The deputy prime minister of Ireland questioned whether countries could trust the UK during negotiations. Following his comments, former deputy chairman of the Northern Ireland Conservative and Union Party, Gary Hynds, claimed Mr Varadkar had done "damage" to UK-Ireland relations. He said in a tweet: "The damage Leo Varadkar has done and continues to do to relations between the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland should not be underestimated.

       "He is an absolute disgrace."

       After former adviser to the Prime Minister, Dominic Cummings, said the UK had always intended to renegotiate the Northern Ireland Protocol, Mr Varadkar claimed the comments had been "alarming".

       He also questioned how, if the comments are true, the UK Government could be trusted during future trade negotiations.

       Mr Varadkar told RTE: "Those comments are very alarming because that would indicate that this is a government, an administration, that acted in bad faith and that message needs to be heard around the world.

       “If the British government doesn’t honour its agreements, it doesn’t adhere to treaties it signs, that must apply to everyone else too.

       “Surely the message must go out to all countries around the world that this is a British government that doesn’t necessarily keep its word and doesn’t necessarily honour the agreements it makes.

       “And you shouldn’t make any agreements with them until such time as you’re confident that they keep their promises, and honour things, for example, like the Protocol."

       In a bombshell revelation, Mr Cummings claimed the UK Government had always intended to "ditch" the Protocol.

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       Mr Cummings also admitted had always intended to introduce the UK Internal Markets Bill.

       The bill sparked outrage in the EU who accused the UK of attempting to break an international agreement.

       Mr Cummings said: "We wriggled through with the best option we could & intended to get the trolley to ditch bits we didn't like after whacking Corbyn.

       "We prioritised."

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       He added: "None what I've said does NOT mean 'the PM was lying in GE2019', he never had a scooby-doo what the deal he signed meant.

       "He never understood what leaving Customs Union meant until 11/20.

       "We had clear goals and prioritised.

       "Our priorities meant e.g getting Brexit done is 10000x more important than lawyers yapping re international law in negotiations with people who break international law all the time.

       "EU membership infantilised SW1 as yapping re international law clearly shows."

       Away from his comments, the EU Commission has presented a raft of measures to reduce checks on goods moving between Great Britain and Northern Ireland.