Northern Ireland Protocol doesn’t sit well with GFA, says former Secretary of State Peter Mandelson

Former Northern Ireland Secretary Peter Mandelson has said the strict application of the NI Protocol would be contrary to the Good Friday Agreement.

he former Labour Party grandee was speaking to the Belfast Telegraph ahead of a visit to Belfast as a director of fintech firm The Bank of London, which has set up a centre here.

The Good Friday Agreement was the crowning achievement of the New Labour government of 1997 to 2010.

Lord Mandelson, also a former European Commissioner for Trade, said that while there were benefits to the NI Protocol which he said outweighed any constitutional concerns, he understood the position of unionists who oppose it.

He served as Secretary of State for Northern Ireland from October 1999 to January 2001, when he was forced to resign. “They were bad circumstances for me and I rather cut myself off,” Lord Mandelson said.

Lord Mandelson said he felt there was “no alternative” to fresh Assembly elections to break the deadlock which has persisted since the end of January, when the DUP left the power sharing agreement in opposition to the protocol.

The present Secretary of State, Chris Heaton-Harris, has said he “cannot be clearer” that the parties have until October 28 to return to government or elections will be held in December.

And Mr Heaton-Harris said he doubted there would be time in the parliamentary timetable to bring emergency legislation to extend the deadline.

Lord Mandelson said he agreed with a description by The Bank of London of Belfast as “the UK gateway to the EU”. 

“NI now finds itself in a uniquely advantaged position after Brexit with unfettered access to both Great Britain and the European single market,” he said.

“I know NI people didn’t vote for Brexit but they’re enjoying quite a Brexit dividend, better-placed than elsewhere in the UK…

“While this is the best of both worlds on paper and potentially in practice, I know the NI Protocol is creating predictable tensions which Boris Johnson just brushed aside at the time.

“Being honest, and remember I’m both a former British NI Secretary as well as a European Trade Commissioner, the protocol when applied strictly does not fit easily alongside the Good Friday Agreement.”

But he said the DUP, EU and UK needed to find a “landing zone” of compromise so that power sharing could return.

“It (the NI Protocol) therefore requires deftness and flexibility in its application. I welcomed the revival of talks between Brussels and London but whether the current Prime Minister Liz Truss will endure long enough to see this through is another matter. But political goodwill on both sides can and should generate compromise.

“We all have experience of compromise in Northern Ireland but both sides need to work to soften the protocol. It’s not going to be scrapped, so my advice to unionists is to concentrate on creating an acceptable version and application of the protocol.

“The DUP do need to think seriously about what kind of landing zone in relation to the protocol that they are prepared to accept. We’re not going to see a wholesale scrapping of the protocol. Both the EU and UK have to arrive at a compromise which facilitates trade, which all communities in NI can live with, and that will involve the protocol sticking around in some form or another.

“We have to accept that there are always difficult trade-offs to be made but the economic advantages of keeping NI’s unique position in relation to both GB and the EU single market outweighs the legal and constitutional issues that derive from the protocol.”

The power-sharing Executive took office and powers were formally devolved to the Assembly during Lord Mandelson’s tenure in December 1999.

He said he “very strongly” regrets that there is no functioning Executive at present. “I know we’re up against a deadline of October 28 and if no Executive is formed by then in principle there should be fresh elections, but if there’s a chance of finding a deal on the protocol that unlocks the institutions, then there may be a case for delaying an election in the very short term. I doubt very much the people want another election.”

He said that if a deal on the protocol was close, he would seek to delay an election.

“But if we’re not in that position and there’s no prospect of an Executive being formed then we would need fresh elections, there’s no alternative to that.”

Mr Mandelson said he had “very happy memories” of living in Hillsborough Castle, the official home of the Secretary of State. He was often spotted walking his retriever Bobby and terrier Jack around the village.

“Sometimes NI Secretaries when they’re appointed feel they’re being isolated or sent to Outer Siberia or something.

“I felt exactly the opposite. I felt the further away from London, the happier I was, and the more I put down roots amongst people in towns, villages across NI, the more content I became.”

He said he would spend entire weeks in Northern Ireland, only returning to London for Cabinet meetings.

Lord Mandelson said he had some friends he kept in touch with, “but I wish I had maintained contact with more”.

“I was sad when I left. They were bad circumstances for me and I rather cut myself off.”

Lord Mandelson resigned over his involvement in a passport application by an Indian tycoon but was later cleared of wrongdoing. “It’s 20 years ago, which is a long time, so I’ve got to find a way of remaking those friendships and finding and creating a way in which I can return to NI more frequently. But I’m now on the board of Bank of London and I’m thrilled that our plans have evolved, now include a great team in NI. 

“We could have put our support staff anywhere in the UK but the point about NI is that it has the talent and the people, and start-up businesses like the Bank of London are warmly welcomed in NI.”