Protocol on Ireland/Northern Ireland: Court of Justice of the European Union Debate
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Baroness Chapman of Darlington
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Protocol on Ireland/Northern Ireland: Court of Justice of the European Union
Baroness Chapman of Darlington Excerpts(3 years, 1 month ago)
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Baroness Chapman of Darlington (Lab)
My Lords, I am not the only one scratching my head as a result of these exchanges. Can the Minister help us by outlining what the benefit to the UK position of triggering Article 16 would be? Surely it would only set the clock ticking and increase the pressure, while he would be negotiating on the exact same issues with the exact same people, probably in the exact same rooms. What do we gain by triggering Article 16?
Lord Frost (Con)
My Lords, Article 16 is a safeguard. It changes reality because it enables us to safeguard, within the provisions of the protocol, against certain effects of the way that it is currently being implemented and working out. Of course, it begins a new and slightly different phase if Article 16 is used, but it also creates a new reality and safeguards against some of the difficulties that we currently find. That is why it is such a relevant provision.