Former minister warns of risk of trade war with EUMartin raises concerns on Johnson’s ‘unilateralism’

Britain risks a trade war with the EU if it “brazenly breaks a solemn international treaty” via the Northern Ireland Protocol Bill, a senior Conservative MP has warned.
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Former Cabinet minister Andrew Mitchell also voiced concerns that the UK could “trash” its international reputation by approving the legislation designed to deal with issues connected to trade between Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

But Foreign Secretary Liz Truss sought to downplay his fears by arguing the bill has a “strong legal justification” and the UK remains committed to seeking a negotiated solution.

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Ms Truss, opening the second reading debate on the bill, said the UK continues to raise issues of concern with the EU.

Taoiseach Micheal MartinTaoiseach Micheal Martin
Taoiseach Micheal Martin

She told the Commons: “We simply cannot allow this situation to drift. Northern Ireland has been without a devolved government since February due specifically to the protocol, at a time of major global economic challenges.

“Therefore, it is the duty of this government to act now to enable a plan for restored local government to begin. It’s both legal and necessary.”

Mr Mitchell, intervening, said he has an “immense amount of sympathy” with what Ms Truss is saying.

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But he added: “It does seem to me that the EU is not being particularly constructive in trying to get the solution we all want to see achieved.

“But can I say to her that many of us are extremely concerned that the bill brazenly breaks a solemn international treaty ... it threatens a trade war at a time when our economy is flat and it puts us at odds with our most important ally.

“Can she say anything to reassure me in my anxieties on these points?”

Ms Truss replied: “Our preference is for a negotiated solution and we have sought a negotiated solution for 18 months, but as recently as last weekend the EU have refused to change the text of the protocol.”

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Irish Premier Micheal Martin has rejected Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s claim that he does not see a major diplomatic row erupting over the Northern Ireland Protocol.

The prime minister is attending the G7 summit in Germany alongside EU leaders, and indicated that the controversial topic is not making priority conversation.

He added that he is not expecting a major diplomatic row over the government’s plans.

However, Mr Martin said that the British government plan to effectively tear up parts of the Northern Ireland Protocol is a major development.

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Speaking in Dublin yesterday, the Fianna Fail leader said: “That, in my view, doesn’t stack up in the sense that any unilateral decision to breach international law is a major, serious development.

“There can be no getting out of that.

“One cannot trivialise the breaching of an international agreement between the UK government and the EU.

“My concern is a trend towards unilateralism that is emanating from the UK government.

“We had it on the protocol, we had it on legacy issues, we have it now in terms of the application of the decision of European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg in terms of domestic British law.

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“We know that the Good Friday Agreement incorporates protections under the human rights convention and that is something we will keep a close eye on.

“I have been in touch with the president of the European Commission and the president of the European Council, and they are concerned about this.

“They are conscious that similar efforts were made last year but this is not a good move by the British government and it has to accept that unilateralism does not work in the context of the Good Friday Agreement, or in the context of good relationships with your neighbours and the EU.”