Thomson Reuters

DUP leader Jeffrey Donaldson said on Monday its members of the British parliament would vote against a central element of the UK government's deal with Brussels on post-Brexit trade rules later this week.

The British parliament will debate and vote on the so-called 'Stormont brake' on Wednesday, a key part of an agreement that enables Britain to stop new EU laws from applying to goods in Northern Ireland if so requested by a third of lawmakers in Stormont.

Whilst representing real progress the “brake” does not deal with the fundamental issue which is the imposition of EU law by the Protocol.@J_Donaldson_MP https://t.co/6x01HqdQmX

— DUP (@duponline) March 20, 2023

"Whilst representing real progress the 'brake' does not deal with the fundamental issue which is the imposition of EU law by the protocol," Mr Donaldson said in a statement.

"Our party officers ... met this morning and unanimously agreed that in the context of our ongoing concerns and the need to see further progress secured whilst continuing to seek clarification, change and re-working that our Members of Parliament would vote against the draft statutory instrument." - Reuters