Donaldson repeats threat to bring down Stormont

He asked: “In view of the harm caused to political stability in Northern Ireland and to our economy by the Northern Ireland Protocol, noting the lack of progress in removing the Irish Sea border and recognising that unionist consent for the protocol is not forthcoming, what urgent steps does the prime minister and his government intend to take to honour his commitment to restore Northern Ireland’s place fully within the UK internal market and to safeguard the political institutions in Northern Ireland?”

In response Boris Johnson noted that he and Sir Jeffrey had discussed the issue “extensively”.

“He knows that we share a view that the protocol is not working in the way that it needs to in order to guarantee the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement,” said the prime minister.

“I don’t believe things need to be that way. I think it could be worked differently. And we want our EU friends and partners to understand that and we will continue to work with them to get them to see things in the way that people on both sides of the Irish Sea see them. But, in the meantime, Mr Speaker, we do not remove the possibility of invoking Article 16 to protect trade between Great Britain and Northern Ireland.”

Afterwards, Sir Jeffrey made clear that the sustainability of the political institutions in Northern Ireland were at stake if the Irish Sea border was not removed.

“If the prime minister fails to act to safeguard the political institutions, then it will fall to my party to take all steps necessary to bring this issue to a head,” he said.