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The Belgium MEP hit out at the Prime Minister following the controversy surrounding the Northern Ireland protocol. In a scathing tweet against the UK, Mr Verhofstadt warned the Government must “recommit” to the obligations agreed in the withdrawal agreement. He said today: “Brexit is damaging enough. “Any move by Mr Johnson to undermine the Withdrawal Agreement would have painful implications for the UK’s global reputation & do great damage to EU & UK citizens alike.

“I hope he will recommit to the obligations he has made under international law.”

However, many took to social media to express their outrage against the MEP’s latest attack against Brexit.

Former Brexit Party MEP for the West Midlands, Martin Daubney also hit out at his latest comments.

He added: “You’ve spent the past four years doing little other than attempt to hammer the ‘UK’s global reputation’.

“Now you realise the EU’s demands are being pushed back against, you pretend to care?”

In support of the former Brexit Party MEP, others also took to Twitter to defend Boris Johnson.

One person said: “I want Verhofstadt-exit. Asap.”

A second said: “It’s quite clear that the EU are not using ‘best endeavours’ to negotiate in good faith.

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“The government have my full support in walking away from pointless negotiations.”

A third said: “The withdrawal agreement was accompanied by a promise by the EU to use it’s best endeavours to conclude a free trade deal.

“It hasn’t, so the WA is up for changing.”

A fourth said: “The WA also said you had to negotiate in good faith.

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“How can you even think that we regain sovereignty over our waters, but not the fish in it?

“Which changing EU competition rules are Canada and Japan subject to please?”

Mr Verhofstadt’s comments come as EU officials accused the UK of attempting to undermine elements of the withdrawal agreement which relate to Northern Ireland.

Under the withdrawal agreement, Northern Ireland will remain in the EU’s single market.

Even if the UK and EU agreed a trade deal, Northern Ireland will still adhere to European state subsidies due to the protocol.

Overall, this agreement was concluded in order to stop the creation of a hard border between Northern Ireland and the Republic.

EU officials, however, have stated the Internal Markert Bill would infringe elements of the agreement.

Specifically, the legislation could breach the need for the Government to notify Brussels on state aid decisions.

The legislation would also stop the need for Northern Irish firms to complete declarations when sending goods to Great Britain.

Despite fears from EU officials, a No 10 spokesperson claimed the legislation would not violate the withdrawal agreement.

They also concluded the new bill would clarify the next steps needed for trade between Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

They said today: “As a responsible Government, we cannot allow the peace process or the UK’s internal market to inadvertently be compromised by unintended consequences of the protocol.

“So we are taking limited and reasonable steps to clarify specific elements of the Northern Ireland protocol in domestic law to remove any ambiguity and to ensure the Government is always able to deliver on its commitments to the people of Northern Ireland.

“If we don’t take these steps we face the prospect of legal confusion at the end of the year and potentially extremely damaging defaults, including tariffs on goods moving from GB to Northern Ireland.”

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