UK to unilaterally continue suspending Northern Ireland border checks

The UK believes the continuation of the grace period for checks on goods will create the space needed for solutions to the protracted row with Brussels. Photograph: Peter Morrison/AP

The UK has made a unilateral decision to continue suspending border checks on farm produce and other goods entering Northern Ireland from Great Britain, a move likely to antagonise the EU but not provoke further action.

London notified Brussels of its decision on Thursday in its formal response to seven lawsuits brought by the EU over the alleged failure of the UK to comply with the Northern Ireland protocol.