Peers to hold up changes to NI protocol
ANTI-BREXIT peers have warned Boris Johnson they will hinder legislation to over-ride parts of the Northern Ireland protocol.
Ken Clarke, right, said a controversial Bill to be unveiled by ministers early next week will be ‘seriously challenged’ in the Lords.
The Tory former chancellor, a strong supporter of the EU, expects a ‘very large majority’ of peers will ‘hold it up for a considerable time’.
As part of Brexit negotiations, the UK and EU agreed to the Northern Ireland protocol, which is designed to avoid the need for a border on the island of Ireland. But this has led to disruption to goods crossing the Irish Sea.
The British Government intends to use domestic law to unilaterally over-ride aspects of the post-Brexit arrangements to reduce the checks required. Foreign Secretary Liz Truss is expected to publish the legislation next week. Downing Street said it remained ‘confident’ the Bill ‘is lawful under international law’.