Business leaders write to Prime Minister to express backing for Windsor Framework
Business leaders from major companies across Northern Ireland have written to the Prime Minister to voice their support for the Windsor Framework.
The open letter was signed by representatives of businesses including Amazon, Sainsbury’s, Coca-Cola, Cobra Beer, Diageo, Airbus and Henderson Group.
The business leaders are all part of the Confederation of British Industry's Presidents' Committee and Northern Ireland Council.
They welcomed the agreement as a “watershed moment” and “a huge opportunity” for Northern Ireland.
The DUP, which collapsed power sharing in Northern Ireland in protest at the protocol, has yet to come to a collective decision on whether to back the framework and return to devolution.
Senior party figures, including Sammy Wilson, Ian Paisley, Gregory Campbell and Lord Dodds, have all expressed concern at the UK/EU agreement.
DUP leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson has established a consultation panel to inform its deliberations on the new deal.
It will report back by the end of March.
CBI letter in full:
Dear Prime Minister,
We businesses, representatives on the CBI Presidents’ Committee and the CBI’s Northern Ireland Council, congratulate the Prime Minister and the UK government for achieving the breakthrough in the negotiations with the EU on the Northern Ireland Protocol, and accomplishing the Windsor Framework. Business welcomes the framework as a watershed moment for the UK-EU relationship, and it represents a huge opportunity for both the Northern Irish and Great British economies.
It is vital that trade flows between Great Britain and Northern Ireland are smooth, and friction for firms is minimised. The Windsor Framework will mean that the Northern Irish economy can maximise the opportunities presented by dual access to the EU and UK markets. Due to the breadth and complexity of its scope, businesses are taking time to digest the details. However, we are nonetheless united in believing that the Windsor Framework is the most sustainable path forward for Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK.
With this historic agreement behind us, now is the time for power-sharing to be restored in the Northern Ireland Executive and for political representatives to turn their attention to economic growth and delivering greater prosperity for everyone across Northern Ireland.
Signed.
Martin Agnew, Joint Managing Director, Henderson Group
Ashley Almanza, Executive Chairman, Allied Universal - International
Lord Karan Bilimoria, Founder and Chairman, Cobra Beer
Declan Billington, CEO, John Thompson & Sons Ltd
Elaine Birchall, CEO, SHS Group Ltd
John Boumphrey, Country Manager, Amazon UK
Barry Byrne, Managing Director, Mount Charles
Phil Clarke, Associate Director, MCS Group
Liam Condon, CEO, Johnson Matthey
Andrew Cosslett, Chair, Kingfisher & ITV
Brian Donaldson, CEO, The Maxol Group
Paul Drechsler, CBE, Chair, International Chamber of Commerce
Carl Ennis, CEO, Siemens Plc
Brian Gillan, Head of Retail & NI, Allied Irish Bank UK
Ian Greer, President and Vice-Chancellor, Queen’s University Belfast
John Harrison, UK Chairman and General Counsel, Airbus
Miles Karemacher, General Manager, Coca-Cola HBC
Brian McBride, President, Confederation of British Industry
Kevin McNamee, CEO, Denroy Group
Sir Ivan Menezes, CEO, Diageo plc
Joanne Molloy, Managing Director, TS Foods Ltd
Simon Roberts, CEO, Sainsbury’s
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