Johnson: UK will act on Northern Ireland rules if EU won’t

By JILL LAWLESS
Associated Press

LONDON (AP) — Prime Minister Boris Johnson has renewed British threats to break a Brexit agreement with the European Union. Johnson is blaming the bloc for a political crisis that’s blocking the formation of a new government in Northern Ireland. The Democratic Unionist Party says it will boycott the Belfast government until post-Brexit border checks are scrapped. Johnson held private talks with the leaders of Northern Ireland’s main political parties on Monday, urging them to get back to work. But his public message was aimed at the 27-nation EU, which he accused of refusing to give ground. The U.K. government is expected Tuesday to outline legislation to override parts of its Brexit treaty, a move sure to raise tensions with the EU.