‘EU trade war would be political bid to weaken Northern Ireland’s place in UK’

Edwin Poots said an EU triggering of a trade war in the Irish Sea border dispute would be a political bid to weaken Northern Ireland’s place in the UK (Mark Marlow/PA)

An EU triggering of a trade war in the Irish Sea border dispute would be a political bid to weaken Northern Ireland’s place in the UK, a Stormont minister has claimed.

DUP Agriculture Minister Edwin Poots was responding to suggestions that the EU could axe the Brexit trade deal if the UK suspends the Northern Ireland Protocol.