UK Government vows to respond to EU's legal threat over NI Protocol despite Queen's mourning period

Downing Street has vowed to respond to the European Union's legal action over the Northern Ireland Protocol ahead of the deadline that falls during the mourning period for the Queen.

The bloc had demanded a response to its raft of infringement proceedings over the UK's failure to comply with the post-Brexit rules before the end of Thursday.

The EU was expected to relax the deadline, as it fell within the mourning period during which politics as normal is paused in Britain.

But No 10 said it would be responding before the deadline regardless.

The Prime Minister's official spokesman said: "We recognise that date and we will be setting out our position ahead of that date."

What the response will be was unclear, but it is expected to set out the UK's thinking that no operational changes on how the protocol works are required.

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