The leader of Northern Ireland’s Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) said today that his party is now studying the legal texts released earlier today which set out the proposed new post-Brexit trade arrangements agreed between Britain and the EU.

It said “significant areas of concern” remained after the announcement of a deal between London and Brussels.

“The DUP will want to study the details of what was published today as well as examine the details of any and all legal texts that are relied upon. Where necessary, we stand ready to work with the government to seek further clarification, rework or changes as required,” Jeffrey Donaldson said in a statement.

“We cannot disguise the fact that in some areas of our economy EU law still applies in Northern Ireland.”

“Clearly significant progress has been made on many issues, at the same time it must be recognized that there are still significant areas of concern,” he said.

The DUP has been boycotting Northern Ireland’s regional assembly for the past year in protest at controls between Britain and Northern Ireland in the post-Brexit era, and Donaldson said today that this “position of principle” had been vindicated.