Liz Truss and EU’s Sefcovic fail to come up with solution to Northern Ireland impasse

Brexit talks between Britain and the EU limp onward after the latest round broke up today with no sign of an agreementtt

Foreign Secretary Liz Truss and European Commission vice president Maros Sefcovic said this afternoon officials would continue ‘intensive’ discussions over Northern Ireland in the coming days after their third in-person meeting.

But there was no white smoke, despite Ms Truss saying beforehand that finding a solution to the Northern Ireland Protocol dispute was an ‘absolute priority’.

‘They agreed on the need for progress in their talks in the interest of people in Northern Ireland, to stay in close touch and that officials will continue intensive discussions in the coming days’, the two said in a joint statement.

It comes after Northern Ireland was plunged into a fresh political upheaval last week when the DUP withdrew Paul Givan as first minister in protest at the deal.

Mr Givan said the protocol, which has created trade barriers between Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK, had undermined a cornerstone of powersharing in the region – governance with the consent of both nationalists and unionists.

Boris Johnson signed the protocol with the EU as a measure to stop a hard border being erected, and jeopardising the peace process, on the island of Ireland.

But his Government is trying to renegotiate the deal, arguing that it is hampering the movement of goods between Britain and Northern Ireland and damaging community relations.

Ahead of Friday’s talks, the Foreign Secretary said: ‘Fixing the Northern Ireland Protocol is an absolute priority for me.

‘We have a shared responsibility with the EU to work towards solutions as quickly as possible that deliver for the people of Northern Ireland.’