i completely agree with commissioner sefcovic, there is a landing zone to be had.from the same tax benefits as the people of great britain. and so we can fix those problems in a sustainable way. iunfith problems in a sustainable way. with a cost of living _ problems in a sustainable way. with a cost of living crisis _ problems in a sustainable way. in a cost of living crisis and rising tension in northern ireland, the last thing our country needs is a poisonous stand—off with the eu and the prospect of a trade deal with our largest trading partner. until recently the prime minister himself was saying it is all ok, no border down the irish sea, ministers were incredulously parroting the wines that we will only break international law in a limited and specific way. does the foreign secretary agree it is the pinnacle of incompetence or deceit for someone to negotiate and sign a deal when they have no intention whatsoever of honouring that deal? as i have said, our priority is securing peace and stability in northern ireland and restoring the primacy of the belfast goo

— protocol, and we spoke to maros sefcovic in — protocol, and we spoke to maros sefcovic in brusselsry liz truss in february, _ last wrote to the foreign secretary liz truss in february, i— last wrote to the foreign secretary liz truss in february, i said - last wrote to the foreign secretary liz truss in february, i said to- liz truss in february, i said to them — liz truss in february, i said to them if— liz truss in february, i said to them if they— liz truss in february, i said to them if they don't _ liz truss in february, i said to them if they don't do - liz truss in february, i said to. them if they don't do something liz truss in february, i said to- them if they don't do something on them if they don't do something on the protocol— them if they don't do something on the protocol before _ them if they don't do something on the protocol before the _ them if they don't do something on the protocol before the election, i the protocol before the election, there _ the protocol before the election, there will— the protocol before the election, there will be _ the protocol before t

when maros sefcovic says that — the commissioner who's dealing | with this for the eu — i when he said right — they can't- renegotiate it. but there are ways to, to, to... - and it's just about language and everything else. it'sjust about it's just about language and everything _ it's just about language and everything else. _ but for the dup, i it's more than that. every time you hear— jeffrey donaldson saying that, talk about it, as he did i when when they came out of stormont, refusing to toj cooperate with the election of a speaker, he said, - "we've got to get rid of this. "the protocol has to go." he's not interested in half—measures —j that's the difficulty. before i bring injeffrey, can i ask you one question? i was very struck by something. —— i was very struck by something sam mcbride, who is political editor for the newsletter, which is one of the leading unionist papers in northern ireland. sam said that polling of 80% of people in northern ireland, regardless of their views on this subject — whether they're nationalist, republican or non—aligned — they do not trust what th

when maros sefcovic says that — the commissioner who's- dealing with this for the eu — when he said,we might have _ to take unilateral action. " he's right, they can't renegotiate it. - but there are ways to, to, to... and it's just about language and everything else. but for the dup, i it's more than that. every time you hear— jeffrey donaldson saying that, talk about it, as he did _ when when they came out of stormont, refusing to to cooperate - with the election of a speaker, he said, "we've got to get rid of this. i the protocol has to go." he's not interested in half measures. i that's the difficulty. before i bring injeffrey, can i ask you one question? i was very struck by something. sam mcbride, who is political editor for the newsletter, which is one of the leading unionist papers in northern ireland, you said that polling of 80% of people in northern ireland, regardless of their views on this subject, whether they're nationalist, republican or non—aligned, they do not trust what the british government says on the protocol. now, if they don't trust it and the eu don't trust

so liz truss, the foreign secretary, had her virtual conversation with maros sefcovic from the european assessment? well, it's very hard to know. we have heard this on a numberl of occasions from the british side that the protocol was going to be i amended, article 16 was going to be invoked, there were going to be - changes taking place, and we've been been consistent from the start that |this is an international agreementl that needs both sides to work- together and it is simply not open to any one side to change - the agreement, but it is open when the two sides are sitting down together and to - see what flexibilities _ are available within the protocol. could those flexibilities include the idea that the uk is pushing now of a green lane and a red lane, and goods that are going to stay in northern ireland go in the green lane when they move over from gb and goods going into the rest of the eu potentially go in a red lane? is that the flexibility that could exist within the existing protocol as it is written now? i think there is great prospects for really good flexibilities, - but

