Brexit deal – latest news: No 10 suggests no changes can be made to Windsor Agreement

‘We think we have secured the right deal for all parties in Northern Ireland’, says Downing Street

What is the Northern Ireland Protocol and how does it affect the UK?

There is no room for any changes to be made to the new Brexit deal, No 10 has indicated following the announcement of the “historic” agreement.

Asked if Rishi Sunak might return to Brussels to ask for any changes requested by the DUP, the prime minister’s official spokesperson said: “Certainly I think you heard the prime minister asked similar questions today. We think we have secured the right deal for all parties in Northern Ireland.

“We stand ready to have further talks with those parties if they have questions about how it works in practice, indeed, we did a great deal of that in the run up to this announcement.”

Mr Sunak travelled to Northern Ireland after securing a deal with the EU that he promised would be a “turning point” for the region after years of post-Brexit tensions.

The so-called Windsor Framework was earlier hailed as “historic” by the European Commission president, who insisted the deal marked a “new chapter” in UK-EU relations at a press conference with the prime minister.

Key Points

• Sunak says ‘breakthrough’ Brexit deal marks ‘new way forward'
• New deal ‘removes any sense of border in Irish Sea’, insists PM
• Agreement to create ‘green’ and ‘red’ lanes for goods entering NI
• ‘Stormont brake’ will place Northern Ireland in ‘control of their destiny’, says Sunak
• King meets von der Leyen for tea at Windsor Castle

[27 February 2023 10:10 · Matt Mathers]

ICYMI: Boris in Biden row over ‘f*** the Americans!’ outburst

Boris Johnson has been accused of sparking a diplomatic rift with Joe Biden after an extraordinary “f*** the Americans!” outburst in the Commons.

He made the remark after being urged to support moves by Rishi Sunak and the EU to solve Brexit problems over the Northern Ireland Protocol – which are supported by the US President.

Allies of Mr Johnson have not disputed he made the remarks about the US in a heated exchange with his former Lord Chancellor Sir Robert Buckland.

Adam Forrest reports:

[27 February 2023 09:44 · Matt Mathers]

Lib Dems - scrap energy price guarantee and cut bills instead

Lib Dem Leader Ed Davey has urged ministers to scrap April’s planned rise in the energy price guarantee and cut bills instead.

He warned the new price hikes will be a "hammer blow" to families and businesses, arguing action is needed now to save people from a "cost-of-living cliff edge".

Mr Davey said: "The Conservatives’ plan to hike energy bills in April will come as a hammer blow to families already struggling with soaring mortgages and rents, shopping bills and tax rises.

"With no plan to deal with this cost of living crisis for people or businesses, this chaotic, out-of-touch Government is instead making it much worse because they just don’t get it."

He insisted Rishi Sunak "must act now to save families from a cost-of-living cliff edge, by cutting energy bills instead of increasing them".

[27 February 2023 09:28 · Matt Mathers]

Rees-Mogg warns of Tory revolt if DUP doesn’t support deal

As we reported earlier, Jacob Rees-Mogg has been speaking to broadcasters this morning about the new Brexit deal.

The Conservative Brexiteer put Rishi Sunak on notice of a possible Tory revolt if the DUP does not support the deal, despite major concessions expected from the EU.

The former cabinet minister told GB News: “It will all depend on the DUP. If the DUP are against it, I think there will be quite a significant number of Conservatives who are unhappy.”

He said that the position of Boris Johnson, who he described as the “biggest figure in UK politics“, will be “fundamental”.

“So, if the DUP doesn’t think that it meets its test, that will be very influential among Conservative MPs,” Mr Rees-Mogg added to ITV’s Good Morning Britain.

[27 February 2023 09:04 · Matt Mathers]

Sunak’s deal would leave only a ‘tiny’ role for ECJ in NI - John Major

Democracy is “thrown away” when Northern Ireland’s government is not sitting, John Major has said as he urged the DUP to back a new Brexit deal with the EU.

Mr Major said Rishi Sunak’s proposed agreement would mean only a “tiny” role for the European Court of Justice in Northern Ireland and therefore should not be used as an obstacle to solving the protocol impasse.

