Border checks could even include lasagne after Brexit , DUP claims

Democratic Unionist MEP Diane Dodds has said her party will not accept any additional checks within the UK after Brexit – even over lasagne.

Mrs Dodds was speaking to the media after meeting with the EU’s Chief Negotiator Michel Barnier.

DUP leader Arlene Foster made clear her opposition to any Brexit deal that could lead to new economic barriers between Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK.

Mrs Dodds illustrated what they were opposing by saying an attempt to avoid a hard border with Ireland could mean more regulatory checks on goods travelling between Britain and Northern Ireland.

She claimed under the EU position, there could be scores of checks on live animals and food products travelling within the UK.

Mrs Dodds says currently veterinary certificates are checked for animals coming into Northern Ireland, with physical checks carried out on 10% of those.

“If we followed Mr Barnier’s advice, my information is that those checks would become 100%, although with a veterinary agreement in a future trade deal, that might be reduced somewhat,” she said.

“But remember, that’s checks on live animals, that’s the only checks that we currently have.

“SPS (Sanitary and Phytosanitary) checks are something that is much much wider, that animals, plants and everything that is derived there from, that would therefore mean checks on food … so therefore, our beef lasagnes, our yoghurts, our milk.

“We could be in the rather ridiculous position where milk produced in Northern Ireland by Northern Ireland farmers is processed in England, but has to be checked when it comes back because yogurts are protein drinks.

“That’s the disruptions that that would mean in the UK internal market.”

Mrs Foster added: “Those are the sorts of things that we have to be very concerned about, so economically, we will very much want to protect our businesses in Northern Ireland.”

Sinn Fein MLA Mairtin O Muilleoir claimed that the comments signalled a “bizarre new low” for the DUP over Brexit.

“Never mind the catastrophic impact on our economy and communities across Ireland, none of that matters to the DUP if there’s going to be checks on lasagne crossing the Irish Sea,” he said.

“If that is the best argument the DUP can come up with for undermining our economy, our peace process and imposing a new border on the island of Ireland, then they really are out of step with the vast majority of people on this island and across Europe.”