Liz Truss ‘ready’ to activate Article 16 of the Brexit protocol if talks falter | Britain’s exit from the European Union

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The foreign secretary, Liz Truss, has warned she is ready to bypass parts of the post-Brexit agreement on Northern Ireland if newly led negotiations fail.

Truss said she would make “constructive proposals” to her EU counterpart, Maros Ševović, this week during their first face-to-face talks.

But it said it was “willing” to trigger Article 16 of the Northern Ireland Protocol, which would suspend parts of the treaty designed to prevent a hard border with the Republic, if a deal cannot be struck.

The foreign secretary handed over responsibility for the negotiations after Lord Frost resigned as Brexit Secretary last month.

It hosts Truss Ševović, Vice President of the European Commission, at the country’s Chevening retreat dedicated to the Foreign Minister when he visits him on Thursday.

Writing in the Sunday Telegraph, she said her “absolute priority” was to resolve the “unintended consequences” created by the protocol to maintain peace in Northern Ireland.

“When I see Marosh Seifović this week in our first face-to-face talks, I will present our constructive proposals to resolve the situation.”

She said the current issues were “myriad and obvious,” citing issues such as bureaucracy in sending packages between Northern Ireland and Britain and problems buying kosher food.

“I am ready to work day and night to negotiate a solution,” Truss said.

“But let me be clear, I would not subscribe to anything that sees the people of Northern Ireland unable to benefit from the same tax and spending decisions as the rest of the UK, or that still sees goods moving within our country subject to checks.

“My priority is to protect peace and stability in Northern Ireland. I want a negotiated solution but if we have to use legal provisions including Article 16, I am willing to do so.”

Last week, Shivovich warned that the “foundation of the whole deal” brokered between the UK and the EU would be compromised if Truss took a drastic step.

“This is a very distracting element in the discussions. You are trying to achieve something together and – bam – there is the danger of Article 16 again,” he told German newspaper Der Spiegel.

“It touches on the fundamentals of our relationship. The Northern Ireland Protocol was the most complicated part of the Brexit negotiations, and the basis of the entire deal. Without the protocol, the entire system would collapse. We must prevent this at all costs.”

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