“Their [ECJ] involvement would be tiny... occasional involvement of the ECJ really ought not to stop an agreement being made,” he told BBC Radio 4’s Westminster Hour.

“They talk of democracy. Democracy is thrown away when that [Northern Ireland] assembly is not sitting. We need them back.”

[27 February 2023 08:30 · Matt Mathers]

We would look ‘ridiculous’ to change leader again, Rees-Mogg says

The Conservatives would look “ridiculous” if they changed leader again, Jacob Rees-Mogg has said amid fears of a back bench rebellion against Rishi Sunak’s Brexit deal.

Reports suggest the PM will press ahead with his agreement with the EU regardless of whether or not hardliners in the DUP and European Research Group of MPs back it or not.

“I think we would look ridiculous to change leader again,” Mr Rees Mogg told ITV’s Good Morning Britain programme earlier. He also refused to rule out the return of Boris Johnson at some point in the future.

“Boris was a great leader, it was a mistake to get rid of him but, no, I do not want to see a change in the Tory leadership now.

The former cabinet minister added: “I’m not saying that I never want to see Boris come back, for the whole of eternity. But I want to see Conservative MPs and Conservative Party members supporting Rishi Sunak.

“I think to change leader again would be a mistake, we need to have a leader who commands the support of the party, otherwise the next election will make 1997 look like a tea party.”

More from Mr Rees-Mogg below:

[27 February 2023 08:11 · Matt Mathers]

Labour will back Brexit deal - Reeves

Labour would also back a new deal between the UK and EU to resolve issues surrounding Brexit’s Northern Ireland protocol, Rachel Reeves has said.

The shadow chancellor said her party had been “very clear” that it would support any measures that improve the situation on the ground across the Irish Sea.

“We’re not going to play politics...this is too important for that,” she said.

Watch a clip of Reeves’s interview with BBC Breakfast here:

[27 February 2023 07:57 · Matt Mathers]

Lib Dems will back Sunak’s deal - Ed Davey

The Liberal Democrats will back Rishi Sunak’s new Brexit deal with the EU on the Northern Ireland protocol, Ed Davey has said.

The party leader said he would want to see the final text of the agreement but would support the government’s efforts to solve the impasse.

Listen to his interview with the BBC Breakfast below:

[27 February 2023 07:39 · Matt Mathers]

Sunak warned ‘bouncing’ MPs into quick vote on Brexit deal ‘will go badly wrong’

Rishi Sunak has been warned not to “bounce” MPs into backing a post-Brexit agreement with the EU by rushing a vote in the House of Commons next week.

The prime minister said No 10 was “giving it everything we’ve got” to finalise a deal to fix issues with the Northern Ireland Protocol, with a deal expected to be announced as soon as Monday.

But the DUP looks unlikely to back a compromise with Brussels if it upholds some elements of EU law. The unionist party’s Tory allies in the European Research Group (ERG) have urged Mr Sunak not to rush it through parliament.

Adam Forrest reports:

[27 February 2023 07:37 · Matt Mathers]

Sunak to meet von der Leyen later

Rishi Sunak will hold face-to-face talks with the European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen on Monday as he looks to finalise a compromise deal to fix issues with the Northern Ireland Protocol.

In a joint statement on Sunday from Downing Street and the commission, they confirmed the PM and president would meet in the UK to discuss the “complex challenges” in the Brexit treaty.

Adam Forrest has more details:

[27 February 2023 07:36 · Matt Mathers]

Rishi Sunak poised to defy DUP and announce Brexit deal

Rishi Sunak is poised to announce his post-Brexit deal with the EU on Monday, with or without DUP approval, after securing the support of leading Eurosceptics in the Conservative Party.

The prime minister is set to hold face-to-face talks with European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen in the UK at lunchtime before meeting his cabinet to sign off on an agreement to fix the Northern Ireland protocol.

If the final text is agreed, Mr Sunak is expected to hold a press conference with Ms Von der Leyen later afternoon before heading to the House of Commons to deliver a statement.

Adam Forrest reports: