The UK has further destabilized the situation by unilaterally drafting legislation that would nullify almost the entire protocol, with a Westminster-approved system of border controls imposed (or not) on an unwilling EU. Just for a change, the possibility that Truss can formally trigger Article 16, which allows for the unilateral suspension of controls in serious circumstances, is one of her best ideas. Or at least, not as bad as the UK deliberately ignoring the arbitration mechanism contained in the NI protocol. Boris Johnson, as always, seemed to be playing that a strong enough show of force and a change in the “facts on the ground”, would short-circuit the tedious joint committees and heavy deliberations of the European judges. Such political actions as the new Northern Ireland Protocol Bill and the restoration of the Northern Ireland Executive, with the participation of the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP), would, as hoped, force the EU to accept the status quo.
