St Paul's Cathedral can't send King's Honours memorabilia to Northern Ireland under Irish Sea border rules

A member of the public had sought to purchase merchandise related to an MBE honour bestowed on a friend by the King, but was informed by the Cathedral’s shop that they could no longer ship to Northern Ireland.

They were then asked if the item could “be sent to an address in the UK so that it can be forwarded on”.

TUV leader Jim Allister says it is “a particularly potent example” of the problems created by the Irish Sea border because “people only receive Honours from His Majesty the King because Northern Ireland is part of the United Kingdom”.

The North Antrim MP said the “constitutional implications of the Protocol could hardly be highlighted in a more graphic fashion”.

A spokesperson for St Paul’s Cathedral said its shop has been unable to ship items to the EU and Northern Ireland due to the new European General Product Safety Regulation (GPSR).

“This is affecting customers in Northern Ireland as Northern Ireland applies certain EU product safety regulations, under the terms of the Northern Ireland Protocol.

“We are sorry for any inconvenience and are working on potential solutions to address this issue.”

Under the Northern Ireland Protocol, and subsequent tweaks under the Windsor Framework, the United Kingdom is now divided into two regulatory zones for the trade in goods.

Great Britain is free to set its own rules and regulations, but Northern Ireland remains effectively inside the European Union’s single market for goods.

That means the EU decides what can and cannot enter Northern Ireland from the rest of the country.

The scope of goods caught by the GSPR rules – introduced at the end of last year – is huge. Businesses selling into Northern Ireland from the rest of the UK – even for digital products – must have a “responsible person” registered here, and complete compliance paperwork.

This has resulted in online traders – who deliver to the rest of the world – withdrawing products from the Northern Ireland and EU market entirely. One site states that “the UK now excludes Northern Ireland”.

Last year, the News Letter revealed that a business owner in Dungannon was unable even to purchase digital downloads of knitting patterns, which are covered by the sea border rules despite not being physical objects.

Online traders on the Etsy site had revolted over the company’s policy of making all goods available in Northern Ireland – arguing that it was unrealistic for them to comply with the GSPR rules.

This resulted in the site – as well as other online selling platforms – making it easier for sellers to exclude Northern Ireland when selling goods.

Reacting to the St Paul’s Cathedral move, Jim Allister told the News Letter: “It is now no surprise that the Sea Border - in spite of the outrageous propaganda and extravagant claims of some about the supposed success of the so called Safeguarding the Union deal - remains in place. The truth behind the spin has been laid bare for all to see long ago.

“However, it is with practical examples that the day to day ramifications of the Sea Border are brought home to us. This is a particularly potent example because people only receive Honours from His Majesty the King because Northern Ireland is part of the United Kingdom.

“Yet here we have an example of someone recognised by King Charles not only unable to obtain memorabilia related to an MBE but told that they should reorder so that the items can be sent to an address ‘in the UK’!

“The constitutional implications of the Protocol could hardly be highlighted in a more graphic fashion”.

He said it is time for Unionism to get back to the common ground shared between all parties in the united Unionist declaration of Ulster Day 2021. It stated unionism’s “unalterable position that the Protocol must be rejected and replaced by arrangements which fully respect NI’s position as a constituent and integral part of the UK”.

“Clearly that is not the case at the moment and only a fool would argue otherwise”, Mr Allister said.