Johnson said to have snapped at foreign secretary over legislation to overhaul N Ireland trading arrangements
Tensions flared in Boris Johnson’s cabinet on Wednesday as the prime minister prepared to publish legislation that would enable the UK government to rip up parts of its 2020 Brexit treaty with the EU.
Johnson snapped at Liz Truss, foreign secretary, accusing her of toughening up draft legislation to rewrite parts of the Northern Ireland protocol after pressure from Eurosceptic Tory MPs, according to people briefed on the meeting of cabinet ministers.
The protocol governs Northern Ireland’s trading arrangements, and Johnson is pressing Brussels to agree to changes because of concerns it has unleashed political tensions in the region as well as unacceptable border friction.
“The prime minister’s focus is on resolving the trade issues in Northern Ireland and reaching a negotiated solution,” said one Johnson ally, suggesting the prime minister had become more dovish on the issue.
One senior Tory said Truss seemed intent on a confrontation with Brussels and the legislation to rewrite the Northern Ireland protocol was now being tweaked to make it less abrasive and to ensure the door was left open to a compromise with the EU.
Senior figures from the pro-Brexit European Research Group of Tory MPs confirmed they had been consulted by Truss on the legislation. Johnson’s allies believe Truss is wooing the group ahead of a future bid for the Conservative party leadership.
Meanwhile several cabinet ministers demanded assurances that the legislation, due to be published next week, did not break international law, according to people familiar with Wednesday’s meeting....
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