Brexit – live: Rishi Sunak says ‘breakthrough’ Northern Ireland deal ‘charts new way forward’

Rishi Sunak has hailed his new Brexit deal with the EU to resolve issues with the Northern Ireland protocol as providing “a new way forward”, as he presented the agreement to the Commons.

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.

It provides for the creation of a fast-tracked “green” lane for certain goods entering Northern Ireland, and hands the Northern Ireland Assembly a new “Stormont brake” which allows the UK government to “veto” changes to EU goods rules which may apply to Northern Ireland.

Ms von der Leyen had tea with the King at Windsor Castle on Monday evening, while Mr Sunak told the Commons: “It does what many said could not be done – removing thousands of pages of EU law, and making legally-binding changes to the protocol treaty itself.”

The PM is battling to win the support of the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) so they agree to restore powersharing in Northern Ireland.

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

Pound surges after UK and EU agree on Northern Ireland deal

06:00 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar

The pound jumped higher after Britain and the EU secured a new post-Brexit deal for Northern Ireland in a move set to end long-running tensions following the UK’s withdrawal.

Sterling leaped 0.7% higher to 1.20 US dollars and was 0.3% up at 1.14 euros after a government source said prime minister Rishi Sunak and European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen had signed a breakthrough deal at a meeting in Windsor, Berkshire.

The FTSE 100 Index was also trading 0.6% or 50.7 points higher at 7929.4 in afternoon trading yesterday.

Rich Booth reports.

Pound surges after UK and EU agree Northern Ireland deal

PM seeks to sell ‘breakthrough’ deal

05:30 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar

Rishi Sunak is expected to travel 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 new deal, dubbed the Windsor Framework, removes barriers on trade across the Irish Sea and hands a “veto” to politicians in Stormont on EU law.

But it still includes a role for the European Court of Justice, with the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) and Tory backbenchers now set to study closely the details of the complex set of arrangements in the coming days.

The prime minister is also expected to speak to backbench MPs today.

Read more here.

Sunak seeks to sell ‘breakthrough’ deal after EU-UK agreement

EU chief hails ‘new chapter’ in UK relations

05:00 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar

Rishi Sunak and the EU president Ursula von der Leyen have ushered in a new era in UK-EU relations as they struck a historic post-Brexit deal.

Unveiling the Windsor Framework, Mr Sunak said it was a “major breakthrough” that would solve the long-running problem of the Northern Ireland protocol.

The EU chief also hailed the deal as a “new chapter” as she outlined plans for the UK to join the bloc’s £80bn Horizon science research programme.

Kate Devlin and Adam Forrest report.

EU chief hails ‘new chapter’ in UK relations as Sunak unveils landmark Brexit deal

Pelosi says US proud of its role in establishing Good Friday Agreement

04:30 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar

Former US House speaker Nancy Pelosi on Monday said the agreement between the EU and Britain on the Windsor Framework was “good news”.

“The Windsor Framework must support the Good Friday Agreement, be acceptable to the people of Northern Ireland, and improve the British-Irish partnership,” she said in a statement.

“The United States is very proud of the role our leaders played in establishing the Good Friday Agreement, a pillar of our foreign policy – and we salute those who worked so hard to end the impasse a quarter-century ago.”

When do the changes take effect?

04:00 , Katy Clifton

The Prime Minister said that the new agreement would make a difference “almost immediately”, but it does seem that at least some of the changes will gradually come into effect at various times.

For instance, new arrangements for post and parcels will take effect from September 2024 – while some of the exact details around the implementation of the Stormont “brake” are still to be worked out.

But Downing Street has been clear that significant parts of the deal can be introduced even without Stormont returning immediately.

What is the role of the European Court of Justice under the agreement?

03:01 , Katy Clifton

It had been expected that both the UK and the EU would try to find a way around the difficult role of the European Court of Justice (ECJ). Concerns about the oversight role of the court have been raised by the DUP and some Tory backbenchers, with the issue less about trade and more about sovereignty.

The ECJ had been final arbitrator of EU law issues in the region, given the fact that Northern Ireland essentially remains within the single market for goods.

The Government believes that the agreement significantly narrows the role of the ECJ, with a new approach set to address some of the concerns of a democratic deficit for Northern Irish representatives in the application of EU law.

That arrangement, dubbed the “Stormont brake”, is described in the agreement as giving Stormont a “genuine and powerful role” in deciding whether significant new rules on goods impacting life in the region will apply. It is set to function along the same lines as the Good Friday Agreement safeguard of the petition of concern.

Under that Stormont arrangement, 30 MLA signatures are needed to secure a valid petition, which then triggers a vote that requires a majority of both nationalist and unionist MLAs to pass.

It remains to be seen how the arrangement will be introduced into the Stormont institutions, if powersharing does return, but Downing Street has been clear that once triggered the brake will give the Government the power to veto any new or amended EU rule

Six key takeaways from the NI deal

02:00 , Katy Clifton

Rishi Sunak’s deal is designed to cut bureaucracy and dysfunction between Britain and Northern Ireland following Brexit.

The 26-page “Windsor Framework” lays out the plans for trade, movement of goods and future legislation.

Below, Joe Sommerlad takes a look at the six key takeaways from the deal:

Six key takeaways from Rishi Sunak’s new Brexit deal

‘Now is the time to protect the hard-earned gains of the Agreement’

00:01 , Katy Clifton

In Washington, Ways and Means Committee ranking member Richard E. Neal said he appreciates the “compromise by both sides” to find common ground.

