Boris Johnson sets out ‘insurance’ plan to rewrite Northern Ireland protocol

Boris Johnson said his plan to legislate to rip up Northern Ireland’s post-Brexit trading arrangements was an “insurance” policy if a fresh deal could not be reached with the European Union.

The row over the Northern Ireland protocol has created an impasse in efforts to form a new executive in Stormont.

As a result, Mr Johnson travelled to Belfast on Monday to meet leaders in an attempt to secure progress – but the prime minister also issued a warning to Brussels that the UK is prepared to rewrite unilaterally terms of the Brexit deal he signed.

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