Cabinet ministers have turned up the rhetoric in a bid to push Brussels into concessions over the Northern Ireland Protocol by warning of possible disruption to peace in the region without changes. In a joint article in the Irish Times, Brexit minister Lord Frost and Northern Ireland Secretary Brandon Lewis said this week's extension of a grace period in the so-called sausage war was "welcome" but that the extension "addresses only a small part of the underlying problem".

       The pair warned the European Union that the Protocol - negotiated as part of the Brexit divorce deal - risks "damage" to the Good Friday Agreement, which in 1998 helped to secure peace after decades of sectarian violence in Northern Ireland, unless a "new balance" is found in terms of customs checks.

       The ministers continued: "Opposition is growing, including among many people who are not normally active in political life. That is not a stable basis for the future.

       "The current process to resolve all these difficulties is not working and risks creating a series of rolling crises as we lurch from one deadline to another.

       "In short, a seriously unbalanced situation is developing in the way the Protocol is operating - this risks economic harm in Northern Ireland and damage, in turn, to the essential balance within the Belfast Agreement itself."

       The Ministers concluded by stressing the "situation is now urgent" making clear: "The UK and Ireland have a huge, and very direct, interest in finding solutions here.

       "But we need constructive and ambitious discussions with the EU which deal with the actual reality."

       It comes after the EU on Wednesday agreed to continue to allow chilled meats to be shipped to Northern Ireland from Great Britain for another three months.

       The deal avoids a trade dispute by delaying the ban until September 30 while efforts continue to find a lasting solution.

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       11am update: France accuse EU of selling fishermen out to UK in scathing letter

       French politicians have urged the EU to improve post-Brexit conditions for fishermen in the English Channel.

       In the damning letter sent to EU Fisheries Commissioner Virginijus Sinkevi？ius, the politicians from the Manche region in France also claimed the European Union “made concessions” in initial quota negotiations with the UK prior to the Trade and Cooperation Argeement being reached with Britain.

       The elected officials now stressed "that negotiation efforts must be focused on fishing" rather than other Brexit related matters.

       The letter was signed by Senators Béatrice Gosselin, Philippe Bas and Jean-Michel Houllegatte, MPs Philippe Gosselin, Stéphane Travert, Bertrand Sorre and Sonia Krimi as well as MEP Stéphanie Yon-Courtin.

       10am update: Demand for EU settlement advice rockets ahead of deadline

       Demand on a special advice service for EU, EEA and Swiss citizens in Scotland nearly doubled in the month of the deadline for settled status applications, according to new figures.

       The EU Citizens Support Service (EUCSS), run by Citizens Advice Scotland (CAS) had more people accessing its support last month than the previous two combined.

       In April there were 448 people accessing the EUCSS which increased to 545 in May and 1,075 in June.

       9am update: Brexit bill to be challenged in brutal battle from Wales

       A Court battle is set to emerge over the UK Government's Brexit legislation which outlines how domestic trade will work now the UK has left the EU.

       The Labour-led Welsh Government has been given permission to lodge a judicial review against the UK Government’s UK Internal Market Bill.

       Counsel General for Wales and Constitution Minister Mick Antoniw said the case will raise important issues of principle on the “constitutional relationship between the Senedd and the Parliament of the UK”.

       8am update: UK should back down over Northern Ireland protocol row, academic claims

       Boris Johnson would be foolish to retaliate against any punishment from Brussels over Britain's implementation of the Northern Ireland Protocol, an academic has claimed.

       Alistair Jones, Associate Professor in Politics at De Montfort University also warned the UK that Brussels "is in the right" and "holds all the cards" in the escalating row over the Northern Ireland Protocol.

       7am update: Irish Garda ready for Northern Ireland protocol protest

       Garda Commissioner Drew Harris has said reports of a loyalist rally in Dublin in opposition to the Northern Ireland Protocol may be "no more than kite flying".

       But Mr Harris stressed that if such a protest did take place then the force would be "prepared for it".

       There have been a number of loyalist rallies in Northern Ireland linked to the Protocol, part of the Brexit deal which is opposed by unionists and loyalists because it creates a trading barrier between Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK.

       Last month it was reported that loyalists were planning a major protest in Dublin with loyalist activist Jamie Bryson told the Sunday Independent newspaper that it would be a "colourful protest" which would take place sometime after July 12.