View
comments
A Cabinet minister today plunged the UK's negotiating strategy on the Northern Ireland border row with the EU into chaos after she ruled out unilaterally suspending customs checks before Christmas.
Anne-Marie Trevelyan, the International Trade Secretary, claimed the UK will 'absolutely not' act on its own to tear up border rules before the end of the year.
Her comments appeared to undermine Brexit Minister Lord Frost who has repeatedly insisted that the UK could make the move at any point if the EU refuses to give ground during crunch talks.
Ms Trevelyan's claim was swiftly slapped down by Downing Street as the Prime Minister's Official Spokesman insisted there is no 'timetable' for the potential triggering of Article 16.
Anne-Marie Trevelyan, the International Trade Secretary, claimed the UK will 'absolutely not' act on its own to tear up border rules in Northern Ireland before the end of the year
Her comments appeared to undermine Brexit Minister Lord Frost who has repeatedly insisted that the UK could make the move at any point if the EU refuses to give ground during crunch talks
The UK and the EU remain locked in talks on how to improve the Northern Ireland Protocol.
The protocol, agreed as part of the original Brexit deal, requires checks on goods to be carried out at ports in order to avoid the return of a land border with the Republic.
But it has caused disruption to
