EU protocol stance has ‘hardened’ over UK threat of unilateral action

European capitals have lost trust, says Irish minister – as Keir Starmer accuses PM of ’wrecking ball’ approach

The EU’s position on the row over Northern Ireland Protocol has “hardened” in the face of the UK vow to unilaterally scrap part of the agreement, the Irish government has warned.

Foreign affairs minister Simon Coveney urged Boris Johnson to stop the “rot” in Anglo-Irish relations and step back from his plan to introduce a bill to override parts of the post-Brexit deal.

“I’ve been to Finland to Sweden to Estonia to Latvia, and I’ve been speaking to many other EU foreign ministers, in many ways in the last number of weeks the EU position has hardened,” Mr Coveney said on Thursday.