Related video: ‘Frustrating’ lack of flexibility from EU over protocol, says Northern Ireland secretary
Foreign secretary Liz Truss on Thursday is expected to offer the EU 72 hours to budge in talks over Northern Ireland border checks or the government will unveil legislation to tear up the protocol.
The decision will be taken as early as Monday whether to hand ministers sweeping powers to override large parts of the withdrawal deal, sources told The Telegraph.
Irish foreign affairs minister Simon Coveney earlier said that threats from the UK government to override elements of the Northern Ireland protocol “have gone down really badly” with the EU.
Speaking during a visit to Belfast, Mr Coveney said: “We don’t believe that the way forward in terms of solving outstanding issues can be done unilaterally by either side.”
Prime minister Boris Johnson on Wednesday told the EU there is no need for “drama” as he doubled down on hints he could override elements of the post-Brexit deal. Mr Johnson added that the Good Friday Agreement is more important than the Northern Ireland protocol while dismissing suggestions of any possible escalatory response from the EU as “crazy”.
