Northern Ireland's loyalist group says: Ireland has instigated Cold War over trade

Northern Ireland's Loyalist Communities Council, which represents the views of loyalist paramilitaries, said Ireland was an errant government that had effectively instigated a Cold War with Northern Ireland over trade.

"The LCC requires urgently to know how HM government and the European Commission will deal with this errant government which has effectively instigated a state of Cold War against Northern Ireland and its people," it said in a statement.

"Simon Coveney has declared a trade war against the United Kingdom."