Sunak’s decision on Northern Ireland could make or break his premiership

The headache for the PM is not the EU but selling the draft agreement at home, writes Andrew Grice

A compromise deal has been agreed in outline with Brussels (PA)

Since becoming prime minister, Rishi Sunak has gone out of his way to avoid confrontation with Conservative MPs, making tactical retreats on issues such as housebuilding and onshore wind to preserve a fragile truce.

He knew his tiptoeing act could not last for ever – and that eventually he would have to put his foot down. And now the moment of truth has arrived, as he rightly tries to lift the dark cloud over UK-EU relations by resolving the long-running dispute over the Northern Ireland protocol.

A compromise deal has been agreed in outline with Brussels. The EU has conceded that there will be separate green and red lanes for goods moving from Great Britain to Northern Ireland, meaning no routine checks for products (including agrifoods) that will remain in the province (green) rather than go on to Ireland and the EU single market (red).