The Prime Minister spoke to Northern Ireland First Minister Arlene Foster this morning.
They spoke about the EU’s actions from Friday and their shared concern that the processes set out in the Protocol were ignored.
The Prime Minister restated his commitment to Northern Ireland as an integral part of our Union and underlined that we would do everything we could to ensure trade continues to flow effectively right across our United Kingdom.
He welcomed the First Minister’s engagement with the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland and urged that this coordinated work continues to ensure that the Protocol works in the interests of the people of Northern Ireland.
The Prime Minister said that we needed urgent action from the EU to resolve outstanding problems with Protocol implementation, so as to preserve the gains of the Belfast Good Friday Agreement and to ensure that Northern Ireland benefits in full from the UK’s exit from the EU.
They agreed to keep in touch.
Published 3 February 2021
