Farry: Agreement that EU should be more flexible

Mr Farry said: “They absolutely concur with that and indeed they stressed to us that that was the message handed in to Maros Sefkovic (European Commission chief protocol negotiator) in Brussels only a few days ago.

“The solution here has to be about a partnership between the UK and the European Union. We can deeply understand the frustrations that the European Union has over the approach the UK has taken.”

The North Down MP stressed that he had asked the US Congress members to ensure the EU is a “partner” with the UK in finding solutions to the protocol.

SDLP leader Colum Eastwood accused the DUP of “seeking offence” and “courting grievance” in their dealings with the US delegation.

Speaking after meeting Mr Neal and his colleagues, Mr Eastwood said: “I acknowledge that unionism has a problem with the protocol. But the challenges we face are too important, they affect too many families to allow government to be mothballed as part of a political strop.”

The Foyle MP added: “The DUP should be using the influence that affords all of us to build a better, more prosperous society for everyone. The politics of boycott has served no one ... MLAs should get back to work.”

Meanwhile, a former Northern Ireland secretary has said Boris Johnson’s government has “lost trust as an honest broker” in the Province.

Lord Hain said amid the latest stalemate at Stormont that the government is no longer trusted in the way it was when led by former prime ministers John Major, Tony Blair and Gordon Brown.

During a meeting of the House of Lords Northern Ireland Sub-Committee, Lord Hain questioned how opposing positions by the Stormont parties over the post-Brexit arrangements can be brought together without that trust.

He also said the announcement by Foreign Secretary Liz Truss of intended legislation to override parts of the protocol has damaged relations with the EU.

“Frankly, there isn’t the trust that you need for negotiations to succeed,” he said.

“People will make more concessions, in my experience, to HMG if they trust you fully and if they don’t think you will simply pocket those and then up the ante through legislation or whatever.

“That trust issue is critical.”