In a sign of a possible rift in relations between the UK and EU countries over the bill, which was published later Monday, Simon Coveney warned his British counterpart, Liz Truss, that it could prove “deeply damaging”. Downing Street has insisted that the government has received advice on whether a unilateral attempt to change protocol after Brexit risked violating international law, although it plans to publish only one summary on Monday. Johnson rejected the idea that the bill would violate international law, speaking to LBC Radio: “I disagree with that. Why; “Because I believe that our highest and foremost legal commitment as a country is the Belfast Good Friday Agreement and the balance of stability of this agreement.” The bill, which is said to have tightened its scope due to pressure from pro-Brexit ministers and lawmakers, was “the right way forward,” Johnson said. “A community feels very, very alienated from the way things work, very alienated,” he said. “It simply came to our notice then. It is relatively simple to do. It’s a bureaucratic change that needs to be made. “Honestly, it’s a relatively insignificant set of adjustments to the big picture.” The bill is expected to unilaterally change elements of the protocol, which sets out post-Brexit trade rules relating to Ireland, Northern Ireland and the rest of the United Kingdom. It is expected to introduce a dual regulatory regime, which would allow Northern Irish companies to comply with either UK or EU standards and abolish controls on goods arriving in Northern Ireland from the UK if they do not cross the Irish borders. Subscribe to the First Edition, our free daily newsletter – every morning at 7 p.m. BST The EU has warned that the move could provoke trade-based retaliation. That, Johnson said, “would be a gross, blatant overreaction.” He added: “All we are trying to do is simplify things, remove the barriers to trade between Great Britain and Northern Ireland.” However, a reading by the Irish Foreign Office of the Coveney-Truss call took on a very different tone, saying that the Irish minister told Truss that the bill would violate UK commitments under international law and would be “deeply damaging”. on relations on these islands and between the UK and the EU “. He added: “Secretary Covenant has said that this marks a particularly low point in the UK’s approach to Brexit, especially since Secretary’s Tras has not been involved in any substantive negotiations with the EU since February. “Secretary Coveney reiterated that the protocol is the negotiating solution, ratified by Westminster, to the tough Brexit that the UK government is pursuing.” The call, the reading said, lasted just 12 minutes. The bill is seen as Johnson’s latest attempt to tame rebellious supporters and reassert his authority. However, some of his backbenchers disagree with the idea. An information note on the bill, released by some lawmakers, first reported by PoliticsHome, says it is “detrimental to everything the UK and Conservatives support”.
