In an article for The Belfast Telegraph, Mr Johnson set out to act alone on the protocol. He writes: “It was designed before a global pandemic and a European war that created a cost-of-living crisis on a scale never seen before in half a century.
“Because even if there is a question of the rapid availability of drugs or medical tests in Northern Ireland (between two components of the same National Health Service) it is incompatible with the post-Covid era.
“The Chancellor of the Exchequer’s statement in his spring statement that the people of Northern Ireland cannot receive the same benefits in terms of taxes and VAT as those in the rest of the same country is a serious problem.
“This means that our ability to help recover from Covid – and also the long-term economic development of Northern Ireland – is limited.
The claim will raise eyebrows, given that the cost of living is the number one problem for Britons, according to opinion polls, and Mr Johnson opposes announcing a new major tax cut that will not be affected by the protocol before autumn.
Andrew Griffith, director of Policy Department No. 10, said on Sunday that tax cuts were supported as much in former Red Wall constituencies by Labor as in traditional Tory constituencies.
Speaking to The Telegraph in his first interview since taking the role, Mr Griffith told Red Wall voters: “What I see is that they understand that the state doesn’t always know best.”
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