By Basant El-Faramawy
The Democratic Unionist Party leader Gavin Robinson has criticised a draft UK-EU agreement on sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) goods, saying it demonstrates a "lack of ambition" by the Government. The deal would align Great Britain with EU rules on food and plant trade, potentially removing many checks on goods moving from Great Britain to Northern Ireland.
Robinson Criticises Government Approach
Speaking to BBC Radio Ulster on Tuesday, 3 November 2026, Robinson said he disagreed with the Government's engagement with the European Union. He argued that a sector-by-sector approach keeps Northern Ireland in a "separate and distinct structure" rather than integrating it fully within the United Kingdom. "If they are willing to ignore 2016, ignore the referendum and agree alignment in so many areas of life, why do they continue to keep Northern Ireland separate from the rest of the United Kingdom?" he asked.
Customs Declarations Remain
Despite the prospective SPS alignment, Robinson highlighted that Northern Ireland still operates under EU customs rules. Customs declarations are required on many goods arriving from Great Britain, a situation he described as a constitutional affront. The DUP collapsed devolved power-sharing for two years between 2022 and 2024 in protest at such barriers.
DUP's Past Protest and Windsor Framework
The party only returned to Stormont in early 2024 after the previous Conservative government agreed the Windsor Framework with the EU. That deal aimed to reduce red tape and give the Northern Ireland Assembly a role in scrutinising applicable European rules.
UUP's Cautious Welcome
Ulster Unionist MLA Steve Aiken said reports of an SPS deal should be "broadly, albeit cautiously, welcomed." He warned the agreement might be "just tinkering around the margins" and noted that Northern Ireland remains within the European Customs Union, with new Union Customs Code implementation adding bureaucracy and cost for businesses trading with Great Britain.
