This article is from the source 'rtcom' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.rt.com/uk/514124-eu-ireland-covid-vaccines-trumpian/
The article has changed 3 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| ‘An almost Trumpian act’: UK ex-secretary for N. Ireland slams EU for attempt to block vaccine flow | ‘An almost Trumpian act’: UK ex-secretary for N. Ireland slams EU for attempt to block vaccine flow |
| (7 months later) | |
| Former UK Secretary of State for Northern Island, Julian Smith has accused the European Union of committing “an almost Trumpian act” after it made an effort to stop vaccines from entering the UK at the Northern Irish border. | Former UK Secretary of State for Northern Island, Julian Smith has accused the European Union of committing “an almost Trumpian act” after it made an effort to stop vaccines from entering the UK at the Northern Irish border. |
| By deciding to trigger Article 16 of the Northern Ireland Protocol on Friday, the EU attempted to stop vaccines moving from the Union to the UK – which, unlike the EU, has enjoyed a speedy inoculation rollout – through the perceived backdoor of Northern Ireland. | By deciding to trigger Article 16 of the Northern Ireland Protocol on Friday, the EU attempted to stop vaccines moving from the Union to the UK – which, unlike the EU, has enjoyed a speedy inoculation rollout – through the perceived backdoor of Northern Ireland. |
| The EU reversed its plan after it was condemned by many high-profile politicians, including UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Northern Ireland First Minister Arlene Foster, who called it “an incredible act of hostility.” | The EU reversed its plan after it was condemned by many high-profile politicians, including UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Northern Ireland First Minister Arlene Foster, who called it “an incredible act of hostility.” |
| Smith, who served as secretary of state for Northern Ireland between 2019 and 2020, also tore into the EU’s decision during an appearance on BBC Radio 4’s ‘Today’ show on Saturday. “Years have been spent trying to ensure goods will flow freely and there will be no hard border,” he said. | Smith, who served as secretary of state for Northern Ireland between 2019 and 2020, also tore into the EU’s decision during an appearance on BBC Radio 4’s ‘Today’ show on Saturday. “Years have been spent trying to ensure goods will flow freely and there will be no hard border,” he said. |
| “And they did that, in my view, without anywhere near the understanding of the Good Friday Agreement, of the sensitivity of the situation in Northern Ireland, and it was an almost Trumpian act,” Smith continued, in reference to the controversial former US President Donald Trump, who was often accused by critics of being destructively tone-deaf. | “And they did that, in my view, without anywhere near the understanding of the Good Friday Agreement, of the sensitivity of the situation in Northern Ireland, and it was an almost Trumpian act,” Smith continued, in reference to the controversial former US President Donald Trump, who was often accused by critics of being destructively tone-deaf. |
| “It is not just a backdoor for goods going to Britain, it is a very sensitive place, and we have a duty of care between the EU and the UK to preserve no hard border and stability in Northern Ireland,” Smith explained. | “It is not just a backdoor for goods going to Britain, it is a very sensitive place, and we have a duty of care between the EU and the UK to preserve no hard border and stability in Northern Ireland,” Smith explained. |
| Prime Minister of Ireland Micheal Martin celebrated the reversal of the EU’s actions late on Friday, calling it a “welcome decision” and “a positive development given the many challenges we face in tackling COVID-19.” | Prime Minister of Ireland Micheal Martin celebrated the reversal of the EU’s actions late on Friday, calling it a “welcome decision” and “a positive development given the many challenges we face in tackling COVID-19.” |
| If you like this story, share it with a friend! | If you like this story, share it with a friend! |
| Dear readers and commenters, | |
| We have implemented a new engine for our comment section. We hope the transition goes smoothly for all of you. Unfortunately, the comments made before the change have been lost due to a technical problem. We are working on restoring them, and hoping to see you fill up the comment section with new ones. You should still be able to log in to comment using your social-media profiles, but if you signed up under an RT profile before, you are invited to create a new profile with the new commenting system. | |
| Sorry for the inconvenience, and looking forward to your future comments, | |
| RT Team. |