Politics

British government publishes legislation to override swathes of Northern Ireland Protocol

The European Commission has threatened legal action in response to the long-anticipated bill

Boris Johnson described the British government’s legislation as ‘not a big deal’. Picture: Getty

The British government has published legislation that would give ministers powers to override various parts of the Northern Ireland protocol, in a move condemned by the Irish government and the European Commission.

The legislation published by Liz Truss, the British Foreign Secretary, allows for unilateral action by British ministers to override the protocol in four key areas: the movement of goods and customs, regulation, tax and subsidies, and the role of European Court of Justice.