Michael, Matthew Parriss in today's Times had a clear analysis. Its behind the paywall, so here's a part of it;"In the din surrounding a budget that didn’t tell us much, you could be forgiven this week for overlooking an incident that did. The prime minister and his new Brexit minister — a hooligan and his legman — have delivered a gratuitous kick in the shins to the European Union and the Republic of Ireland. This looks like a deliberate attempt to start a scrap. And it’s hard not to worry about what it portends.Britain has been in negotiations with the EU over the operation of the Northern Ireland protocol. You may remember this was the treaty commitment that Boris Johnson signed before proposing a bill that would have flouted it. By the government’s own admission this broke international law.The protocol, part of Britain’s withdrawal agreement from the EU, places a notional border between Great Britain and Northern Ireland in the Irish Sea. It removes the need for a border on the island of Ireland but requires checks on the movement of food and other agricultural products sent to the province from the British mainland. Problems in its operation had led to our agreeing with Brussels a “grace period” that suspended until March 31 the full implications of the protocol, while negotiations continued.But on Wednesday Lord (David) Frost, the new minister who oversees relations with Europe, unilaterally extended the grace period. Frost announced that it would now continue until October. Dublin suggests such an extension could easily have been arranged by negotiation. But Frost simply kicked consultation aside. He didn’t even give advance warning.This is indisputably a breach of faith, like a house-seller who agrees a date for completion then unilaterally postpones the sale. Michael Gove, Frost’s predecessor in the Brexit job, had agreed the grace period with the Europeans and gave them Britain’s word. Frost (who, they whisper, thinks Gove was a weak negotiator) has broken Britain’s word. Of course the EU will now take legal action against us."
Richard Carter ● 1884d