PM to give Protocol talks ‘one last bash’

Boris Johnson will not include plans for powers to rip up Northern Ireland border checks in the Queen’s Speech amid a Cabinet rift over whether to take a tough stance with the EU. The Prime Minister has held off on pledging new legislation that would give the Government free rein to tear up huge chunks of the Protocol. Government sources said they would swiftly draw up legal mechanisms to ditch red tape unless the talks with Brussels yielded a breakthrough.

BORIS JOHNSON will not include plans for powers to rip up Northern Ireland border checks in the Queen’s Speech amid a Cabinet rift over whether to take a tough stance with the EU.

The Prime Minister has held off on pledging new legislation that would give the Government free rein to tear up huge chunks of the Protocol.

Government sources said they would swiftly draw up legal mechanisms to ditch red tape unless the talks with Brussels yielded a breakthrough. They added No10 was waiting for the results of yesterday’s Northern Ireland elections, which Sinn Féin was expected to win, before deciding how to act.

The EU has said any move towards reneging on aspects of the Brexit withdrawal pact will be met with legal action and the threat of economic reprisals.

Mr Johnson is facing a split within his top team over how to break the deadlock in negotiations on cutting customs checks between Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

He is said to be leaning towards giving the talks “one last bash” before unilaterally overriding the Protocol.

Rishi Sunak, the Chancellor, Liz Truss, the Foreign Secretary, and Michael Gove, the Levelling Up Secretary, all back ploughing on with efforts at an agreed solution.

They are leading a camp within the Government who fear the economic and diplomatic fallout from reigniting tensions with the EU, including an angry reaction from the US.

Jacob Rees-mogg, the Brexit Opportunities minister, Brandon Lewis, the Northern Ireland Secretary and Suella Braverman, the Attorney General, favour a harder approach.

They argue the move could force Brussels to compromise and that eurocrats gave more ground to Lord Frost, the former negotiator.

A government source said an announcement on new legislation “will not be in the Queen’s Speech” but insisted No10 is “not ruling it out” in the near future.

They added: “We are looking at a range of options to do what we need to do. We won’t shy away from them. But we haven’t made any decisions.” Another also insisted the lack of a nailed-on commitment does not mean the Government will step away from taking further action if necessary.

“There may not be total agreement across the government on strategy,” a third source added, suggesting Cabinet splits were behind the decision.

The idea hasn’t yet been discussed by the PM’S top team and a bill hasn’t been drafted.

Mr Lewis told ITV on Wednesday the Government had “not said” it would propose new powers in the Queen’s Speech. He later insisted ministers “will not shy away from” tougher action to protect the Good Friday Agreement.

But his eve-of-election remarks prompted fears of the Government appearing soft on the Protocol, driving Unionist voters into the arms of the hardline Traditional Unionist Voice.

Lord Frost last night backed calls for legislation to rip up the Protocol saying that “simple acquiescence in the status quo isn’t enough”.

He told The Spectator the “Good Friday Agreement is on life support” because of the border checks and No 10 should give Brussels an “ultimatum”.