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00:00There's been some criticism of you after messages were released between yourself and the Head of the Civil Service, Jane Brady.
00:09What's your response to the criticism that really your primary concern was about how the advertisement of that regulatory divergence post looked politically for you and for the TUP?
00:21I can very clearly say that was not why I was disconcerted by that. My concern was entirely because we should not be managing divergence, we should be avoiding divergence.
00:32That is what I do and try to do week in and week out.
00:36And indeed, as I mentioned in that WhatsApp exchange, the Prime Minister had indicated, for example, that there would not be divergence from Great Britain perspective pending those UK-EU discussions.
00:50So, you know, in that context there was no divergence to be managed and indeed we should not be managing divergence.
00:56We need to secure the UK single market.
01:01That is the promise that was given to Northern Ireland by the UK government and the UK government must continue to do everything in their power to ensure that there is no divergence that continues to emerge and to tackle it where it does arise.