Boris slams ‘insane’ Brexit rules in NI

THE Prime Minister yesterday savaged Brussels over the ‘insane’ application of post-Brexit rules in Northern Ireland.

Boris Johnson said the EU’s ‘pettifogging’ approach had seen 200 British firms cease trading with Northern Ireland because of the red tape involved.

He said there were examples of food supplies being ‘blocked’ and ‘surcharges’ on the delivery of Christmas cards. And he warned he wanted to see the ‘Irish Sea border’, imposed by the EU, removed altogether.

His comments piled pressure on Foreign Secretary Liz Truss to strike a deal with Brussels over the post-Brexit rules affecting Northern Ireland. Under the terms of the Northern Ireland Protocol, the Province is meant to retain full access to both the UK market and the EU Single Market.

As part of the deal Brussels insisted on checks on goods entering Northern Ireland from the rest of the UK to ensure the route did not become a back door into the Single Market.

But the onerous checks have been blamed for causing serious disruption to trade in the UK – as well as sparking political tensions in Northern Ireland. Sir Jeffrey Donaldson, leader of the Democratic Unionist Party, told MPs: ‘The cost of bringing goods from Great Britain to Northern Ireland has increased by 2 per cent... It is costing business £2.5 million every day.’

Sir Jeffrey urged the PM to ‘unite the nation’ and ‘fully restore Northern Ireland’s place in the UK’s internal market’ by ‘removing the Irish Sea border.’

The PM said he agreed with Sir Jeffery’s ‘indignation’. Sources said Miss Truss, who took over responsibility for the crisis following the dramatic resignation of Brexit minister Lord Frost last month, believed a deal could be struck in the coming weeks.