The UK is acting like a “mafia state” by willingly breaking international law, according to an expert on EU affairs.
It comes after Westminster’s Northern Ireland Secretary admitted that new legislation undermining the Brexit Withdrawal Agreement would break international law “in a very specific and limited way.”
The legislation, expected to contradict parts of the Northern Ireland protocol which prevents the return of a hard border in Ireland, led to the resignation of UK Government’s top lawyer Johnathan Jones yesterday.
Speaking to Newstalk, Professor Gavin Barrett, EU law specialist at UCDs Sutherland School of Law said the UK is now acting like a “mafia state.”
“This kind of behaviour is not what one expects of a mature western democracy,” he said.
“It is the kind of thing that one would expect of Vladimir Putin’s Russia or a dictatorship or a mafia state.
“Violations of the rule of the law are the kind of things that have created great worries about what is going on in Hungary or in Poland at the moment but seeing it in the UK is the crossing of something of a Rubicon.”
He said it is “absolutely astonishing” to see a country of the UKs standing showing such disregard for international law.
Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade Simon Coveney arriving at Dublin Castle on 06-07-2020. Image: Leah Farrell/RollingNewsSpeaking in the Dáil meanwhile, the Foreign Affairs Minister Simon Coveney said Ireland and the EU would not accept the UKs approach.
“Can I just reassure deputies that there will be no appeasing of this approach,” he said.
“There will be no condoning of a strategy that proposes to breach international law. To undermine an agreement that the EU and the UK signed together under a year ago.”
Minister Coveney said he had asked the Irish ambassador in London to raise the Government’s concerns with Downing Street and confirmed that EU negotiator Michel Barnier would be raising them with his counterparts.
He said the UK plans would “seriously erode and damage political trust” in the Brexit negotiations and in Northern Ireland generally.
“Northern Ireland does not need this further uncertainty in relation to Brexit,” he said.
“The UK does have a long and proud tradition of upholding international law and advocating for the primacy for the rule of law.
“Any departure from this tradition, particularly on an issue as high-profile as Brexit will have serious implications not least for the UKs international reputation.
“We and the EU will continue to take a calm and measured approach.”
File photo of Westminster in London, 25-09-2019. Image: Claire Doherty/Sipa USAWhitehall is expected to publish the UK Internal Market Bill later today.
The European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has warned the UK that any trade deal is dependent on it honouring the Withdrawal Agreement in full.
On The Hard Shoulder last night, the former Irish Ambassador to London Bobby McDonagh said it was 'extraordinary' that the UK was willing to break international law.
On Newstalk Breakfast however, the former Brexit Party MEP Ann Widdecombe claimed the agreement only applies if a trade deal is agreed.
UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson has threatened to walk away from the talks if no deal is agreed by October 15th – just five weeks from now.
