Liz Truss mocked for using patriotism as an excuse for pushing ‘law-breaking’ NI Protocol Bill
The government’s controversial Northern Ireland Protocol Bill passed its second reading on Monday, by a relatively comfortable majority.
NEW: Boris Johnson’s bid to unilaterally override parts of Northern Ireland’s Brexit deal clears its first Commons hurdle after MPs backed it 295 to 221, majority 74.
— Pippa Crerar (@PippaCrerar) June 27, 2022
If implemented, it will scrap parts of the Brexit deal, making it easier for Great Britain to trade with Northern Ireland but raising the possibility of a hard border with the Republic.
Tweeters watched the proceedings unfold.
I'm confident that the Northern Ireland Protocol Bill will achieve its aims of breaking international law, threatening the Good Friday Agreement, creating division, starting a trade war and turning us into a pariah state.
— Parody Boris (@Parody_PM) June 27, 2022
Boris Johnson is in Bavaria pledging allegiance to the 'rules-based international system' while Liz Truss is in Parliament confirming his government's determination to crap all over it. What a time to be alive.
— James Oh Brien (@mrjamesob) June 27, 2022
Would fact check Liz Truss on the Northern Ireland Protocol, but unconvinced I'd find any facts.
— David Henig 🇺🇦 (@DavidHenigUK) June 27, 2022
Watching Commons debate Protocol Bill is a surreal study in the state of British politics.
Loud distortion on Protocol, despite NI indicators being better than GB.
Thundering, Orwellian silence on Brexit itself, as the UK languishes alongside Russia in economic forecasts.
— Matthew O'Toole (@MatthewOToole2) June 27, 2022
Labour’s Hilary Benn directly addressed the Foreign Secretary, Liz Truss, on her intention to break international law.
.@hilarybennmp asks Liz Truss if she'd ever imagined she'd be proposing something like this when she campaigned for Remain in the 2016 referendum. He also asks why the UK isn't using legal method of Article 16. Truss replies she is `a patriot and a democrat' 4/ pic.twitter.com/6kUEMCsaOD
— Joe Mayes (@Joe_Mayes) June 27, 2022
“The reason I’m putting this bill forward is because I’m a patriot and I’m a democrat.”
Cue much derision, both in the Commons chamber and on Twitter.
1.
Yes officer, you see I was speeding down the 20 zone at 70mph because I’m a motherfucking patriot pic.twitter.com/ZjZ3q6mhcF
— James Felton (@JimMFelton) June 27, 2022
2.
Truss justifying her abandonment of principle, evidence & honesty by claiming to be a 'patriot' feels like a new low.
— James Oh Brien (@mrjamesob) June 27, 2022
3.
It speaks volumes that this is Johnson’s most likely successor. Has there ever been a more shallow puddle of talent in a government? https://t.co/9hc9SZyYdJ
— Rich Neville (@RichNeville) June 27, 2022
4.
Bizarre. It's tacky to accuse people who disagree with you of being unpatriotic; and the democratic mandate here is for the version of the withdrawal agreement that the Foreign Secretary campaigned for as an "oven ready deal". https://t.co/NZyDnFYqXT
— Steve Peers (@StevePeers) June 27, 2022
5.
She's working harder on her Thatcher voice than she is on the Protocol. https://t.co/XTmBSbtnri
— Rachel ❤️🇺🇦🌻 Slava Ukraini (@rach0907) June 27, 2022
6.
Listening to Liz Truss trying to defend her Protocol Bill would be comedy gold if the matter wasn't so serious
— Stephen Farry MP (@StephenFarryMP) June 27, 2022
7.
Everything we should be afraid of about this UK government. Truss tells MPs she’s ripping up an international treaty because she’s a “patriot and a democrat”.
She is patently neither. https://t.co/dAoudgCKJs— Katherine O'Donnell (@kathy__odonnell) June 27, 2022
8.
Does being a patriot count as a defender in court ? @nazirafzal ? https://t.co/XQAhuvf0BC
— Vivek Khashu (@VivekKhashu) June 27, 2022
9.
Liz Truss now says it’s her patriotic duty to break the law. Surprised Boris didn’t try that line
— John Crace (@JohnJCrace) June 27, 2022
10.
It’s repulsive watching Truss justifying her govt’s spectacular bad faith by claiming ‘patriotism’ and defence of the Good Friday Agreement.
How dare they appropriate the very things they have wrecked and risked in their obnoxious attempt to disown their own Brexit failure.— sarah murphy (@13sarahmurphy) June 27, 2022
11.
Oh.
The shredding of Anglo-Irish relations and attack on the underpinnings of the peace process are okay because you're… a "patriot"?
That's always worked in NI, putting your "patriot" credentials first. https://t.co/HcjOhXKDR4
— R. Delexical (@delexical) June 27, 2022
Theresa May referenced Truss’ claim in her speech opposing the bill.
May signed off her speech by ridiculing Liz Truss's line about patriotism
"As a *patriot*, I would not want to do anything that would diminish this country in the eyes of the world…I cannot support it."
Prob one of several Tory absentions tonite, tho real rebellion weeks away pic.twitter.com/Blzf1XZUgp
— Paul Waugh (@paulwaugh) June 27, 2022
In the words of that other Johnson – Samuel –
"Patriotism is the last refuge of the scoundrel" https://t.co/KSMqGLsimn
— Ciarán MacAirt (@ciaranmacairt) June 27, 2022
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This C4 News takedown of Boris Johnson over Northern Ireland is simply magnificent
Source Joe Mayes Image Screengrab