The British government has been accused of creating a “rogue state” as it published a bill to violate the Irish protocol of the Brexit Withdrawal Agreement, an international treaty.

Britain’s Direct Ruler in Ireland, Brandon Lewis, has admitted in the Westminster parliament that the Tories’ ‘Internal Market Bill’ breaks international law.

“This does break international law in a very specific and limited way,” Lewis told MPs.

The bill, published on Wednesday, would tear up the protocol aimed at preventing a remilitarisation of the north of Ireland. If passed, it will override the Irish protocol to support the primacy of “unfettered access” between the Six Counties and Britain and the “integrity and smooth operation of the internal market of the United Kingdom”.

One sweeping clause declares that the changes “are not to be regarded as unlawful on the grounds of any incompatibility or inconsistency with relevant international or domestic law”.

The bill runs directly contrary to plans for the Six Counties to operate within EU customs and market regulations in order to avoid a hard border through Ireland.