EU slammed over 'disgraceful' Brexit threat as tension boils over 'Prepared for war?'
DUP chief Jeffrey Donaldson said Ireland should try to "calm things down" as tension over the Brexit protocol rises between the UK and the EU.
Jeffrey Donaldson says Ireland should try to 'calm things down'
Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson has slammed the European Union over “disgraceful” Brexit threats over Northern Ireland protocol. Mr Dondaldson questioned “what kind of rhetoric is that to engage in at a time of tension” after a Commission spokesman on Monday insisted Brussels "was prepared for peace but prepared for war". It came as tensions continue to rise over opposition to the Northern Ireland Protocol between the UK and EU.
Speaking to GB News, Mr Donaldson said: “Well, I think Colum Eastwood would be better served if he was to point the finger towards Dublin and the comments of Simon Coveney who's firing warning shots of the UK Government using megaphone diplomacy instead of getting around the table and trying to resolve these issues.
“Maybe column might also look at the comments, the disgraceful comments made by an EU spokesman last night when he said that the EU was prepared for peace but ready for war.“What does that mean?“What kind of rhetoric is thought to engage in at a time of tension?”
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: Keir Starmer left squirming as he is confronted on second job 'Do you regret that now?'He added: “Surely we should all be taking steps to calm things down.”
The DUP leader said little progress has been made between Number 10 and the EU on the Northern Ireland Protocol.
The Northern Ireland Protocol is the Brexit trade deal aimed at avoiding a hard Irish border.
Under the protocol, it was agreed that Northern Ireland would continue to follow EU rules on product standards to prevent checks along the border
"In the absence of agreement, the UK government must follow through on the commitments made in their command paper.
"The protocol continues to damage our economy and the political institutions in Northern Ireland and the status quo is not an option."
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Senior Irish minister Simon Coveney also warned that the UK's trade deal with the EU could collapse.
He said: "One is contingent on the other so that if one is being set aside there is a danger that the other will also be set aside by the EU."
The UK is believed to be preparing to suspend parts of the Northern Ireland Protocol.
The Government now says the protocol represented a huge compromise by the UK, and it has accused the EU of applying it too rigidly.