Scottish ministers will refuse to comply with customs checks on boats entering Scottish ports on the Irish Sea, Stormont’s agriculture minister has said.
The EU has warned that if the UK does not begin preparing for checks it will jeopardise trade talks. Under the Brexit deal, the whole of the UK will leave the EU’s customs union but Northern Ireland will continue to enforce the EU’s customs code at its ports.
However, Edwin Poots, Stormont’s agriculture minister, told the assembly: “Neither the NI minister nor the Scottish minister have expressed that they are willing to accept any checks at any ports.”
A Scottish government spokeswoman said: “It is no secret that the Scottish government maintains that Scotland’s best interests are served by remaining in the