He said: “The agreement is the result of constructive, continued engagement by the EU and the UK in search of joint solutions.

“I appreciate the steadfast commitment and compromise by both sides to find common ground to resolve the trade frictions related to the Protocol on Ireland and Northern Ireland.

“Ahead of the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement, now is the time to protect the hard-earned gains of the Agreement, and to deepen EU-UK cooperation and partnership for generations to come.”

Monday 27 February 2023 22:37 , Katy Clifton

US President Joe Biden has called the Windsor Framework agreement between the UK and European Union an “essential step to ensuring that the hard-earned peace and progress of the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement is preserved and strengthened”.

In a statement, Mr Biden said: “I appreciate the efforts of the leaders and officials on all sides who worked tirelessly to find a way forward that protects Northern Ireland’s place within the UK’s internal market as well as the EU’s single market, to the benefit of all communities in Northern Ireland.

“I am confident the people and businesses of Northern Ireland will be able to take full advantage of the economic opportunities created by this stability and certainty, and the United States stands ready to support the region’s vast economic potential.

“Joe Kennedy, our new Special Envoy to Northern Ireland for Economic Affairs, will drive this effort in close cooperation with Ambassador Jane Hartley in London and Ambassador Claire Cronin in Dublin, as well as with business leaders in Northern Ireland.

“Northern Ireland can accomplish the extraordinary when its leaders work together in common cause. And I hope – as we all do – that Northern Ireland’s political institutions are soon back up and running. Those institutions embody the principle of devolved, powersharing, representative government at the core of the Good Friday Agreement.”

Monday 27 February 2023 22:30 , Katy Clifton

Prime minister Rishi Sunak said he believes the agreement secures Northern Ireland’s place in the United Kingdom.

Responding to DUP leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson in the Commons, Mr Sunak referenced concerns some in the unionist community had with the protocol, and said: “I believe very strongly that the Windsor Framework does resolve those issues.

“But I appreciate that the right honourable gentleman and his party and other unionist communities will want to take the time to consider the detail.

“And I respect that, and we will give them the time and the space to consider that, and stand ready to answer any questions and provide any clarifications.”

He added: “I believe that this agreement… does ensure the free flow of trade within our United Kingdom internal market, including unfettered access for Northern Ireland producers to the rest of the United Kingdom. I do believe it secures Northern Ireland’s place in the Union.”

Mr Sunak said: “It ensures and safeguards sovereignty for the people of Northern Ireland.”

PM congratulated for ‘phenomenal focus’

Monday 27 February 2023 21:45 , Katy Clifton

Conservative former Northern Ireland secretary Brandon Lewis earlier congratulated the prime minister “for the phenomenal focus that they are putting in to ensuring that we can secure a deal that we all I know will hope can restore powersharing in Stormont”.

He said: “For many businesses it was the administrative burden of moving from Great Britain to Northern Ireland, not just regulatory, that needed to be removed, to allow them to see it as an economic benefit and therefore protect the structure, the integrity of the UK internal market.”

Rishi Sunak replied: “I’m confident that with the new green lane based on using existing ordinary commercial data and data sharing in place of the bureaucratic custom arrangements that were there hitherto, it is an enormous step forward.”

No timeline for when MPs will have their say

Monday 27 February 2023 21:00 , Katy Clifton

Earlier in the Commons, Rishi Sunak would not be drawn on when parliament would have a say on the agreement.

Conservative MP Simon Hoare, chairman of the Northern Ireland Affairs Committee, said: “Whilst respecting entirely and agreeing… that parties, particularly those in Northern Ireland, need the time and space to study the detail and to work out all of the implications for those in Northern Ireland, Northern Irish business wants and the good people of Northern Ireland most certainly deserve quick certainty.

“So if there are to be votes in this place on any element of the Windsor Framework as announced today, can my right honourable friend commit to ensuring that those votes take place speedily in order to ensure that certainty and peace of mind?”

Mr Sunak said: “Parliament will of course have its say and there will be a vote. But we will need to do that at the appropriate time as we give people the time and space to consider the detail.”

The Prime Minister said the agreement “can start providing that certainty, and those benefits, to the people and communities of Northern Ireland very soon”, and said “we want to start delivering those benefits for people on the ground as quickly as we can”.

King Charles meets EU chief at Windsor Castle after Brexit deal agreed

Monday 27 February 2023 20:32 , Andy Gregory

The King has welcomed EU chief Ursula von der Leyen to Windsor Castle after she agreed to a historic post-Brexit deal for Northern Ireland, reports my colleague Martha McHardy.

Charles was pictured warmly shaking hands with the president of the European Commission at the royal residence on Monday afternoon before they were served tea.

Topics covered included climate change and the Russian invasion of Ukraine, but it is not known if Northern Ireland was on the agenda.

King Charles meets EU chief at Windsor Castle after Brexit deal agreed

Senior Tory MP congratulates Sunak on deal, urges ‘speedy’ vote

Monday 27 February 2023 20:14 , Adam Forrest

Simon Hoare, chair of the Northern Ireland affairs committee, congratulated the PM on the “serious and beneficial outcomes” of his deal.

But the senior Tory figure urged Mr Sunak to hold any vote “speedily” to draw a line under the matter and offer “certainty” to the people of Northern Ireland.