the foreign secretary liz truss has told her eu counterpart maros sefcovic that london would have "nolegislation scrapping checks on goods going from britain to northern ireland. joining me now is sean kelly, mep for ireland south and vice chair of the delegation to the eu—uk parliamentary partnership assembly, which is meeting this afternoon. welcome, thank you very much for joining us. welcome, thank you very much for “oininu us. ., ~ welcome, thank you very much for “oininu us. . ,, ,., welcome, thank you very much for “oininu us. ., ~' . ., welcome, thank you very much forj joining us-— after joining us. thank you joanna. after that conversation _ joining us. thank you joanna. after that conversation between - joining us. thank you joanna. after that conversation between the i that conversation between the foreign secretary and the vice president, the foreign secretary is said to have outlined that the uk's overriding priority is is to protect peace and stability in northern ireland, the northern ireland protocol has become the greatest obstacle to forming a northern ireland execu

michel barnierfor a long time brexit coordinator, now maros sefcovic.at the appointment of liz truss as foreign secretary to replace david frost as the brexit negotiator would kind of spur new momentum. that doesn't seem to have happened. what has happened is that over the last few weeks and months really, the negotiations have been going on but they were put on hold to another northern ireland elections to happen. now they have happened, we have political impasse in northern ireland and now this is now coming back onto the agenda. i think the message is that the eu is prepared to compromise, prepared to work within the confines of the northern ireland protocol agreed by both sides, but it is not going to reopen the negotiations completely. so i think a lot of the response will be what comes from london tomorrow, we are expecting a move by the government to begin overriding part of the protocol. the details of that, how far they go, i think will inform the reaction here. one last thou~ht inform the reaction here. one last thought on this, _ inform the r

the european commission vice—president, maros sefcovic, said the eu has... he goes on to say... that is international law is a i that is international law is a breach— that is international law is a breach of— that is international law is a breach of international i that is international law is a breach of international loss| that is international law is a i breach of international loss let's be clear— breach of international loss let's be clear about _ breach of international loss let's be clear about that. _ breach of international loss let's be clear about that. and - breach of international loss let's be clear about that. and what i breach of international loss let's be clear about that. and what is| be clear about that. and what is being _ be clear about that. and what is being proposed _ be clear about that. and what is being proposed here _ be clear about that. and what is being proposed here is- be clear about that. and what is being proposed here is deeply. being proposed here is deeply unhelpful _ being proposed here is deeply unhelpful i_ being proposed here is deeply

maros sefcovic, the vice president of the eu commission, said today... paramount. as a small, open economy, the functioning of the european internal market is the most important thing. so, our message is quite clear. don't touch this. this is something we agreed on, and agreement needs to be respected. let's speak to neale richmond, spokesperson on european affairs for fine gael, part of the irish coalition government. welcome to the programme. you listening speculation today and plenty of it here in london that the government is about to introduce the discussion that would override a key part to the protocol and what would happen to that point?— happen to that point? member you cannot legislate _ happen to that point? member you cannot legislate massively - happen to that point? member you cannot legislate massively to - cannot legislate massively to override _ cannot legislate massively to override international- cannot legislate massively to override international law - cannot legislate massively toi override international law and cannot legislate mas

as yet, and i have had six months of talks with vice president sefcovic, my predecessor had 12 monthsle of law runs deep in our tory veins. ifind it for the rule of law runs deep in our tory veins. i find it extraordinary that a tory government needs to be reminded of that. could my right honourable friend assuming that support for and honouring of the rule of law is important to them? we are committed to upholding the rule of law. we are clear this bill is legal. in international law. and we will set out the legal position in due course. will set out the legal position in due course-— will set out the legal position in due course. :, :, ~ :, due course. can i thank the foreign secretary for _ due course. can i thank the foreign secretary for advanced _ due course. can i thank the foreign secretary for advanced sight - due course. can i thank the foreign secretary for advanced sight of - due course. can i thank the foreign secretary for advanced sight of her| secretary for advanced sight of her statement? we have heard plenty about the alleged shortcomings of the protocol. just to hav

maros sefcovic, for his part, responded by saying doing this unilaterally it was simply unacceptable,rn ireland, and that is what this row is about. so if borisjohnson and that is what this row is about. so if boris johnson and his government if borisjohnson and his government choose to unravel a treaty that they designed, negotiated, fought an election on, what are the options for the eu to retaliate? i election on, what are the options for the eu to retaliate?— for the eu to retaliate? i think they would — for the eu to retaliate? i think they would wait _ for the eu to retaliate? i think they would wait to _ for the eu to retaliate? i think they would wait to see - for the eu to retaliate? i think they would wait to see what i for the eu to retaliate? i think - they would wait to see what exactly is proposed by way of legislation. then we have to see how it evolves, because legislation has to go through the machinery of westminster, through the house of commons, through the house of lords, where it would face some opposition, and it could take quite a long time for this to happen.