Northern Ireland protocol: Former Brexit minister rejects claim levelled by Irish premier Micheal Martin

Sign up to our free Brexit and beyond email for the latest headlines on what Brexit is meaning for the UK Sign up to our Brexit email for the latest insight Sign up to our Brexit email for the latest insight SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy The UK’s former Brexit minister has rejected a claim levelled by Ireland’s premier that he tried to “torpedo” a proposed resolution to the Northern Ireland Protocol row. We have some sense of what would work with unionism, but we don’t have that sense with the British government.” In an apparent reference to a speech made by Lord Frost in Lisbon last October, Mr Martin added: “Unionism did raise issues about the operation of the protocol which we did work with our European Union colleagues to try and deal with and, if you recall just prior to Maros Sefcovic outlining his proposals, Lord Frost tried to torpedo them by raising the issue of the European Court of Justice. “That was a deliberate attempt, it seems to me, to undermine what Maros Sefcovic was about and we need less of that from the British government to be frank and the problem for Europe is that Europe is not sure and has no trust now as to what would settle the protocol issue.” In response to Mr Martin’s comments, Lord Frost tweeted: “I wouldn’t normally want to use Twitter to reply to @MichealMartinTD the Taoiseach, but, as he accuses me personally of wrecking the talks last year, I feel I must respond. Mr Martin said: “The United Kingdom government need to put the stability of the political situation in Northern Ireland first and foremost – these issues can be resolved – and I know unionism stands ready to resolve them as well.” The Taoiseach urged the DUP to drop its block on the formation of a new executive and assembly, insisting governance in Northern Ireland could run in parallel with negotiations to resolve the protocol problems.