SNP Westminster leader ‘supportive’ of Sunak’s new deal

Monday 27 February 2023 20:01 , Andy Gregory

The SNP’s Westminster leader has said he is supportive of Rishi Sunak’s new Brexit deal with the EU.

“Broadly speaking, I am fully supportive” of the Windsor Framework, Stephen Flynn told MPs, but insisted “we cannot and we should not forget the damage which has been done by leaving the European Union”.

Mr Flynn went on: “I just find it astonishing that we have a situation where the leader of the Labour Party and the leader of the Conservative Party are hand in glove when it comes to their position on Brexit.”

The SNP Westminster leader also argued “what this deal does not do is create parity for the nations of these islands”, adding: “It means that businesses in Northern Ireland have access to the single market, whereas businesses in Scotland do not.

“I do not begrudge the people and businesses of Northern Ireland but I regret that Scotland does not have those same opportunities. So on that point, can the prime minister just clarify why Scotland is at a significant disadvantage in that regard on his watch?”

Rishi Sunak replied: “I am a passionate unionist and I will always believe that our Union is stronger when we are together. And Scotland will always, alongside Northern Ireland, Wales, be part of what makes this country great and we will fight, we will fight day in and day out to protect that Union.”

David Davis: ‘A spectacular negotiating success'

Monday 27 February 2023 19:59 , Katy Clifton

Conservative former minister and staunch Brexit supporter David Davis has given his backing to the deal, describing it as “a spectacular negotiating success”.

Paying tribute to the Stormont brake in particular, he added: “I am unaware of any mechanism in any international agreement like the Stormont brake. It seems to me a brilliant piece of negotiating insight and imagination.

“Could he explain to the House, because we won’t all know in detail, can he explain to the House exactly how this mechanism will work and what its limitations will be?”

Rishi Sunak said Mr Davis was a “Brexiteer of longstanding credentials”, adding: “To have his support means a lot to me and the Government, and I thank him for it.”

The Prime Minister reiterated that the brake was based on similar mechanisms in the Good Friday Agreement, adding: “Once that emergency brake is pulled it will give the UK government a veto. It is a very powerful cross-community safeguard mechanism that ensures sovereignty for the people of Northern Ireland and it is part of why this agreement is the right one for the people of Northern Ireland.”

Tory former Northern Ireland secretary Julian Smith urged the Government to give “time and space and encouragement” to Northern Ireland’s different political parties “to restore powersharing and to ensure that political decision-making in Northern Ireland can start as soon as possible”.

Starmer urges Sunak to be ‘utterly unlike his predecessor'

Monday 27 February 2023 19:48 , Andy Gregory

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer has urged Rishi Sunak “to be utterly unlike his predecessor”, as he responded to the prime minister’s Commons statement on his new Brexit deal.

He added: “Do not pretend the deal is something it is not, where there are trade-offs to be made, argue the case for them. Treat unionists with the respect of frank honesty, not the contempt of bluster.

“Because in this 25th anniversary year of the Good Friday Agreement, we must again embrace compromise and put division behind us.

“This deal is not perfect, but because we recognise that the UK agreed to the protocol and has an obligation to make it work, because we recognise that for the protocol to work there will inevitably be trade-offs and because we always recognise that peace and prosperity in Northern Ireland is hard won, Labour will support the Windsor Framework.”

Starmer welcomes new ‘red and green lanes’

Monday 27 February 2023 19:41 , Andy Gregory

Sir Keir Starmer said it was “good that the deal before us will see fewer unnecessary checks on goods moving between Great Britain and Northern Ireland”, adding the “red and green lane proposal is a good one” and “it has our full support”.

He said: “This agreement will allow us to move forward as a country rather than be locked in endless disputes with our allies. It will improve our diplomatic standing, which has been damaged by the government’s previous threats to break international law.”

Sir Keir added: “We must be honest, this comes with trade-offs. The right honourable member for Uxbridge and South Ruislip [Boris Johnson] told the people of Northern Ireland that his protocol meant no forms, no checks, no barriers of any kind on goods crossing the Irish Sea under Brexit, that was absolute nonsense.”

He went on: “It inevitably contributed to the collapse of powersharing in Northern Ireland, and I have to say, as the prime minister listed all the problems with the protocol I did rather wonder whether he’d forgotten who negotiated it.”

We have an obligation to make protocol work, says Starmer

Monday 27 February 2023 19:35 , Andy Gregory

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer told the Commons: “The protocol will never be perfect – it’s a compromise.

“But I’ve always been clear that if implemented correctly it is an agreement that can work in the spirit of the Good Friday Agreement.

“And now that it has been agreed we all have an obligation to make it work.”

Labour will support Brexit deal, says Starmer

Monday 27 February 2023 19:28 , Andy Gregory

Responding to Rishi Sunak’s statement on his new Brexit deal, Sir Keir Starmer said the Labour Party would support the deal and committed not to “play political games”.

Sir Keir told the Commons he was “deeply saddened” by the shooting of Detective Chief Inspector John Caldwell.

He said: “DCI Caldwell’s shooting is a reminder that we must continue to strive for peace, that we in the House must take our obligations under the Good Friday Agreement and to the people of Northern Ireland as seriously as they do.

“It is in that spirit that I have been clear for some time that if the Prime Minister were to get an agreement with the EU, and if their agreement is in the interest of this country and Northern Ireland, then Labour would support it.

