PM triggers new EU dispute with plan to ditch parts of Brexit deal

BORIS JOHNSON has triggered a fresh dispute with the European Union as his Government set out plans to override the agreement governing Northern Ireland’s post-Brexit trading arrangements.

The Irish government said the measures marked a “new low point” and accused Mr Johnson’s administration of “breaking the law”.

The Prime Minister insisted the Northern Ireland Protocol Bill contained only minor, bureaucratic changes, while Downing Street said it was an “insurance mechanism” in case a negotiated agreement with the EU could not be found.

Mr Johnson signed the Northern Ireland Protocol with the European Union as part of the Brexit divorce settlement, with the measures aimed at preventing a hard border on the island of Ireland.

But by imposing checks on goods crossing the Irish Sea from Great Britain, the protocol has fuelled unionist anger in Northern Ireland and is also opposed by Eurosceptics in Mr Johnson’s Conservative Party.

The new legislation creates a framework to allow Ministers at Westminster to introduce changes in four areas covering customs and agri-food safety checks, regulation, subsidy controls and the role of the European Court of Justice. The UK Government insisted the Bill was compatible with international law under the “doctrine of necessity” which allows obligations in treaties to be set aside under “certain, very exceptional, limited conditions”.

But Ireland’s premier Micheal Martin said “it’s very regrettable for a country like the UK to renege on an international treaty”.