Thread by @columeastwood

1/5 Today in answer to my question about the legality of the anti-protocol legislation that the British Government is about to introduce, @BorisJohnson denied reports that he failed to consult with the Treasury’s independent barrister on legal issues.

https://twitter.com/columeastwood/status/1534502967512006657?/video/1

2/5 The British Prime Minister has a casual relationship with the truth and a casual disregard for the law at the best of times but his claim today is a direct contradiction of @SamCoatesSky’s detailed report last night.

news.sky.com/story/plans-to…

3/5 Johnson’s claim also runs contrary to correspondence seen by @AdamPayne26 and @PoliticsHome in which a senior figure raised concerns about the legislation and the current legal argument that they’re relying on.

politicshome.com/news/article/n…

4/5 Meanwhile a government official advised London playbook this morning that the original Sky story was ‘on the money’.

From @e_casalicchio this morning.

5/5 If Johnson lied to me in the House of Commons this afternoon, it’s another attempt to deceive people in Northern Ireland who has shown contempt for time and time again.

This government has abandoned the politics of consensus and that is taking us to a dangerous place.