“And we will stick to our word. We will not snipe, we will not seek to play political games, and when the Prime Minister puts this deal forward for a vote, Labour will support it and vote for it.”

Government to drop controversial Northern Ireland Protocol Bill, Sunak confirms

Monday 27 February 2023 19:25 , Andy Gregory

Rishi Sunak has confirmed that the government’s controversial Northern Ireland Protocol Bill would be dropped following the new agreement, explaining that the legal justification for it had lapsed.

He told MPs: “Now that we’ve persuaded the EU to fundamentally rewrite the treaty texts of the protocol, we have a new and better option.”

Mr Sunak said the new agreement can start delivering “benefits almost immediately” for Northern Ireland.

On the updated legal position for the Bill, Mr Sunak said: “It says because we have achieved a new negotiated agreement which preserves the balance of the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement, the original and sound justification legally for the Bill has now fallen away.

“In other words, neither do we need the Bill nor do we have a credible basis to pursue it. As such, we will no longer proceed with the Bill and the European Union will no longer proceed with their legal actions against the UK.”

Theresa May backs Rishi Sunak’s Brexit deal

Monday 27 February 2023 19:24 , Andy Gregory

Former Tory prime minister Theresa May has backed Rishi Sunak’s deal.

She urged “everybody across this House to support this settlement because that is what is in the best interests of all the people of Northern Ireland”.

New deal is subject to Vienna Convention, says Sunak

Monday 27 February 2023 19:20 , Andy Gregory

The EU has accepted that the legal basis for the Windsor Framework is in international law, Rishi Sunak has said.

“The EU have also explicitly accepted an important principle in the political declaration,” he told MPs. “It is there in black and white that the treaty is subject to the Vienna Convention. This means that unequivocally the legal basis for the Windsor Framework is in international law.

The PM added: “It puts beyond all doubt that we have now taken back control.”

New deal axes 1,700 pages of EU law, claims Sunak

Monday 27 February 2023 19:16 , Andy Gregory

The new deal with the European Union “scraps 1,700 pages of EU law”, Rishi Sunak has claimed.

The amount of EU law that applies in Northern Ireland is less than 3 per cent, he told MPs.

“And the people of Northern Ireland retain the right to reject that 3 per cent through next year’s consent vote,” he added. “However, that consent vote is about the whole protocol, so it cannot by its nature provide oversight of individual new laws.

“And it does not address the number one challenge to sovereignty made by the protocol – the ability of the EU to impose new or amended goods laws on Northern Ireland without them having a say.

“To address that, today’s agreement introduces a new Stormont brake.”

This will allow the Northern Ireland Assembly to block new laws if such a move has support from 30 members from at least two parties – which then hands the UK government a veto.

Sunak says ban on sausages entering Northern Ireland has been scrapped

Monday 27 February 2023 19:11 , Andy Gregory

The ban on British sausages entering Northern Ireland from Great Britain has been scrapped thanks to the Windsor Framework, Rishi Sunak said.

Speaking in the Commons, the PM said that if the Northern Ireland Protocol was implemented in full, “we would see supermarket lorries needing hundreds of certificates for every individual item, every single document checked, supermarket staples like sausages banned altogether”.

He added: “More delays, more cost, less choice. So today’s agreement fixes all this with a new, permanent legally binding approach to food.”

The PM continued: “Under the protocol, retail food products made to UK standards could not be sold in Northern Ireland. Today’s agreement completely changes that. This means the ban on British products like sausages entering Northern Ireland has now been scrapped.

“If it’s available on supermarket shelves in Great Britain, then it will be available on supermarket shelves in Northern Ireland.”

New deal ‘fixes’ EU state aid law ‘reach-back’, says Sunak

Monday 27 February 2023 19:08 , Andy Gregory

Today’s agreement addresses the so-called “reach-back of EU state aid law”, Mr Sunak said.

It does this by imposing “stringent” new tests. For the EU to argue we’re in breach of their rules, they now have to demonstrate that there is a real genuine and material impact on Northern Ireland’s trade with the EU, Mr Sunak told MPs.

“That is a much higher threshold than the protocol,” he said.

Sunak sets out new ‘green lane’ for goods bound for NI

Monday 27 February 2023 18:46 , Andy Gregory

Here is what Rishi Sunak has said the Commons about the new “green lane” for goods moving to Northern Ireland.

“Core to the problems with the protocol was that it treated goods moving from Great Britain to Northern Ireland as if they were crossing an international customs border,” he told MPs.

“This created extra costs and paperwork for businesses, who had to fill out complex customs declarations. It limited choice for the people of Northern Ireland and it undermined the UK internal market – a matter of identity as well as economics.

“Today’s agreement removes any sense of a border in the Irish Sea and ensures the free flow of trade within the UK. We have secured a key negotiating objective – the introduction of a new green lane for goods destined for Northern Ireland, with a separate red lane for those going to the EU.

“Within the green lane, burdensome customs bureaucracy will be scrapped and replaced with data-sharing of ordinary existing commercial information. Routine checks and tests will also be scrapped. The only checks will be those required to stop smugglers and criminals, and our new green lane will be open to a broad comprehensive range of businesses across the United Kingdom.”

Monday 27 February 2023 18:42 , Andy Gregory

Here are the three objectives of today’s deal, as laid out by Rishi Sunak to MPs:

• First, allowing trade to flow freely within our UK internal market.

• Second, protecting Northern Ireland’s place in our union.

• Third, safeguarding sovereignty and closing the democratic deficit.

MPs laugh as Sunak thanks predecessors for ‘laying the ground’ for deal

Monday 27 February 2023 18:39 , Andy Gregory

MPs have laughed as Rishi Sunak paid tribute to his “predecessors for laying the ground” for today’s deal, forcing the prime minister to pause in his address to the Commons.

Boris Johnson does not appear to be in the Commons chamber for the speech.

Sunak says his Brexit deal ‘does what many said could not be done'

Monday 27 February 2023 18:37 , Andy Gregory

Rishi Sunak has declared that his new Brexit deal “does what many said could not be done”, as he addresses MPs in the Commons.

“After weeks of negotiations, today we have made a decisive breakthrough,” he told MPs. “The Windsor Framework delivers free-flowing trade within the whole United kingdom. It protects Northern Ireland’s place in our union and it safeguards sovereignty for the people of Northern Ireland.

By achieving all this, it protects the delicate balance inherent in the Belfast Good Friday Agreement, and it does what many said could not be done – removing thousands of pages of EU laws and making permanent legally binding changes to the protocol treaty itself.

“That is the breakthrough we have made, those are the changes we will deliver and now is the time to move forward as one United Kingdom.”

Sunak pays tribute to ‘remarkable’ Betty Boothroyd

Monday 27 February 2023 18:32 , Andy Gregory

Rishi Sunak began his statement to MPs by paying tribute to the late Commons Speaker Betty Boothroyd.

“She was a remarkable woman who commanded huge admiration and respect as the first female Speaker of this House. She was as firm as she was fair, and she presided over many historic moments in this House, among them the debates on the Belfast Good Friday Agreement,” the PM said.

“Her passion, wit and immeasurable contribution to our democracy will never be forgotten.”

Watch as Rishi Sunak addresses MPs

Monday 27 February 2023 18:30 , Andy Gregory

Rishi Sunak is addressing the Commons about his new Windsor Framework deal. You can watch along here:

DUP hails ‘significant progress’ but warns ‘key issues of concern’ remain

Monday 27 February 2023 18:00 , Andy Gregory

DUP leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson has welcomed “significant progress” in Rishi Sunak’s new deal, but warned that “there remain key issues of concern”, including the remnants of EU law in Northern Ireland, as his party considers its next step.

In a statement on Monday, the DUP leader said: “In broad terms it is clear that significant progress has been secured across a number of areas whilst also recognising there remain key issues of concern.

“There can be no disguising the fact that in some sectors of our economy EU law remains applicable in Northern Ireland.”

Sir Jeffrey said that his party will now “study the detail” of the Windsor Framework, “as well as examining the detail of any and all underpinning legal texts”.

“Where necessary we stand ready to engage with the government in order to seek further clarification, re-working or change as required,” he said.

“Ultimately the party will now assess all these proposed outcomes and arrangements against our seven tests, outlined in our 2022 Assembly election manifesto, to determine whether what has been published meet our tests and whether it respects and restores Northern Ireland’s place within the United Kingdom.”

We’ve pulled off ‘triumph’, says Brexiteer minister Steve Baker

Monday 27 February 2023 17:35 , Adam Forrest

Northern Ireland minister Steve Baker – a staunch Brexiteer who had been a leading figure in the European Research Group – has called the deal “triumph”.

“I’m absolutely convinced that this restores, by any legitimate measure, Northern Ireland’s place in the union,” he told the BBC. “It’s great news. It’s an extraordinary achievement. It’s a terrific thing to have pulled off.”

“The amount of EU law that will apply in Northern Ireland is now down to the absolute minimum necessary to keep that north-south border free of infrastructure,” he added.

White House expected to weigh on new Brexit agreement

Monday 27 February 2023 17:28 , Andy Gregory

Our White House correspondent Andrew Feinberg reports:

The White House is expected to weigh in on the newly-announced Brexit agreement between the UK and EU when National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby joins Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre at Monday’s daily press briefing.

Asked about the Biden administration’s reaction to the news, Mr Kirby told The Independent: “I think we’re gonna have more to say a little bit later”.

What is the immediate reaction to the announcement?

Monday 27 February 2023 16:51 , Andy Gregory

Here is some of the immediate reaction to the deal announced by Rishi Sunak and Ursula von der Leyen in Windsor.

The Spectator’s economics editor suggests the Stormont Brake could turn Northern Ireland’s access to the single market “into an added bonus, rather than a barrier to Brexit that some still view it as”.

While The Guardian’s political corrrespondent notes that the deal contains a “canny political incentive”.

Analyst Mujtaba Rahman has suggested that the apparent breakthrough “completely invalidates” the negotiating tactics of recent years.

LBC’s Brexit-specialising host James O’Brien has suggested that the deal appears to be “pretty impressive”.

The Times’ Whitehall editor describes the press conference as “surely the most upbeat UK-EU meeting since 2016”.

Amber Rudd hails ‘historic’ Brexit deal

Monday 27 February 2023 16:38 , Andy Gregory

Former Tory minister Amber Rudd, who resigned over Boris Johnson’s handling of Brexit in 2019, has praised Rishi Sunak’s “historic” agreement with the European Union.

“Finally, Brexit has been negotiated in detail and with care,” the former home secretary told The Independent.

“It is a historic day for Britain, Northern Ireland and Europe. We should all be very pleased.”

Rishi Sunak promises MPs vote on ‘Windsor Framework’ Brexit deal

Monday 27 February 2023 16:33 , Andy Gregory

Rishi Sunak has made a firm promise that MPs will get a vote on the “Windsor framework” post-Brexit agreement struck with EU Commission president Ursula von der Leyen.

The prime minister said the result of the Commons vote on his deal will be “respected”, raising the prospect of a rebellion among Tory Brexiteers if the DUP does not back the agreement.

Our political correspondent Adam Forrest has the full report:

Rishi Sunak promises MPs vote on ‘Windsor Framework’ Brexit deal

Windsor framework allows EU and UK to begin ‘new chapter’, says Ursula von der Leyen

Monday 27 February 2023 16:26 , Andy Gregory

Pound surges after UK and EU agree Northern Ireland deal

Monday 27 February 2023 16:25 , Andy Gregory

The pound has jumped higher after Britain and the EU secured a new post-Brexit deal for Northern Ireland.

Sterling leaped 0.7 per cent higher to $1.20 and was 0.3 per cent up at €1.14 after a government source said Rishi Sunak and Ursula von der Leyen had signed a breakthrough deal in Windsor.

Pound surges after UK and EU agree Northern Ireland deal

New deal paves way for UK scientists to join EU research programme, says von der Leyen

Monday 27 February 2023 16:17 , Andy Gregory

The new Northern Ireland Protocol deal paves the way for the UK joining the EU Horizon research programme, Ursula von der Leyen said.

The European Commission president said: “This Windsor Framework is good news for scientists and researchers in the European Union and in the UK.

“Because, of course, the moment we have finished this agreement – it’s an agreement in principle – the moment it’s implemented I am happy to start immediately right now the work on an association agreement, which is the precondition to join Horizon Europe.

“So good news for all those who are working in research and science.”

‘Stormont brake’ will place Northern Ireland in ‘control of their destiny’, says Sunak

Monday 27 February 2023 16:12 , Andy Gregory

Asked whether he believed unionists will accept “different treatment” in Northern Ireland, Rishi Sunak said people will see the new deal “delivers significant improvements in almost every aspect of their lives” that have been negatively impacted by the protocol.

Speaking at a press conference alongside Ursula von der Leyen in Windsor, he acknowledged Northern Ireland has access to the single market and to avoid a hard border with the Republic there is a “lot of EU law”.

But Mr Sunak said the new deal allows for “further democratic accountability”, providing a “very powerful mechanism” for Stormont to use when it has concerns, adding that the agreement is vital to “providing reassurance to everyone in Northern Ireland that they are in control of their destiny”.

New Northern Ireland deal 'removes any sense of border in Irish Sea', Sunak says

Monday 27 February 2023 16:04 , Andy Gregory

‘Definitive’ new deal will provide ‘longlasting solutions’, says von der Leyen

Monday 27 February 2023 16:00 , Andy Gregory

Ursula von der Leyen has hailed today’s “definitive” deal as providing “longlasting solutions”.

This new framework will allow us to begin a new chapter. It provides for longlasting solutions that both of us are confident will work for all people and businesses in Northern Ireland. Solutions that respond directly to the concerns they have raised.

She added: “The new arrangements are delivering a comprehensive package, so that we can address in a definitive way the issues faced in everyday lives.”

Highlighting two key examples, Ms von der Leyen said the new framework “will ensure that the same food will be available on supermarket shelves in Northern Ireland as in the rest of the UK”, and “will permanently enable all medicines, including novel ones, to be available in Northern Ireland at the same time, under the same conditions, across the UK”.

Watch: Sunak hails ‘decisive’ agreement with EU over Brexit protocol

Monday 27 February 2023 15:55 , Andy Gregory

Ursula von der Leyen hails ‘honesty’ and hard work in securing deal

Monday 27 February 2023 15:54 , Andy Gregory

Ursula von der Leyen has stressed the importance of “honesty” in reaching today’s deal.

“I remember our first discussions when we saw eye to eye on how to support our Ukrainian friends. And I was encouraged by our trustful and strong cooperation on this crucial geostrategic issue,” the European Commission president said.

“But I also remember how the two of us were honest with each other about the difficulties in our bilateral relationship, and it was vital to put that on the right footing too.

“We committed to work hard together to do so. We knew that for us to be able to make the most of the potential of our partnership, solutions were needed for the issues around the protocol on Ireland and Northern Ireland.

“We knew it was not going to be easy. We knew we needed to listen to each other’s concerns very carefully, above all we had to listen to the concerns of the people of Northern Ireland.

“We knew we had to work hard with clear minds and determination, but we also both knew, dear Rishi, that we could do it because we were both generally committed to finding the practical solution for people and for all communities in Northern Ireland.”

“Today we can take pride in the fact that we have delivered on that commitment.”

Deal marks ‘turning point for Northern Ireland’, says Sunak

Monday 27 February 2023 15:49 , Andy Gregory

Ending his address, Rishi Sunak said: “I believe the Windsor framework marks a turning point for the people of Northern Ireland. It fixes the practical problems they face. It preserves the balance of the Belfast Good Friday Agreement.”

Today’s agreement is about “stability”, “real people” and “real businesses”, he continued. It is about “breaking down the barriers between us, setting aside the arguments that for too long have divided us, and remembering that fellow feeling that defines us, this family of nations, this United Kingdom”.

