UK PM Proposes Law Screening to Ease Trade Barriers in Irish Sea

The move aims to end the DUP's boycott of Stormont, but faces criticism from Tory MPs who fear it will limit Britain's ability to diverge from EU rules.

UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has proposed a requirement for all new laws to be screened to ensure they do not create additional trade barriers in the Irish Sea, in an effort to re-establish devolved government in Northern Ireland.
The proposal is aimed at persuading the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) to end its two-year boycott of Stormont, which has paralyzed Northern Irish politics.
The offer has sparked criticism from Tory MPs, who argue that such a policy would make it nearly impossible for Great Britain to diverge from EU rules.
Business Secretary Kemi Badenoch has stated that the UK needs to diverge from EU rules to make Brexit worthwhile, and that the UK will retain the ability to diverge.
The Northern Ireland Assembly has not sat since it collapsed in February 2022, and its restoration will require the DUP to end its boycott, likely necessitating some alleviation of the party's concerns over post-Brexit trading arrangements.