PM admits 'we have not got a deal yet' over Northern Ireland Protocol
Rishi Sunak admits ‘we have not got a deal yet’ as PM stresses ‘there is more work to do’ in negotiations with EU to resolve bitter row over Northern Ireland after he holds lengthy talks with DUP in Belfast
- PM admits ‘we have not got a deal yet’ as he dashes hopes of breakthrough
- Rishi Sunak held talks with Northern Ireland parties today over Protocol row
Rishi Sunak tonight admitted ‘we have not got a deal yet’ and stressed there was ‘more work to do’ in Brexit talks with the EU to resolve the bitter row over Northern Ireland.
The Prime Minister spent today in discussions with Northern Ireland’s parties amid widespread speculation that a breakthrough over the Northern Ireland Protocol was imminent.
But, speaking to broadcasters after his lengthy meetings, Mr Sunak dashed hopes that a resolution to the UK’s dispute with the EU would be immediately forthcoming.
He said that ‘intense’ talks with Brussels would continue in order to ‘find solutions’ to the row over post-Brexit trade arrangements.
The PM is due to travel to the Munich Security Conference tomorrow where it is expected he will continue his efforts to reach a deal in talks with European leaders and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.
The Prime Minister spent today in discussions with Northern Ireland’s parties amid widespread speculation that a breakthrough over the Northern Ireland Protocol was imminent
It was recently claimed that Mr Sunak has had the text of a deal on his desk for more than a week.
This meant today’s meetings with Stormont parties were viewed as the PM’s attempt to get Northern Ireland’s politicians to sign off on the terms of the agreement.
But while the DUP – who are bitterly opposed to the current Protocol – said there had been ‘progress’ from the UK’s talks with the EU in recent weeks, they added that ‘further work is required’.
Speaking in Downing Street this evening after returning from his visit to Northern Ireland, Mr Sunak repeated the message that further negotiations with the EU would be needed.
‘Today I had positive conversations with political parties in Northern Ireland about our ongoing discussions to resolve the Northern Ireland Protocol,’ the PM said.
‘Now it is clear that we need to find solutions to the practical problems that the protocol is causing families and business in Northern Ireland, as well as address the democratic deficit.
‘There is more work to do, and that’s why my ministerial colleagues and I will continue talking to the EU intensely to find solutions that protect the Belfast Good Friday agreement and Northern Ireland’s place in our single market.’
Asked if he was confident he would get a deal, Mr Sunak added: ‘As I said, there’s work to do. We have not got a deal yet.’
The PM said his talks with the EU would focus on protecting Northern Ireland’s place in the UK’s single market, protecting the Good Friday Agreement, resolving ‘practical issues’ for families and business being caused by the Protocol, and addressing the ‘democratic deficit’ of the current post-Brexit arrangements.
The UK and EU have been embroiled in negotiations over the workings of the Protocol, agreed to ensure the post-Brexit free movement of goods across the Irish land border
After meeting with the PM, Ulster Unionist leader Doug Beattie (right) said details on a potential deal were not outlined
Sinn Fein party leader Mary Lou McDonald (left) and vice president Michelle O’Neill arrived at the Culloden Hotel in Belfast for talks with Mr Sunak
Mr Sunak flew to Northern Ireland last night and held individual meetings this morning with the leaders of all the main political parties – Sinn Fein, the DUP, Alliance, the Ulster Unionists and the SDLP.
It came amid claims that a deal to clear a political and economic headache, that has overshadowed Northern Ireland for months since the UK’s departure from the EU, could be sealed within days.
The DUP retain the trump hand over what the UK agrees with the EU, with the party having refused to reform a power-sharing executive in Northern Ireland until a deal is done to its liking.
Their stance would also influence eurosceptic Tory backbenchers at Westminster.
DUP leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson earlier said that despite progress being made ‘more work is required’ on any agreement, after several hours of talks with the PM.
Speaking outside the Culloden Hotel this afternoon, after discussions with Mr Sunak went on far longer than expected, Sir Jeffrey said: ‘It is safe to say progress has been made across a range of areas. But there are areas where further work is required.’
Reports have suggested the Prime Minister could brief his Cabinet on the deal to settle the trade border and announce it in Parliament on Tuesday if the DUP backs it.
But he is facing considerable pushback over the plan, which is reported to keep a role for the European Court of Justice in overseeing the legislation.
David Jones, deputy chairman of the eurrosceptic European Research Group of Tory backbenchers, posted on Twitter: ‘The Protocol won’t be fixed by displaying green and red signs and pretending the ECJ hasn’t got supreme jurisdiction in Northern Ireland when it manifestly has.
