Controversial legislation aims to ease trade but raises concerns over potential breaches of international law.

The UK government is set to unveil a draft bill next week designed to unilaterally change parts of the Northern Ireland protocol, with the aim of simplifying trade between Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK. However, the proposed legislation has sparked debate, with critics warning that overriding the post-Brexit agreement could violate international law.

The bill will be accompanied by a legal document aimed at addressing these concerns. While government sources insist that the legislation has not been significantly altered following pressure from Eurosceptic MPs, senior officials have acknowledged that the process of getting the bill through Parliament will be challenging.

Labour leader Keir Starmer has promised that if the bill is passed, a future Labour government would repeal the law.