The strange thing is that unionists (and the Tory government) keep claiming that the Protocol doesn't have cross community consent and is thus in breach of the Good Friday Agreement.

Leaving aside the fact that the DUP opposed the GFA for most of its existence, the strange thing is that the GFA is quite clear that constitutional issues like a United Ireland will be decided by a 50%+1 majority and don't require majority unionist support.

Now for you and me, the Protocol is about the minutiae of post Brexit trading arrangements for specified goods as they relate to N. Ireland and the Single Market and as codified in the Withdrawal Agreement. But unionists have also been claiming that the Protocol changes the Constitutional status of N. Ireland and as such, should require Unionist consent.

The beauty of having an unwritten constitution is you can have continual arguments about what is constitutional, and what is not. But if the Protocol truly does change N. Ireland's constitutional position as unionists claim, then it should be subject to 50%+1 majority decision, not cross-community consent.

Index of Frank's Diaries