A bill introduced to Parliament Monday by Foreign Secretary Liz Truss seeks to reform the Northern Ireland Protocol, revive Northern Ireland’s power-sharing arrangement and protect the Good Friday Agreement. On all three fronts, however, it is as likely to make things worse — all while damaging Britain’s international reputation and further straining relations with its largest trading partner.
Perhaps the calculus is that things will cool down by the time the next election rolls around — the stalled Northern Ireland assembly will be purring again, EU feathers smoothed and frictionless trade achieved. In the meantime, a bruising fight serves as a useful distraction from Johnson’s other troubles and revives his ties with Brexiteers.
If so, it’s high-risk gambit, and one that feels both desperate and lacking in consideration for the people of Northern Ireland that the bill is ostensibly designed to help.
