‘Weakness’ of UK position shaped Northern Ireland protocol negotiations, David Frost says

Lord Frost said applying the protocol should have taken into account the ‘economy reality’ of trade between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. Photograph: Jonathan Brady/PA

Boris Johnson’s former Brexit negotiator David Frost has said the “weakness” of the UK’s position shaped the negotiations for the Northern Ireland protocol but blamed a lack of pragmatism in the EU’s approach for the current difficulties.

Frost said the deal he negotiated while in Johnson’s government would have run smoothly only if it had never been fully applied by the EU.