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 on Wednesday 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 Brussels 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”.
Brussels has threatened to retaliate by cancelling the Brexit deal, in turn starting a trade war with the UK.
Boris Johnson said the Protocol fails to command cross-community support in the region.
Adrian Dennis
And German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has stressed “no one should unilaterally cancel, break or in any way attack the settlement”.
Disagreement between the UK and the EU comes as Sinn Fein criticised the DUP’s suggestion that it may choose not to elect a new Speaker when Northern Ireland's Stormont Assembly meets on Friday.
Sir Jeffrey Donaldson said on Wednesday that his party has yet to decide whether to vote to elect a new Speaker when MLAs meet in the chamber in two days.
The election of the new Speaker is the first item on the agenda for MLAs following the election and requires cross-community support from nationalist and unionist members.
Liz Truss has rejected EU proposals for changes to the Northern Ireland protocol.
Victoria Jones
The DUP is refusing to return to the power-sharing Executive until its issues with the Northern Ireland Protocol are resolved.
The UK Government claims Brexit threats made by the EU would result in Thai Green Curry ready meals being removed from supermarket shelves in Northern Ireland.
According to Politico, the Foreign Office is briefing that: "Sending a parcel to Northern Ireland would require more than 50 fields of information for the customs declaration."
Sinn Fein, led by Michelle O’Neill, became the first nationalist or republican Party to emerge top at Stormont.
Liam McBurney
They say the EU is pushing for chilled meats coming from Britain to require a vet's certificate.
“Pet owners would also need to pay up to £280 for certificates and jabs for their pets just to go on holiday in the UK,” the Foreign Office warned.
Goods such as New Zealand lamb and Brazilian pork would also no longer be available according to Foreign Office claims.
Ms Truss has so far rejected EU proposals to fix the issue.
A new major piece of legislation is being drafted by Downing Street.
Ready to be unveiled next week, it will allow the UK to unilaterally scrap parts of the agreement it signed up for in 2020.
UK and EU sources told Politico's Playbook that reports of Northern Ireland's deteriorating position being exaggerated represent wishful thinking, and a "crunch is now imminent".