What have Sunak and von der Leyen agreed today?

Monday 27 February 2023 15:45 , Andy Gregory

Rishi Sunak says he believes he and Ursula von der Leyen have found ways to end the uncertainty in Northern Ireland.

Our political correspondent Adam Forrest reports:

• Sunak said GB goods destined for NI will travel through new “green lane” in which customs bureaucracy will be scrapped, with a red lane for goods destined for the Republic of Ireland. The PM said claimed it ended any sense of a “border in the Irish Sea”.

• Sunak said the deal protects NI’s place in the union – handing over from the EU to UK powers of VAT, alcohol duty and other areas.

• Sunak said the deal “safeguards sovereignty”. The PM said there was a new “Stormont break” – allowing the Northern Ireland Assembly will be able to pull an “emergency break” on changes to EU goods rules which may apply to NI. The UK government will have a veto.

Sunak hails ‘new chapter’ in UK-EU relationship

Monday 27 February 2023 15:41 , Andy Gregory

Today’s agreement delivers smooth-flowing trade within the whole of the UK, protects Northern Ireland’s place within our union, and safeguards sovereignty for the people of Northern Ireland, Rishi Sunak has said.

These negotiations have not always been easy, the prime minister said.

He paid “enormous” tribute to Ursula von der Leyen for “her vision in recognising the possibility of a new way forward”.

The UK and EU may have “had our differences in the past, but we are allies, trading partners and friends”, Mr Sunak said.

“This is the beginning of a new chapter in our relationship.”

Sunak hails ‘decisive breakthrough'

Monday 27 February 2023 15:38 , Andy Gregory

Rishi Sunak is introducing his new deal at a press conference with Ursula von der Leyen.

“I’m pleased to report that we have now made a decisive breakthrough. Together we have changed the original protocol and are today announcing the new Windsor framework.”

Northern Ireland Protocol: The Top 10 ways Brexit finally got done

Monday 27 February 2023 15:20 , Matt Mathers

How did Rishi Sunak cut the Gordian knot of securing a new agreement on Northern Ireland?

John Rentoul, our chief politics commentator, takes a look and says there are 10 key ways the PM finally got Brexit done.

Read Joh’s full piece here:

The Top 10 ways Brexit finally got done | John Rentoul

Watch: Sunak and von der Leyen to formally announce deal at news conference

Monday 27 February 2023 15:16 , Matt Mathers

Deal is an opporunity for everyone to move forward - Labour

Monday 27 February 2023 15:06 , Matt Mathers

Responding to the deal struck by Rishi Sunak and Ursula von der Leyen, shadow Northern Ireland secretary Peter Kyle said: "Today is an opportunity for Northern Ireland, the UK and EU to move forwards.

"Attention should be on the contents of any protocol deal. Parties and communities in Northern Ireland will need some time to assess the deal.

"Labour stands ready to act in all Northern Ireland’s interests."

Pound surges higher as UK and EU agree NI Brexit deal

Monday 27 February 2023 14:58 , Matt Mathers

The pound has jumped higher after Britain and the EU secured a new post-Brexit deal for Northern Ireland in a move set to end long-running tensions following the UK’s withdrawal.

Sterling leaped 0.7% higher to 1.20 US dollars and was 0.3% up at 1.14 euros after a Government source said Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen had signed a breakthrough deal at a meeting in Windsor, Berkshire.

The FTSE 100 Index was also trading 0.6% or 50.7 points higher at 7929.4 in afternoon trading on Monday.

Dorries lashes out at Baker over support for deal

Monday 27 February 2023 14:53 , Matt Mathers

Boris Johnson ally Nadine Dorries, former culture secretary, attacked Mr Baker for “gushing about the deal, Adam Forrest reports.

She said: “He was a key agitator to remove Boris Johnson. What shred of credibility he has left would be destroyed if he came out against Sunak.

“He has nowhere else to go other than to grin and support”.

Northern Ireland Protocol: Being on good terms with the EU used to feel impossible – not anymore

Monday 27 February 2023 14:51 , Matt Mathers

This is a formidable technical negotiating achievement, writes the former UK Brexit secretary David Davis.

Read David’s full article here:

Being on good terms with the EU used to feel impossible – not anymore | David Davis

Donaldson denies report DUP will back deal

Monday 27 February 2023 14:45 , Matt Mathers

Jeffrey Donaldson has denied a report that the DUP has already committed to backing Rishi Sunak’s Brexit deal.

The Irish News said the party had agreed to support an agreement to fix the protocol and would explain the decision at a dinner later.

But Mr Donaldson said the story was “entirely false”, adding that his party would “take our time” to consider the details.

“Anonymous source strike again,” he said. “We’ll take our time to consider the detail and measure a deal against our seven tests. PS - A busy day and no dinner planned either - story entirely fictional. Let’s stick to the facts @irish_news”.

Breaking: UK and EU agree Brexit deal - BBC

Monday 27 February 2023 14:29 , Matt Mathers

The UK and EU have agreed on a Brexit deal to deal to fix the Northern Ireland protocol.

“An agreement has been reached. The deal is done,” a senior government said.

Rishi Sunak and Ursula von der Leyen held talks on reaching an agreement earlier.

Kate Devlin and Adam Forrest report.

