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British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has said his controversial legislation to override parts of the Brexit deal is necessary to end the EU’s threats to install a “blockade” in the Irish Sea.
Johnson said Brussels could “divide our country” and “seriously jeopardize peace and stability” in Northern Ireland if Tory MPs rebel to block his bill.
Johnson is working to stifle a plan to amend the legislation of senior conservatives who are outraged that it could violate international law by circumventing the Withdrawal Agreement.
The EU criticized the plan as a serious breach of trust that endangers peace in Northern Ireland and has threatened legal action if ministers do not amend the UK internal market bill before the end of the month.
But Johnson has doubled down and argued that it is “crucial for peace and for the Union itself” and said rejecting it would reduce the chances of a trade deal with the EU.
In a Telegraph article, Johnson said the EU would use an “extreme interpretation” of the Northern Ireland Protocol to impose “a large-scale trade border in the Irish Sea” that could stop the transport of food from Britain to Ireland. from North.
“I must say that we never seriously believed that the EU would be willing to use a treaty, negotiated in good faith, to block a part of the UK, to cut it off; or that they would actually threaten to destroy the economic and territorial integrity of the UK, ”he added.
Johnson said that “in recent weeks” he learned that his negotiators had discovered that “there may be a serious misunderstanding about the terms” of the Withdrawal Agreement he signed in October.
He argued that he agreed for “torrid” days with the deadline for a deal fast approaching while “we negotiated with one hand tied behind our back” because Parliament blocked a no-deal.
“If we fail to pass this bill, or if we weaken its protections, we will actually reduce the chances of getting that Canadian-style deal,” he wrote.
Let us remove this danger to the very fabric of the UK. Let’s get the EU to remove its threats from the table. And let’s get this bill passed, support our negotiators, and protect our country. “
However, both Ireland and the EU have warned that Johnson’s plans pose a serious risk to the peace process rather than protect the Belfast Agreement.
The British prime minister held a teleconference with some 250 MPs on Friday night to try to gain support for the bill, warning them against returning to the “miserable days of squabbling last fall.”
But during the call in which there were connection problems and Johnson did not respond to questions, more fallout from the EU emerged.
European Parliament leaders said they would “under no circumstances ratify” any trade agreement reached if “the UK authorities violate or threaten to violate” the Withdrawal Agreement.
Johnson appeared not to have put an end to unrest within his party during the call, and senior endorsement Sir Bob Neill said the speech did not reassure him.
Sir Bob, who chairs the Commons Justice Committee and is introducing an amendment to the bill that he claims would impose a “parliamentary lockdown” on any changes to the Withdrawal Agreement, said he still maintains that it contains “objectionable” elements. .
“I think it is a potentially damaging act for this country, it would damage our reputation and I think it will be more difficult to reach commercial agreements in the future,” he told Channel 4 News.
Amid the worsening atmosphere between London and Brussels, it emerged that the EU had even raised the possibility of blocking UK animal product exports once the current Brexit transition period comes to an end at the end of the year.
In a statement after the latest round of talks on Thursday, EU chief negotiator Michel Barnier said there were “a lot of uncertainties” about the UK’s animal hygiene regime.
He said “more clarity” was needed if Britain was to receive the “list of third countries” that entitles it to export animal products to the EU.
Meanwhile, Gordon Brown joined fellow former prime ministers Theresa May and Sir John Major in condemning the government’s plan, describing it as “a massive act of self-harm.” – AP
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