Brexit row: UK warned US to keep interfering in protocol talks as powerful lobby kicks up
Northern Ireland Protocol: Expert on US ‘interference’
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Political expert Kevin Meagher discussed why American Presidents as far back as George Bush, had always seemed to take an interest in Northern Ireland. US Congressmen have publically pleaded with Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Liz Truss to not scrap the Brexit protocol, as the UK tries to resolve the trade row with the EU. Mr Maegher noted the interest of the powerful American-Irish lobby, and the pivotal role Washington played in drafting the Good Friday Agreement, will result in continued intervention from the US to safeguard the peace deal from Brexit consequences.
Mr Meagher told GB News: “You’ve got to remember the Americans have been integral to the whole Good Friday Agreement process from the year dot.
“Bill Clinton played a significant role back in the late 1990s, President Bush, George Bush again sent invoices over throughout his time as President, and so did Barack Obama.
“And even Donald Trump had a long-standing interest in Northern Ireland given of course he’s a New Yorker, and he’s used to dealing with Irish Americans in New York.
“So he kind of has an interest through that as well.
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He continued: “And obviously Joe Biden has Irish heritage and is very closely involved. He’s been a Senator for 30-40 years, so these people have been involved for a very long time in the affairs of Northern Ireland.
“They’ve played a big part in helping to act as a guarantor, or effectively a kind of Godfather or kind of Godmother to this process.
“This kind of a step behind the parents, the Irish and British Governments, but they’re there to encourage and there to facilitate, and they’re also to help bring finance into Northern Ireland.
“There’s a lot of investments that come in over the last 25 years which is down to the pull of the Irish American lobby.”
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Foreign Secretary, Liz Truss has rejected Mr Biden’s pleas to not scrap Article 16.
And Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi also inserted herself into the row last week during Congress, warning the UK she would not back such a decision.
Ms Pelosi said: “It is deeply concerning that the United Kingdom is now seeking to unilaterally discard the Northern Ireland Protocol.
“Negotiated agreements like the Protocol preserve the important progress and stability forged by the Good Friday Accords, which continue to enjoy strong bipartisan and bicameral support in the United States Congress.”
“As I have stated in my conversations with the Prime Minister, the Foreign Secretary, and Members of the House of Commons if the United Kingdom chooses to undermine the Good Friday Accords, the Congress cannot and will not support a bilateral free trade agreement with the United Kingdom.
“Respectful of the will of the British people and of Brexit, I urge constructive, collaborative, and good-faith negotiations to implement an agreement that upholds peace.
“The children of Northern Ireland, who have never known the bloody conflict and do not want to go back, deserve a future free of the violence where all may reach their fulfilment.”
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and obviously Joe Biden has Irish heritage and is very closely involved.”
“Respectful of the will of the British people and of Brexit, I urge constructive, collaborative and good-faith negotiations to implement an agreement that upholds peace.
“The children of Northern Ireland, who have never known the bloody conflict and do not want to go back, deserve a future free of the violence where all may reach their fulfillment.”
After Ms Pelosi’s comments on the trade row, the Congresswoman faced political backlash from those who claimed she didn’t know what she was talking about and urged her to stop getting involved and commenting with a lack of knowledge of the agreement.
Lord David Frost, UK’s former Brexit minister told GB News: “I’m not sure that they have followed all the details of everything that’s happening in Northern Ireland, the disruption that’s being caused, the social disruption, the political difficulties.
“I think it’s good that if a team is coming across here to the UK to see what is happening, then they will see very quickly the problems.
“So, I do think the administration should be careful in intervening on a question that involves the unity of a country, of a very close ally and friend, and I would hope that they would be.”
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