In all areas, the UK continues to backtrack.

The European Union argues that we should be subject to rules of the club that we have left.

The precondition is the level playing field.

We can deliver a real Brexit that achieves our objectives.

But if there is not a deal, we still need the Irish protocol or the Northern Irish protocol fully implemented.

I'm going to miss being the pantomime

villain. Hello and welcome to Brexit Republic, RTE's podcast on Brexit. I'm Tony Connolly,

RTE's Europe editor in Brussels. I'm Sean Wheeler, RTE's correspondent in London London. And I'm Colamo Mungown, RTE's Deputy

Foreign Editor in Dublin. Each week, Brexit Republic brings you all the latest developments in

Dublin, Brussels and London. This week, the clock is ticking, or is it? There's plenty of shadow

boxing on the UK's intention to trigger Article 16 of the Northern Ireland Protocol. We'll hear from Britain's Lord David Frost, who says he may have no alternative but to push the button.

We'll hear from Leo Varadkar on why the entire free trade agreement could be terminated if Britain goes ahead and pulls the trigger.

And we'll assess what Europe's responses might be, whether the technical talks between both sides on the EU's package of flexibilities of any chance of success, and if that might avert a highly unpredictable outcome if Article 16 is triggered.

But first, let's go back to the beginning of this week.

And on Monday, front pages were full of talk of EU retaliation, and that was a result of an interview that Simon Coveney did with our colleague Carol Coleman on the This Week programme.

The rest of the EU is as concerned as we are. This is bad faith if it happens. It will be very damaging to the relationship between the UK and the EU, certainly to the bilateral relationship between the UK and Ireland. And I think also very damaging to the relationship between the UK and the EU, certainly to the bilateral relationship between the UK and Ireland, and I think

also very damaging to the relationship between the UK and the US. Nobody should underestimate,

particularly in Westminster, despite what Lord Frost is saying, that this is simply a technical

measure that's being used, which is consistent with the protocol and what the protocol provides

for. That is not a fair description and what the protocol provides for.

That is not a fair description of what the triggering of Article 16 to set aside significant elements of the protocol would actually be doing. If the British government essentially refuses to implement the protocol, even with the extraordinary flexibilities that are now on offer and instead looks

to set it aside, then I think the EU will respond in a very serious way to that.

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