to sign to, and there were positives to this that would help people in northern ireland benefit from uk trade deals but also have fairly seamless trade with the rest of the eu as well. that was in the period when the uk was optimistic that the protocol might not be that bad and could be livable with. but now, as it is being introduced, there are definitely effects being felt on businesses that trade between great britain and northern ireland and on people who live in northern ireland and the european commission recognises that. there is a big argument as well about what is happening at that time. david frost will tell you that it felt like the eu had a gun to the uk's head in 2019... he eu had a gun to the uk's head in 2019... ., , ., eu had a gun to the uk's head in 2019... ., �* eu had a gun to the uk's head in 2019... .,, ., �* , 2019. .. he was our brexit minister? he was doing _ 2019. .. he was our brexit minister? he was doing the _ 2019. .. he was our brexit minister? he was doing the negotiating. - he was doing the negotiating. exactly and he still is, overseeing the relationship, but the eu would say to that that it was the uk holding a gun to its own head because they were desperate to get a brexit deal and perhaps sign up to