Boris Johnson’s new EU relations chief is wrecking the agreement he once negotiated. The prime minister must rein him in or give him his cards
Lord Frost became a member of Boris Johnson’s cabinet, in charge of relations with the European Union, only on Monday. He has wasted no time in wielding the wrecking ball. On Tuesday, he told the EU that Britain would unilaterally extend the “grace period” for checks on mainly food-related goods that ship between Britain and Northern Ireland. This has triggered a major row with the EU, done serious harm to Britain’s longstanding relations with Ireland, and significantly ramped up the political tensions in Northern Ireland. Lord Frost’s impact is seriously alarming. The effect on Britain’s standing with the US administration, and in the world, threatens to be dire. Thank goodness he never became national security adviser, as was once planned.
The cabinet office minister may see all this as a good first week’s work for an ardent hard Brexiter like himself. He will doubtless be cheered on by the usual xenophobic parts of the Tory party and the press. But this approach disables trust in the British government at home and abroad. Lord Frost’s reckless actions do nothing but damage to Britain’s international standing, show disrespect to our nearest and best international neighbour, and crank up an increasingly confrontational mood in Northern Ireland politics after two decades of peace. This has to stop, and it has to stop now. Boris Johnson must call Lord Frost off – or sack him.
