SDLP Leader Colum Eastwood has strongly rebuked British Prime Minister Boris Johnson after he failed to commit to upholding international law in the House of Commons this afternoon.

Johnson was responding to a question from the SDLP Leader about the compliance of yet-to-be-seen legislation on the Northern Ireland Protocol with the British Government’s obligations under the deal reached with the European Union.

Mr Eastwood said that a Prime Minister with an established record of casual law breaking, who may not be in office much longer, should be able to give a simple commitment to people in Northern Ireland that the law will be followed.

Colum Eastwood MP said:

“Boris Johnson’s casual relationship with the truth has now morphed into a casual disregard for the law. Breaking lockdown regulations, resiling from international obligations to victims and survivors under the Stormont House Agreement and now failing to give a clear commitment that proposed legislation on the Northern Ireland protocol will respect international law.

“This Government claims to want to protect the Good Friday Agreement but in word and deed they have abandoned the politics of consensus, ignored the clear will of people across the North and are ploughing ahead with a reckless and damaging course of action that will not command the support of people here.

“The sooner this Prime Minister is removed from office, the better for people in all of our communities.”