Three former UK Northern Ireland secretaries are warning Prime Minister Boris Johnson whether to settle the Brexit tussle or continue with Joe Biden’s scorn on steel tariffs.
Former cabinet ministers across the political divide urged the prime minister to heed his US counterpart’s protective approach to Northern Ireland, which is facing turmoil over the post-Brexit trade system.
Biden is refusing to negotiate with Britain to penalize Donald Trump-era steel and aluminum tariffs, despite striking a deal with the EU on the issue. Reports suggest that it is also preparing to talk to Japan, which wants its settlement.
Meanwhile, protocol was agreed in the Brexit deal to avoid a politically sensitive hard border between Northern Ireland, part of the UK, and the Irish Republic, an EU member state.
But Britain is pressing for change, arguing that the system is disrupting trade and fueling sectarian tensions. The EU has said it is open to technological changes, but reiterated that the arrangement needs to protect its single market.