Over the last six years, the people of this island, particularly those in Northern Ireland, have been used as a political plaything by the forces that have driven Brexit. With the announcement last night of the suspension of checks and the rumours that the First Minister is due to resign, once again the people of Northern Ireland are being put at risk. A collapse of Stormont will see no budget being passed by the assembly and no apologies given for institutional abuse. We will again see the people of Northern Ireland, the majority of whom did not vote for Brexit, utterly let down by a small minority on this island and a worrying minority on another island. How is the Government going to stand up for the people of Northern Ireland and ensure that the programme for Government commitment to protecting the gains of the peace process, the Good Friday Agreement and the all-island economy will be maintained?

The announcement the other day by the Northern Ireland Minister, Mr. Poots, was unhelpful. It adds to the uncertainty for businesses and citizens in Northern Ireland. It seems to me that it was a political decision rather than one based on the public interest. It is noteworthy that his decision is not supported by the Northern Ireland Executive or by the majority of members of the Northern Ireland Assembly. Whether people agree with the protocol, surely on democratic grounds it was not the right decision to make, as it was done without the assent of the Executive and without the support of the Northern Ireland Assembly.