Sinn Féin spokesperson on Foreign Affairs and Defence John Brady TD has said that the decision by the British Government to appoint David Frost to Cabinet as the Head of Relations with the EU, is a matter of concern.

The Wicklow TD said:

“David Frost is an arch-Brexiter. He was the architect of the ‘hard-Brexit’ strategy, and he will now control the nature of the future relationship between Britain with the EU.

“He will also have responsibility for the British on the joint committee on the North.

“This means that an unelected British Peer, who has never received a mandate from an electorate will be responsible for dealing with the EU over the Irish Protocol.

“At a time when there is a general consensus on the need to lower tensions between Britain and the EU, particularly given the potential for crisis in the North, the appointment of Frost will, if anything, work to exacerbate the situation.  

“This is the man who championed the decision by Boris Johnson to break international law, totally disregard the Irish Protocol, and threaten the Good Friday Agreement, before the Tory government were forced to backtrack.   

“David Frost cannot and must not be allowed to use this position to wreak havoc with his English nationalist agenda, based on a conception of faux sovereignty.

“The Good Friday Agreement, which is protected by the Irish Protocol, remains the most important political project on the Island of Ireland.

“The EU and the Irish government must ensure that Frost gets the message that any attempts to meddle with the Protocol will not be tolerated.”