Tánaiste accuses British Government of 'sabre-rattling' on Brexit withdrawal agreement

Tánaiste Leo Varadkar: 'At this point in negotiations you often see a certain level of posturing if you like, so our response to this is going to be measured.' Picture: Gareth Chaney Collins

The Tánaiste has accused the British Government of "sabre-rattling" and "posturing" on the Brexit withdrawal agreement.

It has been reported that the UK is considering using sections of legislation due to be published on Wednesday to “eliminate the legal force of parts of the withdrawal agreement,” including those involving state aid and Northern Ireland customs. 

That would undermine the agreement on Northern Ireland that the British Prime Minister Boris Johnson signed last October.

However, Leo Varadkar has said the British Government does not have the power to change the withdrawal agreement.

The Tánaiste said: "The withdrawal agreement including the protocol on Ireland and Northern Ireland is an international agreement. International agreements and international treaties have to be honoured and they trump any domestic legislation that any country may have.

"That agreement is in place to ensure that we don't see the emergence of a hard border between North and South - something that we all want to avoid."

Mr Varadkar added: "I can't speak for the British Government or speculate on their motivations but what I can say is that we are into the last few weeks of negotiation between the EU on the one side and the UK on the other and what the new trade arrangements are going to be between Britain and Ireland.

"At this point in negotiations you often see a certain level of sabre-rattling and a certain level of posturing if you like, so our response to this is going to be measured."

He said negotiations between the EU and the UK are "ongoing" and the Government is keen to see an agreement in place before the end of the year.