections.

“Our retailers and agri-food businesses face significant challenges and, constitutionally, it divides us from the rest of the United Kingdom.”

He concluded, “It must be replaced with a workable solution.”

What constitutes a popular, workable solution within unionism remains an elusive vagary at present and many will say that the absence of a cogent case outlining an alternative to the protocol makes it difficult for progress to be made.