EU failing province

FOR proof of the fundamental problems with the Northern Ireland Protocol, listen to exasperated M&S titan Archie Norman.

Lorries carrying goods into the province from Britain must carry 700-page documents. Gratuitous port checks by intransigent EU officials mean supermarket shortages and rising prices.

Worse, Brussels’ belligerent attitude to the post-Brexit trade deal means Unionists fear they are being shoe-horned out of the UK. As a result, the DUP have dropped out of powersharing arrangements, jeopardising the fragile peace.

To preserve the Good Friday Agreement, Foreign Secretary Liz Truss now plans draft legislation to unilaterally change the protocol. These are common-sense, uncontroversial steps, including giving firms sending goods to Northern Ireland, not the Republic, ‘trusted trader’ status to avoid checks.

But, true to form, the petulant EU refuses to negotiate. While treating Britain as a foe over chilled meats, it offers succour to Russia despite its premeditated, criminal war of aggression.

If the EU is unwilling to show good faith, pragmatism and flexibility towards solving a problem that is poisoning Northern Ireland, Britain must sort out the mess alone.