‘NI must cease to be subject to laws made in Brussels. It’s as simple as that. Anything less won’t work.’
After meeting with the PM, Ulster Unionist leader Doug Beattie said details on a potential deal were not outlined.
‘We are in that position where we could have something next week, but it may be another couple of weeks yet,’ he said on the prospects of an agreement.
‘We don’t know and I don’t leave here knowing much more than I knew when we first went in. But certainly the Prime Minister was enthusiastic, engaged and positive, and that has has given me something to take away from this.’
What is the Brexit row about and what has been the impact on Northern Ireland?
The UK and the EU have been engaged in substantive negotiations over the workings of the Northern Ireland Protocol of the original withdrawal agreement that allowed the UK to leave the EU.
It was designed to ensure the free movement of goods across the Irish land border with Ulster after Brexit.
Rather than being an internal EU line between two countries, with Brexit it became a border between the bloc and a third party country with different customs and trade rules.
In any other cases it would be solved simply by creating a ‘hard’ border – physical checks on vehicles and people travelling between the two.
But the Good Friday Agreement, which ended decades of violence in 1998, expressly prohibits a return to such checkpoints on the island of Ireland.
To get around this the protocol instead created economic barriers on trade being shipped from Great Britain to Northern Ireland.
It has proven to be deeply unpopular with unionists, who claim it has weakened Northern Ireland’s place within the UK.
Last year the DUP collapsed the powersharing institutions at Stormont in protest at the arrangements. It came as the party was replaced as the largest in the powersharing government by Sinn Fein for the first time.
And the DUP is refusing to back a deal and restart powersharing unless their concerns are realised. They have set seven tests that it must pass to be approved.
Mr Beattie added: ‘He’s saying that things are moving in the right direction. He’s confident that when he puts something on the table which is a deal, which he thinks will work for everybody in Northern Ireland, it will be a deal that unionism can accept.’
The UUP leader expressed concern that local parties were not being briefed on the details.
‘I’ve been raising this issue many, many times about you must involve the political parties, you must involve business in whatever you’re doing, so we can highlight issues before they arise,’ he said.
Sinn Fein president Mary Lou McDonald said that indications of progress suggested a deal was ‘game on’.
‘It’s clear now that significant progress has been made and we’re very heartened by that.
In another apparent sign of progress, Foreign Secretary James Cleverly today travelled to Brussels for a meeting with European Commission vice president Maros Sefcovic.
However, Irish premier Micheal Martin said he believes there is a ‘distance to go yet’ before a deal between the UK and the EU is over the line.
The UK and the EU have been embroiled in substantive negotiations over the workings of the Protocol, agreed to ensure the free movement of goods across the Irish land border after Brexit.
The Protocol has proven to be deeply unpopular with unionists and the DUP has collapsed the powersharing institutions at Stormont in protest at the arrangements.
A number 10 spokeswoman earlier confirmed the Prime Minister would meet Northern Ireland parties as part of the ‘engagement process’.
She added: ‘Whilst talks with the EU are ongoing, ministers continue to engage with relevant stakeholders to ensure any solution fixes the practical problems on the ground, meets our overarching objectives, and safeguards Northern Ireland’s place in the UK’s internal market.’
The Foreign Office also confirmed Mr Cleverly’s Brussels meeting with Mr Sefcovic, saying it was part of ‘ongoing engagement and constructive dialogue with the EU to find practical solutions that work for the people of Northern Ireland’.
Mr Martin said he believed the UK Government wanted a consultation with the Northern Ireland parties on the negotiations.
He told RTE: ‘I think there is a distance to go yet. I don’t understate the challenges, but clearly the negotiations have been serious and substantive and trust has built up between the EU team and the UK team, but I think there is some time to go yet.’
However, senior figures within the DUP and the European Research Group of the Tory party have warned that any deal must remove the oversight of the European Court of Justice (ECJ) in Northern Ireland as well as dealing with trading difficulties.
David Jones, deputy chairman of the eurrosceptic European Research Group of Tory backbenchers, tweeted: ‘The Protocol won’t be fixed by displaying green and red signs and pretending the ECJ hasn’t got supreme jurisdiction in Northern Ireland when it manifestly has’
Irish premier Micheal Martin said he believes there is a ‘distance to go yet’ before a deal between the UK and the EU is over the line
While it is understood the EU and the UK are close to signing off a deal that would reduce Protocol red tape on the movement of goods from Great Britain to Northern Ireland, there is no expectation that Brussels is willing to agree to end the application of EU law in the region.
The EU says a fundamental plank of the Protocol – namely that Northern Ireland traders can sell freely into the European single market – is dependent on the operation of EU rules in the region.
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