British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has announced a legislative process to overturn agreements with the EU on Northern Ireland’s Brexit status if necessary. The Conservative politician traveled to the UK province on Monday to speak with representatives of Northern Ireland’s biggest parties. All agreed that the Northern Ireland Protocol needed to be “reformed and improved”, Johnson said after the negotiations.
“We would love to do this in a consensual way with our friends and partners,” Johnson continued. But as an insurance company, your government must also legislate at the same time. According to information from the dpa, Foreign Minister Liz Truss wanted to explain what this should look like on Tuesday at Parliament in London.
“Trade agreement is at stake”
The EU has warned against London’s unilateral action. Otherwise, the entire trade deal would be on the line, Irish Foreign Minister Simon Coveney said on Monday in Brussels.
During his visit to Northern Ireland, Johnson called for the formation of a unity government. The Protestant DUP has so far refused to elect a Speaker of Parliament in protest against the Northern Ireland Protocol. The unionist party also does not want to join a unity government with Catholic-Republican Sinn Fein.
At Sinn Fein, skepticism clearly prevailed after the meetings with Johnson. Sinn Fein president Mary Lou McDonald accused Johnson of conspiring with the DUP. If London did try to undermine the Brexit Treaty agreements through national legislation, it would be “absolutely outrageous”, McDonald said. DUP chief Jeffrey Donaldson, on the other hand, called for action from Johnson. It’s not enough to just announce laws, they need to be implemented, Donaldson said.