Boris Johnson's warning to EU: 'I will not hesitate to take unilateral measures over Northern Ireland'

Boris Johnson has warned Brussels he will not hesitate to take unilateral measures to protect the position of Northern Ireland in the increasingly bitter row over post-Brexit trading arrangements.

The Prime Minister met key players from the EU side in the margins in the G7 summit as wrangling over the Northern Ireland Protocol threatened to overshadow his hosting of the international gathering.

While Downing Street characterised the discussions as "constructive", Mr Johnson complained that some of the leaders failed to understand the UK is a single country.

"I just need to get that into their heads," he said.

He warned that unless there was a solution he would invoke Article 16 of the protocol which allows either side to take unilateral action if its implementation were to lead to "serious economic, societal or environmental difficulties".

His comments followed a series of talks with French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen and European Council leader Charles Michel.

The Prime Minister told Sky News: "I think we can sort it out but... it is up to our EU friends and partners to understand that we will do whatever it takes.

"I think if the protocol continues to be applied in this way, then we will obviously not hesitate to invoke Article 16, as I have said before.

"Don't forget, the EU themselves invoked Article 16 in January, to disapply the protocol, so they can stop removal of vaccines from the EU to the UK.

"I've talked to some of our friends here today, who do seem to misunderstand that the UK is a single country, a single territory. I just need to get that into their heads."

His comments came after Emmanuel Macron offered earlier to reset relations with Britain but only if Mr Johnson "keeps his word" on the Northern Ireland Protocol.

The French President’s message was delivered after face-to-face talks with the Prime Minister at the G7 summit in Cornwall on Saturday. But Number 10 issued its own veiled warning after the meeting, suggesting that the UK is willing to unilaterally renege on elements of the agreement if no changes are made.

The Northern Ireland Protocol places customs checks on goods moving from Britain into Northern Ireland in order to avoid barriers at the land border on the island of Ireland.

Britain is threatening to refuse to bring in checks on sausages and other chilled meats imported into Northern Ireland unless changes are made to the agreement.

But EU leaders, a string of whom met Mr Johnson on Saturday morning, are warning the UK against reneging on any element of the agreement, signed in December before Brexit.

A source close to Mr Macron said: "The president told Boris Johnson there needed to be a reset of the Franco-British relationship. This can happen provided that he keeps his word with the Europeans.” A Downing Street spokesman said of the meeting:

“The Prime Minister expressed confidence in the UK’s position in the Northern Ireland Protocol. “He made clear his desire for pragmatism and compromise on all sides but underlined that protecting the Belfast (Good Friday) Agreement in all its dimensions was paramount.”

In a press briefing a Downing Street official suggested that the UK Government remained willing to unilaterally delay checks on sausage imports.

The Prime Minister’s official spokesman said: “The PM’s focus is to work within the protocol. That is currently our approach, but we keep all options on the table.”

The main summit agenda will see the leaders of the UK, the US, Canada, Japan, France, Germany and Italy commit to a new plan aimed at preventing a repeat of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Downing Street has indicated the UK would be prepared to unilaterally delay the full implementation of the Northern Ireland Protocol to prevent a ban on chilled meats crossing the Irish Sea from Great Britain.

Restrictions on British-produced chilled meats entering Northern Ireland are due to come into force at the end of the month.

Delaying the checks without Brussels' agreement risks triggering a "sausage war" trade dispute, with the EU threatening to respond to any breach of the deal signed by the Prime Minister.

Mr Johnson has suggested the EU is taking an "excessively burdensome" approach to post-Brexit trading arrangements for Northern Ireland.

Mr Raab told the BBC Radio 4 Today programme: "They can be more pragmatic about the implementation of the Northern Ireland Protocol in a way that is win-win or they can be bloody-minded and purist about it, in which case I am afraid we will not allow the integrity of the UK to be threatened."

The protocol effectively keeps Northern Ireland in the European single market to avoid a hard border with Ireland, meaning a trade barrier in the Irish Sea for goods crossing from Great Britain.

The Prime Minister's official spokesman told reporters in Cornwall the immediate priority was to find "radical and urgent solutions within the protocol".

But "we keep all options on the table", he added, indicating the possibility of a unilateral extension of a grace period to allow sausages to continue to be shipped across the Irish Sea.

Downing Street played down expectations of Mr Johnson finding a resolution to the impasse at the Carbis Bay summit.

The Prime Minister's official spokesman suggested the G7 meeting was "not the forum in which he is necessarily seeking to come up with an immediate solution" to the issue.

At a press conference ahead of the G7 summit, Mrs von der Leyen insisted the protocol is the "only solution" to prevent a hard border with the Republic and must be implemented in full.

Mr Macron also warned the Brexit deal cannot be renegotiated.

The main business of the summit will see the leaders discuss building resilience to future crises, consider foreign policy and then decide on their response to Covid-19.

Leaders from the G7 will commit to a new plan - the Carbis Bay Declaration - to quash future pandemics within the first 100 days.

The UK will also create a new animal vaccine centre aimed at preventing future diseases crossing from creatures to humans.

As part of Mr Johnson's "Global Britain" agenda the leaders of South Korea, India, Australia and South Africa will also take part in the summit events, expanding the G7 to take in other prominent democracies.

At the end of the day, the leaders attending the event - India's Narendra Modi will only participate remotely because of the coronavirus crisis in his country - will relax with a barbecue on the beach cooked by Simon Stallard, chef at the Hidden Hut in Portscatho.

They will be served sirloin and lobster and can then enjoy hot buttered rum and toasted marshmallows around fire pits on the beach.

Sea shanty group Du Hag Owr will provide the musical accompaniment to the event.