Edwin Poots defends attempt to dilute Northern Ireland protocol bill

Former DUP leader said it was entirely responsible' to support farmers who could lose out under post-Brexit subsidy rules

The former leader of the Democratic Unionist party (DUP) has defended an attempt to water down the Northern Ireland protocol bill to make it more beneficial for farmers.

Edwin Poots, who led the party for a month in 2021, wrote to the UK government in July last year saying the proposed bill would mean farmers in Northern Ireland would be subject to the same subsidy rules as the rest of the UK.