During Prime Minister’s Questions today Boris Johnson reiterated that UK citizens must obey lockdown measures despite breaking international law himself.
Boris Johnson insists Brits obey lockdown
On Tuesday Northern Ireland Secretary Brandon Lewis told his counterparts in the House of Commons that current plans to introduce the Internal Markets Bill will infringe upon international law. The new legislation would allow the UK to alter parts of the Brexit deal without the EU’s consent.
A number of high profile MPs including former Prime Minister Theresa May criticised the move. It is hardly surprising that she voiced her disapproval given the fact that the dismal deal was drawn up by her during her dreadful Downing Street stay.
Iain Blackford MP, the SNP Westminster leader, blasted the Prime Minister saying that the move was “nothing short of an attack on Scotland’s parliament and an affront to the people of Scotland”. The new bill does not in fact take any powers away from Scotland but that will not prevent his Scottish Nationalist rhetoric as Nicola Sturgeon further pushes for a referendum on independence. It seems that indyref was not the “once in a generation” vote that the SNP said it would be in 2014.
The Prime Minister defended his actions stating that the new legislation is for “protecting jobs, protecting growth, ensuring the fluidity and safety of our UK internal market and prosperity throughout the UK”.
Johnson also declared that it was a “legal safety net to protect our country against extreme or irrational interpretations of the protocol”. The law is also necessary to protect the Good Friday Agreement and therefore ensure continued peace in Northern Ireland.
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