House Speaker Nancy Pelosi threatens to block UK trade deal with US over tensions in Northern Ireland

THE United States’ third most powerful politician launches a withering anti-Brexit blast at Britain over tensions in Northern Ireland.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi vowed the US Congress will not support a free trade agreement with the UK if the Government persists with “deeply concerning” plans to “unilaterally discard” the Brexit trade terms signed in 2020.

AP

Nancy Pelosi threatened to block the UK’s trade deal with US over tensions in Northern Ireland in an anti-Brexit tirade[/caption]

But her comments sparked a major backlash from Brexiteers and Unionists.

In a strongly-worded intervention, Ms Pelosi urged the UK and the EU to continue negotiations on the Northern Ireland Protocol to uphold peace in the region.

The congresswoman said in a statement: “The Good Friday Accords are the bedrock of peace in Northern Ireland and a beacon of hope for the entire world.

“Ensuring there remains no physical border between the Irish Republic and Northern Ireland is absolutely necessary for upholding this landmark agreement, which has transformed Northern Ireland.”

But former Brexit negotiator Lord Frost slammed the comments – saying it was the protocol that was risking peace in the promise.

The Tory peer invited Pelosi to visit Northern Ireland to see the negative effects on the extra checks and regulations.

The DUP called Ms Pelosi’s comments “entirely unhelpful”.

Leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson added: “The problem for Speaker Pelosi is that there is not bipartisan or cross-community support for the protocol in Northern Ireland, it is undermining the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement, it is undermining the political institutions that were established under that agreement, it undermines the principle of consent.”