Trade war fears grow as Boris Johnson issues final Brexit warning to EU

Boris Johnson

As Boris Johnson prepares for a visit to Northern Ireland later today, the Prime Minister has warned the EU the UK will have a “necessity to act” if the Brussels is unwilling to reach a compromise in the deepening crisis over the Northern Ireland Protocol.

The Prime Minister – who travels to Belfast today for emergency talks with the Northern Ireland parties – said the Government remained open to “genuine dialogue” with Brussels.

But amid fears of a looming trade war, he said that if there was no movement on the EU side, the Government will set out its “next steps” in a statement to Parliament “in the coming days”.

His warning comes amid reports ministers could table emergency legislation as early as this week to override the protocol which requires customs checks on goods moving from Great Britain to Northern Ireland.