Northern Ireland Protocol (NIP) talks are in a serious situation, a spokesperson for UK PM Boris Johnson said on Wednesday. Whilst the UK prefers a negotiated solution, the spokesperson added, the UK reserves the right to take further action if solutions cannot be found urgently. A definitive timescale on talks would not be helpful, they added. 

Separately, the spokesperson said that Johnson urged his ministers to move faster in tackling cost-of-living crisis issues and that the public can expect the government to say more in the days to come on the cost of living crisis.