EU tells UK to dial down the rhetoric over NI protocol after Sinn Fein result

DUP warns ‘long shadow’ of Northern Ireland protocol hangs over attempts to restart power sharing

The European Union has urged Boris Johnson to be honest about his Brexit deal as a minister said part of it could be unilaterally scrapped to reassure voters in Northern Ireland.

European Commission vice president Maroš Šefčovič said the UK government should “dial down the rhetoric” and work to “find solutions within (the agreement’s) framework”.

The row erupted as DUP leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson warned the “long shadow” of the Northern Ireland protocol had to be removed before his party would re-enter power sharing government at Stormont.

At the weekend Sinn Fein made history by becoming the first party in favour of a united Ireland to win the right to nominate the next first minister.

But that appointment depends on Mr Donaldson’s staunch unionists agreeing to nominate the position of deputy first minister, prompting fears of a political stalemate which could last many months.

In the run up to the poll, the DUP told voters they would not take part in any administration unless there was movement on the controversial protocol, which unionists warn has created a border down the Irish Sea separating them from the rest of the United Kingdom.

The latest DUP warning came as Northern Ireland Secretary Brandon Lewis held talks with all of Northern Ireland’s political parties in which he urged them to get the devolved government up and running again.

Earlier, universities minister Michelle Donelan said that scrapping the protocol was "one of the options", in the wake of Sinn Fein’s success in the Stormont elections.

But the UK government faces opposition to such a move from within the Northern Ireland Assembly itself. Much of the parliament is in favour of the protocol, which many politicians argue offers the ‘best of both worlds’ in terms of trade with both the UK and the rest of the EU.

The controversial policy was designed to take the UK out of the EU’s single market without the creation of a ‘hard’ border on the island of Ireland. It requires checks on goods travelling from Great Britain to Northern Ireland.

Mr Šefčovič also urged the UK government to “dial down the rhetoric” and “be honest about the deal they signed” on the protocol.

He told Politico that the EU had already “shown a lot of flexibility by proposing impactful, durable solutions and we stand ready to continue discussions. We need the UK government to dial down the rhetoric, be honest about the deal they signed and agree to find solutions within its framework”.

Mr Donaldson said the DUP wanted to see “stable, devolved government” but “our position remains as it was, we need to see the issues around the protocol dealt with decisively”.

“The long shadow of the protocol is casting its mark over [Stormont],” he warned, saying it had created a new border without the consent of unionists .

He rejected the idea his stance was undemocratic, saying his party had a mandate from voters in last week’s elections. “I gave my word,” he added.

He said the UK government had had “months and months and months” to negotiate a solution with the EU.

“I’m saying to the EU and the UK government … I’m not interested in their parallel universe, I’m interested in the real world… which means sort this out,” he added.

The DUP came under pressure from other parties in Northern Ireland to change its stance.

Naomi Long, the leader of the Alliance Party, urged the party to “step up to the plate” and enter a new Stormont Executive.

But there was support, albeit qualified, from the other main unionist party, the Ulster Unionist Party.

Leader Doug Beattie said that if the protocol was the obstacle to a functioning administration at Stormont then it had to be resolved.

"We need to get the executive up and running again so we can start providing for the people of Northern Ireland who are suffering under a cost of living crisis,” he said.

"If the obstacle to doing that is the protocol then we need to deal with the protocol.

"We all know what the landing zone is, no checks on goods from Great Britain to Northern Ireland if they are staying in Northern Ireland. That gets rid of the border down the Irish Sea.

"The EU Commission know this, the UK government know this and all five political parties who would form the executive know this also.

"So we need to get on and get it done. Once we have dealt with it then it should leave the path open for an executive to be formed."

After talks with all the major parties, Mr Lewis said the “current situation with the protocol is fundamentally undermining the Belfast {Good Friday} Agreement and creating an unacceptable situation in Northern Ireland. We will continue to press the EU to agree the crucial changes that are urgently needed but will take nothing off the table in our pursuit of those solutions.”

The protocol is not expected to be part of any legislative measures unveiled in the Queen’s Speech, although there could be some mention of a desire to resolve the issue. Also expected are measures to deal with a long-standing row over veterans, designed to ensure amnesty from prosecution over alleged crimes committed during the Troubles, does not apply to those who refuse to give information on unsolved cases.