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Nancy Pelosi warns Boris Johnson not to jeopardise Good Friday Agreement

S Ambassador to the UK Philip Reeker (L) speaks with US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (C) and her husband Paul Pelosi following a meeting with Prime Minister Boris Johnson at Downing Street on September 16, 2021 in London, England. The speaker of the United States House of Representatives is in the UK to participate in the G7 Heads of Parliament Conference this week in Chorley, England - Getty Images

Nancy Pelosi, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, warned Boris Johnson not to jeopardise the Good Friday Agreement when the two met in Downing Street on Thursday.

Ms Pelosi, a key ally of President Joe Biden, said she emphasised to the Prime Minister that the agreement continued to have enthusiastic support among Democrats and Republicans in the US Congress.

She said: “Respectful of the will of the British people and Brexit, I reiterated the strong bipartisan support that the Good Friday Accords continue to enjoy in the United States Congress, and our hope that the ongoing negotiations will yield a positive outcome that recognises this landmark agreement."

It was the latest escalation of tensions between London and Washington over Northern Ireland.

Last week, Lord Trimble, an architect of the Good Friday Agreement, warned Mr Biden to abandon his support for the Northern Ireland Protocol, which has caused significant trade disruption since being implemented in January.

He said the US president risked causing "civil unrest” by siding with the EU against Britain on the protocol.

Downing Street on Thursday night said the Prime Minister had raised the issue of the Northern Ireland Protocol with Ms Pelosi.

A spokesman said: "He outlined the UK’s concerns with the way the Protocol is being implemented and the impact it is having on the people of Northern Ireland.

"The Prime Minister and Speaker Pelosi both agreed on the importance of preserving peace in Northern Ireland.”

In a lengthy statement, Ms Pelosi also said it had been her "honour" to meet Mr Johnson to "celebrate the special relationship" and "strengthen the cherished friendship between our nations and peoples".

She added: "On Covid, I complimented the Prime Minister for his leadership in the fight, as we all work to turn the corner on the pandemic."

Ms Pelosi said she invited Mr Johnson to speak with Democrat and Republican leaders at the Capitol when he travels to the US later this month.

A Downing Street spokesman said they also discussed the recent AUKUS defence alliance between the US, UK and Australia, and the upcoming COP26 climate summit.