Starmer faces first major Brexit test as unionists request Stormont brake
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UK government has been asked to veto EU law update applying in Northern Ireland relating to chemical labelling. Keir Starmer is facing his first major test over Brexit after unionists in Northern Ireland decided to pull what is known as the Stormont brake on EU laws due to apply in the region.
Unionist parties and independents decided to come together to exercise their right to object to an update in EU legislation that would apply to labelling on chemicals. By pulling the brake, they invite the UK government to veto a EU law applying in Northern Ireland.
“It will be a big test for the British government,” said Katy Hayward, professor of political sociology at Queen’s University Belfast and an expert on the Windsor framework, the post-Brexit Northern Ireland protocol. “If it agrees to trigger the brake, it is accepting in principle that EU legislation updates can have ‘a significant impact specific to everyday life of communities in Northern Ireland in a way that is liable to persist’ – and that such an impact was only prevented by the actions of a minority of MLAs [members of the legislative assembly].
“On the other hand, to reject the request will be to directly contradict the stance of all unionist MLAs on the matter, which will further fan unionist narratives of ‘betrayal’.”. Under the rules, 30 members of the legislative assembly in Stormont from different parties are required to sign the Stormont brake.
