BORIS Johnson has claimed Brussels could “carve up” the UK if Tory MPs rebel and block the Internal Market Bill.
The legislation has been heavily criticised after ministers admitted it would breach international law – it has also been slammed as a “power grab” on the devolved governments.
MPs who are unhappy that the bill would break international law by overriding the Withdrawal Agreement signed by Johnson himself last year are planning to amend it.
The Tory leader held a Zoom call with MPs last night to encourage them to back the bill, and wrote in the Telegraph today warning of the consequences of not passing the legislation.
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He wrote: “We are now hearing that unless we agree to the EU’s terms, the EU will use an extreme interpretation of the Northern Ireland protocol to impose a full-scale trade border down the Irish Sea.
“We are being told that the EU will not only impose tariffs on goods moving from Great Britain to Northern Ireland, but that they might actually stop the transport of food products from GB to NI.
“I have to say that we never seriously believed that the EU would be willing to use a treaty, negotiated in good faith, to blockade one part of the UK, to cut it off; or that they would actually threaten to destroy the economic and territorial integrity of the UK.”
He claimed negotiators had discovered in recent weeks that there may be a “serious misunderstanding” about the Withdrawal Agreement’s terms, adding it was signed during “torrid” days ahead of the deadline.
This morning one Spanish MEP said the allegation that the EU is trying to break up the UK is "ridiculous".
Luis Garicano told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "I think it's pretty ridiculous. I think Mr Johnson insists on having his cake and eating it."
He said Johnson "agreed to border checks in the Irish Sea" when signing the Withdrawal Agreement.
The MEP warned negotiations should be halted if the legislation is successful, adding: "Let's assume the Prime Minister is bluffing. I think if this bill is passed then everything is off."
Cabinet Office Minister Michael Gove said he believes that the UK Government has the support of Tory MPs to pass the controversial bill.
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