There are fears in Brussels that British Prime Minister Boris Johnson will trigger Article 16 as a "distraction tool" from a political crisis at home.
That's according to Fine Gael's spokesman on European Affairs, Deputy Neale Richmond.
Former British Prime Minister John Major said yesterday he thinks the UK government is preparing to suspend checks on goods crossing the Irish Sea -- a move being demanded by Unionists.
Deputy Richmond says so far Britain has come to the bargaining table with nothing but demands:
"The European Commission presented a really comprehensive, generous package of measures, just a fortnight ago, to alleviate the impact of, not just the Protocol, but Brexit. The British government have presented nothing. They have merely said this is not enough and continue to pay the red herring of the European Court of Justice. Perhaps, domestic British politics, triggering Article 16 and picking a row with the EU is a handy distraction tool."
