Government ‘ready to act’ to protect Belfast Agreement if NI Protocol solutions cannot be found

The government spokesperson said: “As we have said consistently, the government will take measures to safeguard the Belfast (Good Friday) Agreement if solutions cannot be found to fix the protocol.

“No decisions have yet been taken and our overriding priority continues to be the protection of peace and stability in Northern Ireland.”

The statement to the News Letter is the latest official reaction to reports circulating at the end of last week that the British government is preparing legislation to grant ministers powers to “tear up” the protocol, particularly the rules governing post-Brexit trade between Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Foreign Secretary Liz Truss were reported in the Financial Times to be signing off in principle plans for a Northern Ireland bill enabling ministers to switch off key parts of the protocol and in particular those related to border checks on goods from GB into the Province.

The reports prompted protests from nationalist parties in Northern Ireland, the Irish government and leading Irish-American figures in the US Congress with them arguing that such a move would mean the UK breaking international law.

SDLP leader Colum Eastwood also said reports that the prime minister and the Cabinet were considering abandoning key elements of the protocol was more about shoring up Boris Johnson’s leadership of the Conservatives after the ‘partygate’ scandal.

“It will come as no shock to many in Northern Ireland that Boris Johnson is desperate to distract from the political turmoil he is experiencing and that he’s willing to throw us under the bus to do it.

“This is about shoring up his position with the hardline ERG (European Research Group) and shoring up the DUP’s position ahead of an election. Come May 5th Johnson will dump Jeffrey and the DUP again. They never learn,” Mr Eastwood said.

DUP leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson has pledged that his party will not join any new Executive after the election unless there are radical changes to the protocol.

The News Letter understands that some Cabinet ministers are anxious to find a deal on the protocol that satisfies most unionists before the end of June and the climax of the marching season over the summer.