EU threaten to walk OUT of Brexit talks after Boris Johnson’s new law ‘overrides part of Northern Ireland deal’

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EU LEADERS today threatened to walk OUT of Brexit talks after Boris Johnson published a new law which will override parts of the Northern Ireland deal.

Chief of the EU Commission Ursula von der Leyen slammed the PM for “undermining trust” with the bloc after a Cabinet minister admitted the legislation does break international law.

Boris Johnson’s new law has been accused of “breaking international law”

EU chief negotiator Michel Barnier in London today

The legislation contradicts key clauses of the Northern Ireland Protocol and hands ministers the power to determine rules on state aid and goods moving from Northern Ireland to Great Britain instead of leaving EU technocrats with the reigns.

The draft law says the provisions will “have effect notwithstanding inconsistency or incompatibility with international or other domestic law”.

It adds parts of the original Brexit deal which are conflicting “cease to be recognised and available in domestic law”.

Northern Ireland Secretary Brandon Lewis sensationally admitted in the House of Commons yesterday that the new legislation does break international law, but “only in a very specific and limited way.”

The new bill has incense EU boss Ms von der Leyen as talks between chief negotiators David Frost and Michel Barnier continued in London today.

She said she was “very concerned about announcements from the British government on its intentions to breach the Withdrawal Agreement” and cast doubt over whether there could be a future relationship with the UK.

Ms von der Leyen added: “This would break international law and undermines trust.

“(The principle that agreements must be kept) equals the foundation of prosperous future relations.” 

EU Council chief Charles Michel warned the bloc could pull out of talks with Britain if the original Brexit agreement is not implemented “in full”.

“Breaking international law is not acceptable and does not create the confidence we need to build our future relationship,” Mr Michel said.

UK chief negotiator David Frost has said the bloc need to show “realism” in discussions

Top eurocrat Maros Sefcovic called for an emergency meeting with Michael Gove “as soon as possible” so No 10 can explain its actions. 

The pair, who sit on the EU-UK joint committee tasked with implementing the deal, spoke on the phone on Tuesday night. 

Mr Sefcovic said: “I made it very clear to him that the Withdrawal Agreement is not open for renegotiation. 

“We expect that the letter and the spirit of it will be fully respected. On that we have to be very clear.” 

He added No 10 was “fully aware what the lack of respect for the signed and ratified treaties might mean for the future”. 

“This is a matter of principle. Of course it has direct implications on the talks about our future relationship.”  

EU Council chief Charles Michel warned the bloc could pull out of talks with Britain if the original Brexit agreement is not implemented “in full”.

“Breaking international law is not acceptable and does not create the confidence we need to build our future relationship,” Mr Michel said.

And France’s Europe Minister Clement Beaune piled into the fight as well, saying: “Compliance with the Withdrawal Agreement is not negotiable. 

“Commitments have been made, they must be implemented. Among friends and allies, we must keep our word and respect the law. 

“The European Union is committed to it, we expect the same from the United Kingdom.” 

Both sides have dialled up the rhetoric as negotiators went into the eight round of talks.

Mr Johnson has given EU bosses a firm deadline of October 15 – in time for the European Council meeting – to hash out a deal.

And the PM was not afraid to leave without a deal either, saying the UK would “prosper mightily” with or without an agreement in place by December 31.

But the new bill has caused revolt at home in the UK as well.

The Whitehall legal chief quit yesterday, and ex-PM Theresa May and other Tory MPs blasted the PM for throwing away the original agreement.