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In a significant intervention on the Protocol controversy, the former Prime Minister not only suggests changes to the way goods from Great Britain into Northern Ireland are checked via the Irish Sea border but also to the European Court of Justice and EU laws governing the lives of people in the Province.

Mr Blair, a key architect of the Belfast Agreement, said “significant movement” was required by the EU in terms of compromises over border checks on goods from GB, the ECJ and EU legislation.

Writing for the think-tank ‘Forward’, Mr Blair writes: “In this paper, we set out a practical way through, one that would obviate the vast majority of checks on goods moving between Britain and Northern Ireland, provide a compromise on the involvement of the Court of Justice of the EU, and give greater opportunities for consultation on draft EU laws affecting Northern Ireland to representatives from all sides of the community.”

The ex-Prime Minister continues: “It is, at least, a possible landing zone for resolution of the dispute. It could be done within the framework of the Protocol, but would require significant movement from the EU on its stated position around the Protocol’s interpretation.”

He adds: “My judgement - with long experience of EU negotiations - is that things have reached such a state of distrust that the two bureaucratic systems will not settle this; it has to be done at the highest political level, because, ultimately, it is not a matter of technical work but political will and leadership.”

Mr Blair calls on both the UK and the EU to show “maximum flexibility” in order to reach an agreement.

Describing Boris Johnson’s original post-Brexit trade deal with the EU, which unionists believe has de-coupled NI from the UK internal market and is pushing the Province out of the Union, Mr Blair says that “left unresolved, the issues at the heart of the Protocol have the capability of causing an enlarged trade conflict between the UK and the EU, or undermining the Good Friday Agreement - and quite possibility both”.

The call on the EU to be more flexible in Protocol negotiations with the UK is highly significant given both Mr Blair’s pro-European, anti-Brexit stance as well his central role in securing the 1998 Belfast Agreement.

After similar demands from Labour Party figures such as Hilary Benn, the former Prime Minister is the most senior politician from outside Government to intervene in the Protocol debate and urge the EU to be more open to compromise.

Tony Blair: ‘Significant movement’ required from EU to break Northern Ireland Protocol impasse