Mass demonstrations will return if no changes made to Northern Ireland Protocol, warns Jamie Bryson

Mr Bryson said there was a danger of a “long hot summer” during the marching season if planned alterations to the Protocol are put off this month.

His comments reflect the concerns of the unionist political leadership who fear that after a bruising no confidence vote Boris Johnson may not in a position to push through legislation that would override core elements of the Protocol.

“Boris Johnson remains in post largely due to the votes of Brexiteer MPs whose support is predicated upon the commitment that the Protocol will be dismantled, “ Mr Bryson said.

“Those MPs, who sustain the Prime Minister in position, must squeeze him hard as possible to ensure that when it comes to the Protocol, the legislation is completely and definitively destructive.

“Unionism and loyalism have both publicly and privately been made certain promises about the timing and content of the legislation. I would be deeply concerned if it were to be the case those promises would again slip or be put on the long finger.”

He continued: “We are rapidly approaching the marching season and we all want to see a long hot summer of celebration, rather than a long hot summer of discontent. I don’t think people understand the depth of feeling and complete commitment to destroying the Protocol in loyalist areas. The self appointed elite do not understand grassroots loyalism.

“Should legislation fail to transpire in an acceptable or timely fashion then I think peaceful protests will resume on a larger and more intense scale, probably marrying up with some of the largest band parades.”

On the DUP strategy, Mr Bryson added: “Sir Jeffrey is under no pressure whatsoever, he is being cheered in the streets. He has a mandate for the simple message that it’s power sharing or the Protocol, but never both.

“Any legislation must be measured against the DUP’s key seven tests, the first of which is the restoration of the Act of Union. That means Northern Ireland must be removed from the EU single market; nothing less will satisfy that key test.”