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Brexit negotiations were thrown into chaos after reports suggested Boris Johnson’s government was planning new legislation which risked overriding parts of the Brexit Withdrawal Agreement.

The Prime Minister stood firm insisting the UK was committed to the agreement.

Mr Johnson’s spokesman said: “We are fully committed to implementing the Withdrawal Agreement and the Northern Ireland protocol and we have already taken many practical steps.”

But the Financial Times cited sources claiming the proposed internal market bill could “eliminate the legal force of parts of the withdrawal agreement” in areas including state aid and Northern Ireland customs.

The reports sparked a furious backlash from the European Union with suggestions Brussels could even walk away from crunch Brexit talks expected to get back underway this week.

However, referencing the reports, former Brexit Party leader Nigel Farage wrote: “The ‘oven-ready’ deal last year was not Brexit and we said so, I am pleased that we are tearing it up.”

This prompted former Brexit Party MEP Belinda de Lucy, to claim Mr Farage had been “proven right” once again.

She tweeted: “You said this at the time Nigel Farage and got a lot of stick for it.

“You’ve been proven right time and time again because you refuse to spin truths and con people for an easy life.

“It’s why you are always seen as a threat! Let’s hope Boris follows this through.”

Despite Brexiteers urging the Prime Minister to tear up the agreement, others have raised concerns over the matter.

Shadow Northern Ireland Secretary Louise Haigh said: “The ‘over-ready’ Brexit deal the Prime Minister promised the British people was yet another example of his fluid relationship with the truth.

“Just 10 months after signing a treaty promising to implement the Northern Ireland protocol, Boris Johnson’s government is already threatening to renege on the UK’s legal obligations.

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“This would be an act of immense bad faith: one that would be viewed dimly by future trading partner and allies around the world and make it more difficult for us to hold other governments to account.”

The UK formally left the EU back in January with the transition period in place until the end of the year.

Negotiations are currently at a stalemate with neither side backing down but both warning a deal must be completed by October.

Mr Johnson has insisted the UK is not afraid of walking away from trade negotiations without a deal.

He said: “We are now entering the final phase of our negotiations with the EU.

“The EU have been very clear about the timetable. I am too.

“There needs to be an agreement with our European friends by the time of the European Council on 15 October if it’s going to be in force by the end of the year.

“So there is no sense in thinking about timelines that go beyond that point.

“If we can’t agree by then, then I do not see that there will be a free trade agreement between us, and we should both accept that and move on.”

Speaking ahead of talks this week, David Frost, Britain’s main EU trade negotiator, said Britain is not scared of trading with the bloc on the same terms as Australia.

“We have now been talking for six months and can no longer afford to go over well-trodden ground. We need to see more realism from the EU about our status as an independent country,” Frost said.

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