Director-General of the think tank Centre for Brexit Policy John Longworth argued US President Joe Biden has been very cautious in his statements regarding the row between the UK and EU over the Northern Ireland Protocol. During an interview with Express.co.uk, Mr Longworth insisted President Biden will see that the EU is the one breaking the protocol, not the UK. He noted President Biden was well aware of the inner workings of the Good Friday Agreement and how it works.
He added President Biden will ignore the EU’s bully-ball tactics and side with the UK.
Mr Longworth said: “There have been some concerns that the new President Joe Biden, because of his links with Ireland, may not favour the UK’s position on Northern Ireland.
“But he is actually very knowledgeable about the Northern Ireland situation because he is involved, due to his official role at the time, with the Belfast Agreement.
“Joe Biden has been very careful in his response to the whole issue of the Northern Ireland protocol, he is has been very cautious in his wording.”
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Mr Longworth insisted President Biden will likely side with the UK based on his understanding of the political row.
He noted the President will see it is the European Union that is at fault, not Great Britain.
He continued: “I think there is every chance that Joe Biden will understand it is the European Union that are breaking the Belfast Agreement, not the UK.
“The Northern Ireland protocol cuts straight across that agreement and actually puts the unionist majority population in Northern Ireland at a major disadvantage.
EU has launched legal action against the UK over the Northern Ireland protocol as tension increase.
This follows on after the UK unilaterally decided to postpone the introduction of checks due to the Covid pandemic.
The UK government argues that postponing the introduction of checks was necessary to prevent disruption to trade between Northern Ireland and the rest of the country.
