Brexit: More voters blame EU for protocol problems than UK government

Separate poll finds trade secretary Liz Truss most popular cabinet minister

Boris Johnson and European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen (PA)

More voters blame the EU for post-Brexit trade problems in Northern Ireland than the UK government, a new poll has found.

Almost half of British voters aware of the difficulties in implementing Northern Ireland Protocol rules blame Brussels for those frictions – while less than one-third blames Boris Johnson’s government.

Some 45 per cent think the EU is mostly responsible for the trade problems in the province, compared with just 31 percent who believe the UK is mostly responsible, according to the latest Redfield and Wilton Strategies survey.

The EU and UK remain completely at odds over the implementation of new checks and processes on goods being shipped into Northern Ireland from the rest of the UK.

The dispute remains at an impasse, after the EU Commission said it would pause legal action against the UK over alleged breaches of the deal agreed last year in the hope solutions could still be found.

The Redfield and Wilton poll for Politico revealed that a significant chunk of the British electorate is completely unaware of the post-Brexit quarrel between the UK and EU.

It found that almost one in four voters – 23 per cent – said they were not aware of any problems implementing the protocol in Northern Ireland.

Among those who had followed the dispute, 17 percent said they were “very aware” of protocol problems, 25 per cent say they were “somewhat aware” and 35 per cent of people were “moderately aware”.

The poll comes as a new ConservativeHome survey of Tory members found that international trade secretary Liz Truss was the single most popular cabinet minister.

Ms Truss – who has forged a series of post-Brexit “roll-over” deals with other countries which largely replicate arrangements the UK had when in the EU – has a net approval rating off 88.6, ahead of chancellor Rishi Sunak on a rating of 74.1.

The summer impasse over the protocol emerged after Brussels rejected the a “command paper” put forward by the UK government suggested the protocol is radically reworked to limit the checks on goods.

Downing Street has rejected Brussels’ proposal for a Swiss-style veterinary agreement with Brussels to reduce checks since it would mean aligning with EU standards.

Northern Ireland’s newly-appointed first minister Paul Givan has said the EU’s decision to pause legal action has allowed both sides a “window of opportunity” to resolve post-Brexit trading issues.

The senior DUP figure said the UK government recognises the “harm” caused by protocol – and urged the Irish government to make clear to Brussels that changes would have to be made.

Peers warned last week that the protocol risks becoming a constant irritant in future EU-UK relations unless both sides change their “fundamentally flawed” approaches to resolving the dispute.

A House of Lords committee warned that Northern Ireland could become a “permanent casualty” of Brexit unless compromise is found urgently.