THE Prime Minister plans to introduce legislation seeking to rip up the Northern Ireland Protocol on Monday – but he’s risking a serious Tory rebellion by doing so, reports suggest.
The UK Government has confirmed it will table the legislation to override parts of the protocol, which was jointly agreed by the UK and EU as part of the Withdrawal Agreement to keep the Irish land border free-flowing.
But a number of Tory backbenchers are now said to be preparing to vote against the bill in the Commons, just a week after 41% of Boris Johnson’s own MPs indicated they no longer support him.
The Conservative leader may have won the confidence challenge, but his authority is now in question and his critics have increased leverage.
On Sunday, backbenchers were sharing a document setting out their opposition to the new bill. The rebels argue that scrapping parts of the protocol risks starting a trade war, and would threaten the Union.
The briefing note states: “Breaking international law to tear up the prime minister’s own treaty is damaging to everything the UK and Conservatives stand for.”
It goes on: “It is time to return to a Conservative way forward: acting with integrity, respecting the treaties we sign, strengthening not weakening our precious Union, backing business and honouring the democratic we promised to Northern Ireland on the protocol. This bill should be withdrawn.”
While Northern Ireland Secretary Brandon Lewis has insisted the plan to scrap parts of the protocol will not breach international law, this has caused great debate among those affected.
Lewis’s insistence that the new bill would be “lawful” and “correct” was challenged by both the Labour Party and Sinn Fein president Mary Lou McDonald, who said Lewis was “talking through his hat”.
The protocol arrangements require regulatory checks and customs declarations on goods moving between Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
Unionists in Northern Ireland are vociferously opposed to the protocol, claiming it has undermined the region’s place within the United Kingdom.
The DUP has blocked the formation of a new power-sharing government at Stormont following last month’s Assembly election in protest over the protocol.
The bill due to come before Parliament will see the Government move without the consent of the EU to change the terms of the international treaty in a bid to reduce the checks on the movement of goods across the Irish Sea.
The EU has made clear that such a step would represent a breach of international law and could prompt retaliatory action from the bloc.
Meanwhile at the weekend, McDonald (below) called on the UK Government to indicate what the tipping point would be for a referendum on Irish unity.
McDonald said a priority for her was that preparations for a border poll should begin and added that those conversations needed to include unionists in Northern Ireland.
Sinn Fein recently topped the poll in the Northern Ireland Assembly elections for the first time, and a number of opinion polls have shown the republican party with a lead among decided voters in the Republic.
The Sinn Fein president told Sky News’ Sophy Ridge on Sunday: “The Government at Westminster, the British government, have to indicate what their view is, how they view the matter of the tipping point when the referendums will be held.
“Whatever the answer might be to that question, be in no doubt that change, positive change, exciting change, progressive change, is under way in Ireland.
“It is good news for Britain also because parts of the whole project of building a new island is building, renewing, consolidating that relationship that we have with our nearest neighbour.”
