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Brexit: Lord Frost says a 'big gap' remains between UK and EU over Northern Ireland Protocol

There is a "lot of work to do" and a "big gap" remains between the UK and EU over the Northern Ireland Protocol, the Brexit minister has said.

Speaking as he arrived in Brussels for talks with his EU counterpart, Lord Frost told reporters he was "looking forward to good discussions".

"There's a lot of work to do because there are gaps between us," he said.

Referring to the EU's proposals to vastly cut customs checks and paperwork associated with the protocol, Lord Frost added that the bloc has "definitely made an effort in pushing beyond where they typically go in these areas and we're quite encouraged by that".

But he continued: "There is still quite a big gap and that's what we've got to work through today and in the future."

He reiterated the UK's view that the role of the European Court of Justice should be removed from the protocol, saying: "The governance arrangements as we have them don't work.

"We need to take the court out of the system as it is now and we need to find a better way forward."