Brexit news - live: Protocol checks could be ‘overwhelmed’ after grace period as Foster blasts ‘tone deaf’ EU

Northern Ireland’s first minister Arlene Foster has described a meeting of the UK and EU Joint Committee as “hugely disappointing”, while blasting European officials as “tone deaf” following discussions around the Northern Ireland Protocol.

“I can’t say I had high expectations for it given the attitude of the European Commission to everything that we have said thus far,” she told the BBC. “It has been hugely disappointing that they haven’t listened to the voices of unionism, the majority community in Northern Ireland.”

She added: “What they have decided to do instead is, if there are problems then what is needed to deal with those problems is actually not less protocol but more protocol, and I think that that is entirely tone deaf.”

Mrs Foster said that “even Michael Gove was slightly taken aback by the attitude of the European Union” and that she looked forward to working with Mr Gove’s successor Lord Frost “in trying to find a replacement to the protocol which, of course, the protocol itself makes space for under Article 13, 8 of the protocol”.

Mrs Foster warned of “real and genuine difficulties” coming at the end of March when some of the grace periods for checks on some goods arriving into Northern Ireland will end.

“We’ve heard from some of our food service companies who are very concerned about the fact that they’ll not be able to bring in pre-prepared meat products from Great Britain at the end of March,” she said.

Former prime minister David Cameron has called on the government to be more interventionist to drive a green recovery after the pandemic.

Boris Johnson has said he wants a “green industrial revolution” to generate hundreds of thousands of jobs but Mr Cameron has urged him to be “muscular” in reshaping the economy.

Mr Cameron, who as prime minister pursued austerity as he steered the UK’s attempt to recover from the 2008 financial crisis, made his comments to The Guardian.

Our Whitehall editor Kate Devlin reports:

Arlene Foster has urged the UK government to “act unilaterally” over Northern Ireland’s Protocol, blaming the EU for refusing to “recognise the problems or offer any sensible solutions”.

“It is clear [vice-president of the European Commission] Maros Sefcovic and his team is not serious. From 29 January until 24 February the European Union has prevaricated, dragged its feet and closed its eyes to the serious crisis within our supply chain,” she said following a meeting of the UK and EU Joint Committee.

“[Boris Johnson] told the House of Commons that there would be unfettered trade within the United Kingdom, yet the Northern Ireland Protocol has completely ruptured the flow of goods from Great Britain to Northern Ireland.

“Whether from a constitutional or economic point of view, NI cannot be cut off from our main trading partner by a protocol which not a single unionist party in NI supports.”

Taking aim at the EU once more, the first minister said due to Brussels’ “stubborn and inflexible response” it was down to the UK government “to step up and protect the United Kingdom internal market”.

“The government should have listened intently as Maros Sefcovic explained the solution to problems with goods flowing from GB-NI ... such a disruption of trade within the UK internal market should not be tolerated by the government.”

She added: “It is offensive to the very core principles of the United Kingdom.”

Meanwhile, Mr Sefcovic seemed to think the meeting was “constructive”.

The EU and UK Withdrawal Agreement Joint Committee’s co-chairs have “reiterated” that both sides are committed to “the proper implementation” of the Northern Ireland Protocol.

“The parties acknowledged the importance of joint action to make the protocol work for the benefit of everyone in Northern Ireland. In that spirit, the EU and UK reiterated their full commitment to the Good Friday (Belfast) Agreement in all its dimensions, and to the proper implementation of the protocol,” they said.

“The UK and the EU underlined their shared commitment to giving effect to those solutions agreed through the Joint Committee on 17 December 2020, without delay.

“The UK noted that it would provide a new operational plan with respect to supermarkets and their suppliers, alongside additional investment in digital solutions for traders in accordance with the protocol.”

A further meeting of the joint committee is set to take place to “provide further steers and where appropriate approvals”.

It comes after Arlene Foster expressed frustration with the meeting on Wednesday, urging the UK government to “step up” and help Northern Ireland ensure it is protected in all post-Brexit legislation.

Scotland’s first minister Nicola Sturgeon has insisted it is “downright wrong” to blame political influence for the censorship of evidence submitted by Alex Salmond to a Scottish Parliament inquiry, amid claims her SNP government is “shutting down scrutiny” of its actions.

It comes after the SNP’s former leader pulled out of a scheduled appearance before the inquiry on Wednesday following parliamentary authorities removing passages from the written submission setting out his case there was a “malicious and concerted” attempt to remove him from public life through claims of sexual harassment.

In the document, he accused Ms Sturgeon of misleading Holyrood and breaching the ministerial code. Mr Salmond is now reportedly ready to accept an invitation to appear on Friday.

Our political editor Andrew Woodcock has more:

That’s it from us on the politics blog for today, thanks for following along. Check back tomorrow for all the latest updates from inside Westminster and beyond.