Boris Johnson said it was “crazy” that British goods meant for Northern Ireland faced checks, and “common sensical, practical steps” could be taken to ensure only goods at risk of crossing into EU member Ireland were checked.
“Now we can do that, but without having a full panoply of checks on the GB/NI coast and at the airport, and that’s the way forward. I think practical common sense is what’s needed,” he said.
The EU earlier ordered the UK to override Stormont after the DUP announced the halt to Irish Sea border checks, raising the prospect of legal action.
Liz Truss, the Foreign Secretary, held pre-planned talks on the protocol with her counterpart in Brussels, Maros Sefcovic and the pair will meet again in London next week. She said: “My priority remains maintaining peace and stability in Northern Ireland. We need urgent progress. Our teams continue intensive talks.”
Ms Truss told Mr Sefcovic the Government had no advance warning of the DUP’s actions, but said the situation proved that the protocol was not working.
The commission said the gambit was “unhelpful” as it attempts to negotiate a number of fixes to end the trade chaos caused by the protocol, adding: “It creates further uncertainty and unpredictability for businesses and citizens in Northern Ireland.”
Brandon Lewis, the Northern Ireland Secretary, said the protocol was “causing serious problems” but described Mr Givan’s decision to quit as “disappointing” and called for him to be reinstated in the executive.
The power-sharing arrangement means neither leader of the joint office shared by the two biggest parties in Stormont can stay in power if the other resigns.
Although other ministers will stay in their posts, the executive will be unable to make any new policy decisions. Legislation in Westminster is due next week to allow the Assembly to continue without early elections.
The resignation is likely to prevent the Assembly agreeing a three-year budget. An official state apology to victims of historic abuse in institutions by Mr Givan and Ms O’Neill , which was planned for March, could also be at risk.
Addressing the Commons, George Eustice, the Environment Secretary, said agri-food controls were a “devolved matter”, insisting it was “entirely unnecessary at this stage” for the Government to intervene.
Julian Smith, a former Northern Ireland secretary, said: “We cannot be a country that agrees an agreement and then doesn’t stand behind it.”
