PM repeats threat on NI agreement
BORIS Johnson has reiterated his threat to override elements of the Northern Ireland Protocol, warning the European Union that the Good Friday Agreement is more important than the post-Brexit deal.
The Prime Minister said yesterday that the protocol fails to command cross-community support in the region, adding “we need to sort it out”, despite warnings from European leaders not to meddle with the agreement he brokered.
Foreign Secretary Liz Truss is set to tell the EU that the dispute over Northern Ireland cannot drag on, after warning she will “not shy away” from taking action as she accused the EU of proposing solutions that would “take us backwards”.
As ministers consider whether to introduce legislation overriding parts of the deal, senior Cabinet member Michael Gove warned “no option is off the table”.
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has stressed “no-one should unilaterally cancel, break or in any way attack the settlement”.
DUP leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson yesterday repeated his call on the government to take action.
He is refusing to re-enter powersharing government at Stormont until issues with the protocol are dealt with.
“The sooner that happens, the better. The protocol is not supported by any unionist MLA elected to the Assembly last week. We can’t go on with the situation where there is no consensus at all for this protocol,” he told the BBC.
“The protocol is still harming many businesses in Northern Ireland and it is contributing to the cost-of-living crisis because the cost of goods coming in from Great Britain has been increased by transport costs, customs fees, delays, and that is not a sustainable position.
“It has also altered our constitutional relationship with the rest of the United Kingdom without our consent so we need to get back to consensus politics.
“I want an outcome that works for business, that works for our economy and that restores political stability in Northern Ireland.”
At a press conference in Sweden, Mr Johnson faced questions over whether now is the right time to pick a fight with the EU against the backdrop of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.