DUP leader Jeffrey Donaldson has slammed the Northern Ireland protocol in a major speech on the impact of Brexit on trade between the province and Great Britain. Mr Donaldson told the press conference that the protocol risked fundamentally undermining the union and damaging its economic integrity. He went on to argue that the protocol had broken the "principle of consent" that had been written into the Northern Ireland peace process.

       Mr Donaldson said: "I'm not prepared to land my hand to a protocol that so fundamentally undermines the union, the economic integrity of the United Kingdom and Northern Ireland's position in it."

       He went on to say: "We were told that the principle of consent would safeguard our position within the United Kingdom, and prevent any constitutional change to our status unless it had the consent of the people of Northern Ireland.

       The DUP leader also referenced recent remarks by the former First Minister for Northern Ireland, David Trimble.

       Mr Donaldson remarked: "Indeed, Lord Trimble, one of the key authors of the Belfast agreement, has recently written that the Northern Ireland protocol has not only subverted the safeguards within the Belfast Agreement, causing civic unrest and political uncertainty, but it has also damaged the Northern Ireland economy."

       He continued: "There can be no doubt that the Northern Ireland Protocol is not just having and creating a threat to the economic integrity of the United Kingdom, it is having real-world impacts on our economy.

       It comes after Dr Aaron Edward, a researcher focused on Loyalist terrorism, warned that controversy over the Northern Ireland Protocol has sparked renewed activity from paramilitary groups.

       The author of UVF: Behind the Mask has stressed that new paramilitary structures have developed in the wake of large-scale unrest within Loyalist communities around the Brexit Protocol.

       Northern Ireland witnessed the worst rioting seen in decades earlier this year as Loyalist street gangs targeted police in protests over new customs checks in the Irish sea.

       Dr Edwards told Express.co.uk: "The fact is the Northern Ireland protocol, Brexit, has breathed new life into these old antiquated paramilitary organisations.

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       "These rusting structures that we saw for many years have now come back in.

       "We are seeing them on the streets, we are seeing their dark hand behind a lot of these protest actions."