UK Covid live: Johnson defends border policy, saying complete shutdown ‘not practical’
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Ministers have effectively been trying to blame the EU for the crisis with the Northern Ireland protocol, implying the decision to threaten to invoke article 16 to restrict vaccine supplies to Northern Ireland (a threat swiftly recognised as a mistake and withdrawn within hours) was to blame.
But Sir Jonathan Jones, who resigned last year from his post as head of the government’s legal department when No 10 proposed breaking international law by ignoring parts of the Brexit withdrawal agreement, says the problems are all inherent in the deal that the government signed in the first place.
Sure, the EU cocked up over Art 16. But that cock-up was never brought into effect. The concerns listed in the letter flow from the deal that the govt agreed to. Clearly right to try & resolve them, which will need agreement on both sides. But don’t blame the Art 16 debacle. t.co/FSSHB0gCa1
At the Downing Street lobby briefing the prime minister’s spokesman refused to say what might led to Boris Johnson invoking article 16 of the Northern Ireland protocol – the emergency opt-out that allows it to be dis-applied. Johnson restated his willingness to use it at PMQs. (See 12.35pm.)
The spokesman said:
I would point back to what the prime minister just said in the house, that we will do everything that we need to do, whether legislatively or indeed by triggering article 16 of the protocol, to ensure that there is no barrier in the Irish Sea and that businesses can continue to do business unfettered between Northern Ireland and the rest of the county.
I would add that our focus is working closely with the EU and the parties in Northern Ireland to help address the problems that are set out in Michael Gove’s letter. [See 2.05pm.]
Read the original article at The Guardian