February 25, 2023
Updated 3 hours ago
Rishi Sunak says he is “doing everything” to secure a new Brexit deal for Northern Ireland this weekend and he wants to “get the job done”.
However, the PM said no deal had yet been reached between the UK and the European Union.
Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar said the UK/Northern Ireland trade agreement was “on the way to a conclusion”.
A No.10 source has described the negotiations as positive.
The Taoiseach said an agreement could be reached within days but was “by no means guaranteed” as negotiators still had a loophole to fill.
He urged politicians from Britain, Brussels and Northern Ireland to “go the extra mile” to get it over the line.
The Northern Ireland Protocol, agreed under former Prime Minister Boris Johnson after the UK left the European Union, has been an ongoing source of tension.
It provides that Northern Ireland will continue to follow some EU laws to allow goods to flow freely across the border into the Republic of Ireland without controls.
Instead, goods arriving from England, Scotland and Wales are screened when they arrive at Northern Ireland ports.
Some, including the Democratic Unionist Party of Northern Ireland (DUP), believe it undermines the nation’s position in the rest of the UK and hurts trade.
The DUP, which also wants less EU scrutiny of the rules, is currently blocking the formation of a devolved government in Northern Ireland over concerns.
video caption,
Leo Varadkar encourages the UK and EU to reach an agreement
The UK and EU have been negotiating how to proceed and appear to be on the verge of finalizing a new deal – for which the Prime Minister has been trying to garner support.
Speaking to the Sunday Times from Downing Street, Mr Sunak said: “I’ve been here all weekend trying to get it ready… We’re giving everything we’ve got.”
He said he wanted to show that Brexit “works for every part of the UK” and continued: “There are outstanding issues with Brexit and I want to get the job done.”
The Prime Minister said “the idea that the EU can impose laws on Northern Ireland without them having a say is unacceptable,” adding that ensuring stability was vital for the people of Northern Ireland.
“It’s about the people and communities of Northern Ireland,” he told the newspaper. “It’s about what’s best for them, and that’s something everyone should have in mind.”
The Prime Minister added in an article for the Sunday Telegraph: “Resolving this issue is fundamental to everything I believe in as a Conservative, as a Brexiteer and as a Unionist.”
Meanwhile, there were plans for King Charles to meet the European Commission President in the UK on Saturday, according to the BBC.
The planned meeting between the King and Ursula von der Leyen, originally reported by Sky News, was not part of the UK-EU negotiations and several sources said their visit had been canceled for operational reasons.
It is not known when she will be coming to the UK now, but the fact that a meeting was planned seems to indicate that a deal was to be struck – and presented publicly – while she was in the UK.
Some had also suggested that a new Northern Ireland Protocol agreement could be called the Windsor Agreement.
Earlier, a source for the DUP told the BBC there were no meetings planned for the weekend via the record.
DUP leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson also said: “The aim in London and Brussels should be to get this right, not rush it.
“The wrong deal will not restore power-sharing, but will deepen divisions for future generations.”
The Prime Minister has faced additional pressure from some Conservative MPs over Northern Ireland’s current obligation to comply with some EU laws and be accountable to the European Court of Justice.
Eurosceptic Tory MP Sir John Redwood said: “The UK must oppose the EU imposing laws on Northern Ireland. The EU must get the unionists on its side.”
What is the Northern Ireland Protocol?
The Northern Ireland Protocol is a trade agreement negotiated during the Brexit talks. It enables goods to be transported across the Irish land border without being checked.
Before Brexit, it was easy to transport goods across this border as both sides followed the same EU rules. After the UK left, special trade arrangements were required as Northern Ireland shares a land border with the Republic of Ireland, which is part of the EU.
The EU has strict food rules and requires border controls when certain goods – like milk and eggs – arrive from non-EU countries.
The land border is a sensitive issue due to Northern Ireland’s troubled political history. It was feared that cameras or border guards – as part of these controls – could lead to instability.
The UK and EU agreed that protecting the Northern Ireland peace agreement – the Good Friday Agreement – was an absolute priority.
Both sides signed the Northern Ireland Protocol as part of the Brexit Withdrawal Agreement.
It is now part of international law.