United Kingdom Minister of State for Europe and North America James Cleverly told the Member of Parliament on Thursday that the country is "struggling to see how within the current mandate [the EU negotiators are] able to move forward" in regard to the Northern Ireland protocol.
"We have come to something of an impasse, and I don't think that's through a lack of goodwill, and I think it's more through what we regard in the UK as an overly limited [EU] negotiating mandate," Cleverly stated.
Nevertheless, he underscored that the UK still wants "a negotiated settlement with the EU" and that the country will continue to work on that. Earlier, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson asserted that the UK will not refrain from taking further steps if necessary to respond to the post-Brexit issues in Northern Ireland.
