Elizabeth Piper and Kate Holton

LONDON (Reuters] – Britain on Wednesday rejected proposals from the European Union to end a standoff regarding post-Brexit trade regulations for Northern Ireland. The UK said that it will not hesitate to take direct action in response.

As London embarked upon its departure from the bloc, the greatest challenge was to reach a compromise that would preserve peace in Northern Ireland. It also protected the EU’s single marketplace without creating a land border.

Instead of establishing a border customs in the ocean between Northern Ireland, the UK and Ireland, it agreed to a protocol. However, the UK now claims that the bureaucracy required is unacceptable.

The threat of dismantling the protocol by London’s Conservative government for several months has raised concerns about a possible trade war with Europe during a period of high inflation.

Although Brussels proposed to reduce customs inspections in October, Liz Truss (British Foreign Secretary) said that this did not address the root problem and “in some cases would lead us backward”.

She stated that prices have increased, trade has been severely disrupted and people in Northern Ireland are now subject to different taxes and laws than the Irish Sea. This leaves them without an executive (governing), and is a danger to stability and peace.”

Truss said the government wanted a negotiated solution, but added we “will not shy away from taking action to stabilise the situation in Northern Ireland if solutions cannot be found”.

According to The Times, Boris Johnson could allow his government to legislate and eliminate checks on goods to tell Northern Irish businesses to ignore EU regulations.

A Conservative source claimed that Tuesday could be the day when domestic legislation would disapply this protocol.

‘FURTHER ACTION’

Johnson’s spokesperson refused to give details on the possible actions Britain could take in order to solve the problem, however, he reiterated that no decision has been made.

He stated that the EU had confirmed their decision to not change its mandate …,. However, if urgent solutions aren’t found, they reserve the right of taking further actions.

Not everyone within British governance circles supports a particular legislative approach. It could take up to months for both the lower and upper chambers of parliament to approve it.

Simon Hoare is a Conservative lawmaker and chair of the Northern Ireland select Committee. He stated that “no honorable country should act unilaterally in accordance with an agreement”.

If the House of Lords objected to the legislation the government could resort to the Parliament Acts (a rare device which resolves disputes between the upper and lower houses) to get it passed.

Britain has been urged by Germany, Ireland and other EU leaders not to get involved in the matter.

However, elections were held in Northern Ireland this week. Britain believes that nothing can be done to undermine a 1998 peace agreement which ended decades of violence between unionists and nationalists.

Irish nationalist Sinn Fein accepted the protocol because of its goal to unify Ireland. The Democratic Unionist Party, (DUP), who fears losing ties, came in second.

Without the overhaul of trading rules, the DUP is refusing to create a new power sharing administration.