Since there seems to be some confusion on the matter I think it is worth restating that the EU did not force Boris Johnson to sign the Northern Ireland Protocol in October 2019. Or to sign up to the operating principles for it in December 2020.

Signing the Northern Ireland Protocol was not only the free choice of the Prime Minister, he actually thanked the EU for the flexibility they had shown. https://www.gov.uk/government/speeches/pm-statement-in-the-house-of-commons-19-october-2019">https://www.gov.uk/governmen...

It may also be recalled that there had been talk that Boris Johnson would replace the Northern Ireland protocol in any trade deal with the EU. That this would be a UK red line.

It was not. A trade deal was done with the protocol unchanged. https://thecritic.co.uk/why-boris-let-the-eu-keep-northern-ireland/">https://thecritic.co.uk/why-boris...

Which I think leaves those suggesting the Northern Ireland protocol is an EU and Irish plot also by inference suggesting Boris Johnson must be part of the plot. Or that he is so weak he is unable to stop a foreign power splitting the UK. Which wouldn& #39;t be a good look.