Isabel Hardman Isabel Hardman

The minister trying to fix the Northern Ireland Protocol

One of the big priorities for the new Prime Minister is dealing with the situation in Northern Ireland. There’s no time for procrastination as the existing arrangements which suspend checks on goods travelling between Northern Ireland and Great Britain expire on 15 September. Liz Truss has made very clear that she is serious about getting the problems with the Protocol fixed and that while her favoured outcome is a negotiated settlement, she is also prepared to be tough. One of her newest supporters is Conor Burns, Minister of State for Northern Ireland, who only declared for the Foreign Secretary at the weekend but who is in Dublin at the moment trying to see if there is greater appetite for a settlement.

This policy, this legislation will pay out if we fail to get a negotiation and that will be a failure of British and European statecraft


Burns has met former Taoiseach Bertie Ahern. He is also having talks with Maroš Šefčovič, the EU’s chief Brexit negotiator. This is a mission that has the backing of both Truss and her rival Rishi Sunak, both of whom have talked tough in the contest on the Protocol and want to fix the problems before the cost of living crisis becomes even more acute. He also – when I speak to him in between meetings in Dublin – suggests he’s getting help and advice in his mission from other big names. ‘We are in touch with lots of people who are willing to help,’ he says. Ahern, I point out, was a big partner of Tony Blair’s in the peace process. Has he been in touch with Blair? ‘I’ve met with many people who are very keen to help,’ he replies, coyly. 

Burns explains what he sees as being the Truss approach to the problem of the protocol.

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Isabel Hardman
Written by
Isabel Hardman
Isabel Hardman is assistant editor of The Spectator and author of Why We Get the Wrong Politicians. She also presents Radio 4’s Week in Westminster.

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