No 10 Risks Trade War With Threat Of Axing NI Protocol

Boris Johnson's government is threatening to tear up the Northern Ireland protocol unless the EU agrees to ditch border checks soon, despite warnings the row could spark a “horrific” trade war.

- Adam Forrest

The Independent understands that foreign secretary Liz Truss is pushing for unilateral action unless there is a quick and significant change in stance by Brussels to remove checks on goods agreed in the Brexit withdrawal deal.

A Foreign Office source said a compromise appeared unlikely after European Commission negotiator Maros Sefcovic recently made clear in a call to Ms Truss that the EU could not go beyond its existing proposals to ease only some checks.

Northern Ireland secretary Brandon Lewis - who heads to Stormont today for crisis talks after Sinn Fein's historic election victory - suggested that the government was ready to do what we need to do” to override the protocol.

Mr Lewis denied that the government was "dancing to the DUP's tune”, with the unionist party refusing to enter into power-sharing arrangements with Sinn Fein until Downing Street scraps the protocol checks on goods coming from Great Britain into Northern Ireland.

“It is really frustrating that the EU have not shown the flexibility we need to see to get that resolution,” Mr Lewis told Sky News on Sunday.

On the prospect of legislation to override the protocol, Mr Lewis added: “We've always said we take nothing off the table, and that hasn't changed. We will do what we need to do ... There is a point we will have to make some decisions.”

The Republic of Ireland government urged all parties to work together to re-establish a power-sharing executive after Sinn Fein emerged the largest party at the Stormont assembly for the first time.