“Well at least the Telegraph was warning us Brexit would be a terrible idea.”
The Telegraph, a paper whose Eurosceptic editorial line has been a fixture since the early 1990s, and which championed the Leave campaign during the 2016 EU referendum, found itself mocked this week after publishing a story about tumble dryers disappearing from the Northern Irish market – because of Brexit.
The article, headlined: “Brexit forces tumble dryers off the market in Northern Ireland,” reports that some popular models sold in Great Britain are no longer available in Northern Ireland because of new EU rules. According to the piece, shoppers are unable to buy certain appliances after updated European eco-design and energy-labelling regulations came into force.
Under the Windsor Framework, the post-Brexit agreement designed to keep the Irish border invisible and protect the peace process, Northern Ireland continues to follow EU product and environmental rules that the rest of the UK no longer applies. The deal introduced Irish Sea checks on goods entering Northern Ireland from Britain to ensure EU standards are met.
Unionists argue these arrangements weaken Northern Ireland’s place in the UK and encourage a drift towards a united Ireland. They also warn that the divergence will push supply chains away from long-established British suppliers in favour of those in the Republic of Ireland.
The Telegraph article explains that Northern Ireland’s alignment with EU eco-design rules means consumers can no longer buy certain types of traditional condenser tumble dryers and must instead purchase more energy-efficient appliances, such as heat-pump dryers.
Robin Swann, the Ulster Unionist Party MP for South Antrim, raised the matter after being contacted by a constituent. He told the paper:
“Unfortunately, this is reflective of the ongoing issues facing Northern Ireland consumers because of the divergence caused by the Windsor Framework.”
“This outworking of the framework once again unacceptably limits the range of products available to customers here, and risks sending customers out of the Northern Ireland market and into the Republic of Ireland to purchase these tumble dryers.”
The article sparked an onslaught of mockery online.
“Tumble dryer update…” Leeds for Europe posted on Facebook.
“Well at least the Telegraph was warning us Brexit would be a terrible idea,” another user mocked.
Others pointed out that the appliances still available in Northern Ireland are newer and more efficient. “But, unlike us, they have access to better, more efficient ones, so it doesn’t bloody matter,” read one comment.
Another observer didn’t beat around the bush: “It’s embarrassing how desperate the Torygraph has become. It promoted Brexit based on xenophobia and lies. Just a posh Daily Mail for narrow-minded people.”
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