UK admits Brexit port delays more than 'teething problems'

UK government minister Michael Gove admitted that Brexit border delays were more than “teething problems” as he asked the EU for an extension to 2023 of grace periods for full checks on goods traded between Britain and Northern Ireland.

In a letter to European Commission’s vice-president, Maroš Šefčovič, the UK government has asked for a series of grace periods to be rolled over when they expire at the end of March. The pair are also meeting via video conference on Wednesday.

UK exporters and consumers are complaining about delays and increased charges for goods travelling between the UK and 27-member bloc. EU customs officials have been rigorous on border checks, even taking a ham sandwich off a British driver because it did not come with required certification.

The EU’s normal rules on customs and product standards are not yet being fully enforced in the Irish Sea. On Tuesday Northern Ireland port officials had to suspend checks due to threatening behaviour towards staff conducting them.

“There are a number of issues that I would not describe as teething problems; they are significant issues that bear on the lives of people in Northern Ireland, which do need to be resolved. We need to make sure that grace periods are extended,” he told parliament on Tuesday.

Under the Brexit withdrawal agreement, which Gove voted for, a protocol was inserted to avoid a hard border on the island of Ireland, keeping Northern Ireland’s six counties within the EU’s single market. The full EU customs code is also to be enforced in the Irish Sea on goods coming from the rest of the UK.

Northern Ireland voted to remain in the EU by 56% - 44% in the 2016 Brexit referendum.

A proposal by former UK Prime Minister Theresa May kept the UK in the EU’s customs territory to avoid border checks. Her successor Boris Johnson ditched this to ensure he maintained support from hard-right Brexiteers within his Conservative Party and help his bid to grab power.

However, by doing so he effectively betrayed hardline unionist parties in Northern Ireland who had been promised no border would be placed in the Irish Sea. They fear that ultimately it will lead to a reunification of Ireland.

This manifested itself in more sinister fashion this week as checks on animal and food products arriving into Belfast and Larne ports were suspended amid fears over the safety of staff. Graffiti has appeared on a wall near the port warning that all border officials are targets.

Staff also reported that individuals had been spotted taking down their vehicle licence plate details.

Ireland’s foreign minister, Simon Coveney, reminded UK ministers of the model of Brexit they had chosen.

“Let’s not forget that, what is causing all of this tension is Brexit, not the [Northern Ireland] protocol, the protocol is an attempt to try to reduce tension and solve problems linked to Brexit,” he said. “There were alternatives to the protocol, which people chose to reject”, he told the BBC.

“I think senior political figures need to talk seriously now … trying to defuse tension, which is clearly there, and we need to talk about how we can make the protocol work more effectively. I’ve spoken to Michael Gove at length, over the weekend in terms of how we might be able to do that, and also his counterpart in the European commission, Maroš Šefčovič, and we will work today.

“And also talk to leaders of course in Northern Ireland, about what flexibilities are possible, to try to ensure that the protocol can function in a smoother way than it has today.”