Boris Johnson discusses the Northern Ireland Protocol with the US Speaker Nancy Pelosi at Downing Street meeting

Boris Johnson discussed Northern Ireland’s Brexit deal with Nancy Pelosi during the senior US politician’s visit to Downing Street.
By The Newsroom
Published 17th Sep 2021, 00:53 BST
Updated 17th Sep 2021, 00:55 BST
US Speaker of the House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi on a visit to Stormont in 2019US Speaker of the House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi on a visit to Stormont in 2019
US Speaker of the House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi on a visit to Stormont in 2019

The Speaker of the US House of Representatives has been a critic of the Prime Minister’s approach to the issue.

Downing Street said Mr Johnson raised the Northern Ireland Protocol with Ms Pelosi and “outlined the UK’s concerns” with the way the deal is being implemented.

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US President Joe Biden – who has Irish ancestry – and other senior democrats including Ms Pelosi are taking a keen interest in the situation in Northern Ireland.

At a time when the UK was considering overriding parts of the agreement in 2020, Ms Pelosi warned that Congress would never pass a free trade agreement with the UK if the Government’s actions imperilled the peace process.

Following Ms Pelosi’s meeting with Mr Johnson on Thursday, a Downing Street spokesman said: “The Prime Minister raised the issue of the Northern Ireland Protocol.

“He outlined the UK’s concerns with the way the protocol is being implemented and the impact it is having on the people of Northern Ireland.

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“The Prime Minister and Speaker Pelosi both agreed on the importance of preserving peace in Northern Ireland.”

Ms Pelosi said: “Respectful of the will of the British people and Brexit, I reiterated the strong bipartisan support that the Good Friday Accords continue to enjoy in the United States Congress and our hope that the ongoing negotiations will yield a positive outcome that recognises this landmark agreement.”

The two politicians also spent time discussing the US-UK relationship and the importance of tackling climate change.

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Related topics:Boris JohnsonProtocolNorthern IrelandDowning StreetJoe Biden