North Antrim MP says 'oppression of EU law' is placing traybakes 'in the firing line'

The TUV MP was highlighting the case of a local bakery in his north Antrim constituency which is required to list allergens due to an EU law.

He said: “The tightening of the EU noose is manifesting itself every day, even to the point where tray bakes are in the firing line.

“I have a local bakery in my constituency which has been required to relabel its tray bakes to list allergens which are not required to be cited by U.K. law, but are by EU law.

“The bakery sells only locally. None of its produce goes to the Republic, yet, because NI is subject to the oppression of EU law - laws we don’t make and can’t change - the bakery, absurdly, is being put to the extra expense of fresh labelling.

“I have, of course, complained to the local Environmental Health department as to its needless zealotry in imposing such rules, but the cause lies in the effrontery of this part of the United Kingdom being subject, colony like, to foreign EU jurisdiction.

“At one level this is a small matter, but it is illustrative of a much larger assault on our right to be ruled by UK, not EU, laws.”

Under the Protocol on Ireland/Northern Ireland, agreed in October 2019, Northern Ireland remains aligned to EU law relating to the single market for goods.

The Protocol is now called the Windsor Framework and includes a list of over 300 pieces of EU legislation which apply in Northern Ireland.