New Zealand-style agri-food deal would help NI
By John Campbell
Published
image captionBrexit trade arrangements have caused disruption at Northern Ireland s ports
A New Zealand-type agri-food agreement between the UK and EU would be really helpful for reducing Irish Sea border checks, MPs have been told.
The comment was made by Shanker Singham, a member of the government-backed consortium which helps firms trade across the sea border.
He said while it would reduce checks it would not remove all paperwork.
He said the only way to remove all of the checks and processes would be for the UK to be in the EU single market.
New Zealand-style agri-food deal would help NI bbc.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from bbc.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
British government made secret deal with Libya which is blocking IRA victims compensation Colonel Muammar Gaddafi pictured in 1987. The Libyan leader died in 2011. File picture by John Redman, Associated Press
SEFF director Kenny Donaldson
A victims campaigner has claimed the British government reached a secret deal with Libya years ago which is blocking compensation for those injured in IRA attacks.
MPs are looking at attacks sponsored by Colonel Muammar Gaddafi s regime in the north African country.
Gaddafi, who died in 2011, was the IRA s main arms supplier during the Troubles.
Libyan-supplied Semtex was used in high-profile attacks including the Enniskillen bombing in 1987.
BBC News
By Julian O Neill
Published
image captionMuammar Gaddafi supplied weapons, including Semtex explosives, to the IRA during the Troubles
A victims campaigner has claimed to MPs that a secret deal between the UK and Libya blocked a compensation package for IRA attacks during the Troubles.
Kenny Donaldson said he spoke to a senior Libyan bank official who is vociferous that the matter is closed.
He said he was told a diplomatic outcome was reached years ago.
It allegedly involved a quid pro quo between the supply of Semtex to the IRA and the UK s role in attacks on Libya.
SHARE
Victims of Libyan-backed terrorism were forgotten by the UK government in the rush to secure lucrative trade deals with the regime of Muammar Qaddafi, MPs will be told on Thursday.
The head of a prominent victims’ group is expected to criticise what he calls the UK government’s “appalling, preposterous and absurd strategies” to secure compensation from Tripoli over its backing for Irish terrorists during a three-decade struggle against the UK.
Libya supplied explosives, weaponry and training to the Irish Republican Army, which it used to deadly effect during a bombing campaign in England and Northern Ireland during the 1980s and 1990s.