CIVIL servant Olly Robbins was grilled over the many compromises Theresa May made during Brexit talks to avoid a hard border in Northern Ireland despite assurances from the European Union there would be no hard border even in the event of a no deal.
Civil servant Olly Robbins was grilled over the compromises proposed
by the British Government during a hearing with the Brexit Committee on
the last day of parliamentary activity before recess.
Theresa May
put forward plans to create a free trade area with the European Union
both to maintain current commercial ties and to put an end to the Irish
border issue deadlocking the negotiations.
But DUP MP Sammy Wilson demanded to know why the Government compromised with Brussels to avoid the border when Eurocrats promised there would be no border between Ulster and the Republic in any case.
Challenging Mr Robbins, Mr Wilson said: "We’ve got the Irish Government taking publicly that they have been given an assurance by Michel Barnier and Jean-Claude Juncker that in the event of no deal there would not have to be a physical infrastructure along the border between Northern Ireland and the Irish Republic.
"That being the case, why have we had to make the kind of compromises which are in the white paper that facilitate something that the EU say it’s never going to happen?"
But DUP MP Sammy Wilson demanded to know why the Government compromised with Brussels to avoid the border when Eurocrats promised there would be no border between Ulster and the Republic in any case.
Challenging Mr Robbins, Mr Wilson said: "We’ve got the Irish Government taking publicly that they have been given an assurance by Michel Barnier and Jean-Claude Juncker that in the event of no deal there would not have to be a physical infrastructure along the border between Northern Ireland and the Irish Republic.
"That being the case, why have we had to make the kind of compromises which are in the white paper that facilitate something that the EU say it’s never going to happen?"
Mr
Robbins hit back saying the European Commission had clarified border
checks would be adopted should London and Brussels fail to reach an
agreement.
The civil servant also dismissed the claims made by the Irish Government in regards to promises from the EU about the future border arrangement.
He said: "The European Commission spokesperson has been tackled on this issue many times and has given the Commission view that in the absence of appropriate arrangements checks and controls would somehow be necessary.
"The Irish government may have a view about what they think they will be able to do, or want to do, at their border. The European Commission I'm sure will have a view - you wouldn't expect me to know about how exactly that will pan out."
The Prime Minister yesterday stripped the Brexit department of responsibility to negotiate with the European Union and handed total control of the process to Mr Robbins.
The civil servant also dismissed the claims made by the Irish Government in regards to promises from the EU about the future border arrangement.
He said: "The European Commission spokesperson has been tackled on this issue many times and has given the Commission view that in the absence of appropriate arrangements checks and controls would somehow be necessary.
"The Irish government may have a view about what they think they will be able to do, or want to do, at their border. The European Commission I'm sure will have a view - you wouldn't expect me to know about how exactly that will pan out."
The Prime Minister yesterday stripped the Brexit department of responsibility to negotiate with the European Union and handed total control of the process to Mr Robbins.
The
decision, sneaked out in a written statement late on the last day
before MPs went on holiday, officially means that Mrs May is now in
charge of negotiations while new Brexit secretary Dominic Raab is her deputy but no longer has authority to make decisions.
The announcement came just minutes before Mr Robbins and the Brexit Secretary were due to take their seats in front of the committee and appeared to be a major snub to the new Brexit secretary who is only in his second week of the job.
Former cabinet minister John Whittingdale, a senior Leave supporter, led criticisms of the move saying he was “extraordinary” by the decision.
He asked if Mr Robbins and Mr Raab should change seats because the civil servant had been made Secretary of State and the minister reduced to his “official”.
Addressing Mr Raab, Mr Whittingdale said: “Is it not extraordinary that you are the secretary of state for the department of exiting the EU and yet you do not have responsibility for the negotiations?”
The announcement came just minutes before Mr Robbins and the Brexit Secretary were due to take their seats in front of the committee and appeared to be a major snub to the new Brexit secretary who is only in his second week of the job.
Former cabinet minister John Whittingdale, a senior Leave supporter, led criticisms of the move saying he was “extraordinary” by the decision.
He asked if Mr Robbins and Mr Raab should change seats because the civil servant had been made Secretary of State and the minister reduced to his “official”.
Addressing Mr Raab, Mr Whittingdale said: “Is it not extraordinary that you are the secretary of state for the department of exiting the EU and yet you do not have responsibility for the negotiations?”
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