Brussels 'unreasonable' over Northern Ireland post-Brexit trade rules, says business secretary

Business Secretary Kwarsi Kwarteng has said it is "absolutely right" the government is ready to tear up parts of post-Brexit trading arrangements in Northern Ireland.

The cabinet minister accused Brussels of being "unreasonable" in its approach towards the Northern Ireland Protocol.

Pressed on Sky News's Sophy Ridge On Sunday programme if the UK administration was prepared to ditch parts of the agreement, Mr Kwarteng said: "Absolutely right."

He added: "We have had a number of people in this country whose presumption has been that the government is always wrong and and the EU is always right.

"That's clearly too simplistic. We have tried to negotiate.

"The protocol itself says it can be abrogated unilaterally if it's shown not to be working."

He added: "I think the EU are unreasonable, frankly.

"They won't show much flexibility and that's why we are in the position we are in.

"The protocol isn't working and we have to be prepared to invoke Article 16."

But Irish Foreign Affairs Minister Simon Coveney told Ridge: "The EU wants to continue to negotiate, wants to show flexibility, wants to compromise."

He added: "Ireland is also frustrated. We are dealing with the consequences now of a decision by the British people on our own country that has cost us hundreds of millions of euros, that is risking the peace process and its institutions on the island of Ireland.

"When we focus on frustrations we need to think beyond Westminster."