Lord Murphy Appointed to Lead Review of Northern Ireland's Windsor Framework

The review, mandated by the UK-EU Withdrawal Agreement, will assess the framework's impact on trade and political stability in Northern Ireland.

Paul Murphy, a former Northern Ireland Secretary and key figure in the Good Friday Agreement, has been tasked with reviewing the Windsor Framework's implementation.
The review follows a December vote by the Stormont Assembly to extend the framework's trade rules for four years, a decision that did not secure cross-community support.
The Windsor Framework governs post-Brexit trade in Northern Ireland, maintaining EU trade rules to avoid a hard border with the Republic of Ireland, but requiring checks on goods from Great Britain.
Unionist leaders have criticized the framework and Murphy's appointment, arguing it undermines Northern Ireland's place in the UK and gives Irish nationalists effective veto power over changes.
Murphy's report, due by July 2025, will examine the framework's social, economic, and political implications, with stakeholders emphasizing the need for impartiality and adherence to international obligations.