Monday 27 February 2023 14:09 , Andy Gregory

Here is the agenda for the Commons today:

Rishi Sunak is also due to make a statement to MPs about the Northern Ireland Protocol at 6:30pm.

Sunak welcomes von der Leyen in Windsor

Monday 27 February 2023 13:37 , Andy Gregory

Rishi Sunak has welcomed European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen at the Fairmont Windsor Park hotel in Englefield Green.

No 10 defends decision to advise King to meet with EU chief

Monday 27 February 2023 13:24 , Andy Gregory

Downing Street has defended the move to advise the King to meet Ursula von der Leyen, saying Rishi Sunak “fundamentally” believes the final decision is for the monarch to make.

“He firmly believes it’s for the King to make those decisions,” said the PM’s official spokesperson. Buckingham Palace has said Charles is acting on “the government’s advice”.

“It’s not uncommon for his majesty to accept invitations to meet certain leaders, he has met President Duda and President Zelensky recently. He is meeting with the president of the EU today,” Mr Sunak’s spokesperson said.

Asked why the final protocol talks were taking place in Windsor, he said: “There are a number of occasions when these sorts of talks have been held in significant locations, this is no different.”

Sunak pictured arriving for talks with von der Leyen

Monday 27 February 2023 13:18 , Andy Gregory

Rishi Sunak has been pictured arriving at the Fairmont Windsor Park hotel in Englefield Green, ahead of his meeting with European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen.

Sunak looking forward to finding ‘practical solutions’ at Brexit talks

Monday 27 February 2023 13:15 , Andy Gregory

Rishi Sunak has said that he is looking forward to finding “practical solutions” to the “complex challenges” around the Northern Ireland Protocol, at today’s talks.

What is the Northern Ireland protocol?

Monday 27 February 2023 12:57 , Matt Mathers

Jointly agreed by the UK and EU, the protocol is the part of the Brexit Withdrawal Agreement that deals with the main obstacle in the divorce talks – the Irish land border.

To keep the border free flowing, London and Brussels essentially moved new regulatory and customs checks required by Brexit to the Irish Sea.

Full report:

What is the Northern Ireland protocol?

Baroness Betty Boothroyd, first female Commons Speaker, dies aged 93

Monday 27 February 2023 12:38 , Matt Mathers

Baroness Betty Boothroyd, the first woman to be Speaker of the House of Commons, has died, according to current Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle, who said she was “one of a kind”.

Sir Lindsay Hoyle, Speaker of the House of Commons, said: “Not only was Betty Boothroyd an inspiring woman, but she was also an inspirational politician, and someone I was proud to call my friend.

“To be the first woman Speaker was truly ground-breaking and Betty certainly broke that glass ceiling with panache.”

Rich Booth and Martha McHardy report:

Baroness Betty Boothroyd, first female Commons Speaker, dies aged 93

King’s meeting with von der Leyen will go down ‘very badly’ in NI - DUP

Monday 27 February 2023 12:27 , Matt Mathers

Former DUP leader Arlene Foster said the timing of the meeting between the King and EU Commission president was “crass” and would “go down very badly” in Northern Ireland, Adam Forrest reports.

Sammy Wilson, the DUP’s Brexit spokesperson, said at the weekend that a meeting would be “a cynical use, or abuse of the king” – accusing Mr Sunak of “dragging the king into a hugely controversial political issue, not just in Northern Ireland but even within his own party”.

Jacob Rees-Mogg told GB News on Monday that any meeting involving the EU leader and the King at this stage appeared to be “bouncing people” into supporting the deal “and I think that was a mistake”.

Deal has cabinet backing - reports

Monday 27 February 2023 12:15 , Matt Mathers

Rishi Sunak’s Brexit deal with the EU has the backing of his cabinet, according to a report.

The Times said ministers will not resign in protest at the agreement after being briefed extensively about it over the weekend.

Steve Baker, the Northern Ireland minister, is among those who have given the plan his approval and will get advice sight of the paperwork today.

Mr Baker briefly spoke to broadcasters earlier after leaving No 10 Downing Street. He was asked whether he would support the deal as he left 10 Downing Street.

Mr Baker said: "I can only say this: that the prime minister is on the cusp of securing a really fantastic result for everyone involved."

Sunak ‘looking forward’ to meeting with von der Leyen

Monday 27 February 2023 11:59 , Matt Mathers

Rishi Sunak has said he is “looking forward” to his meeting with EU Commission president Ursula von der Leyen later.

The pair are holding “final talks” on a new Brexit deal to resolve trading issues with the Northern Ireland protocol.

The prime minister said they would discuss “shared, practical solutions to the range of challenges” around the post-Brexit trading arrangements.

Ms von der Leyen arrived in London earlier and said she is “glad” to be meeting Mr Sunak.

“I’m looking forward to turning a page and opening a new chapter with our partner and friend.”

Breaking: von der Leyen to meet King Charles

Monday 27 February 2023 11:21 , Matt Mathers

European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen will meet with the King at Windsor Castle on Monday afternoon, it is understood.

Adam Forrest will have more on this story as it comes in:

EU’s Ursula von der Leyen will meet King Charles ahead of Brexit deal

Starmer on economy and Brexit deal

Monday 27 February 2023 11:06 , Matt Mathers

Keir Starmer has been speaking to business leaders this morning about his plans for the economy, days after setting out his five “missions” of a future Labour government.

The Labour leader has also been answering questions about Rishi Sunak’s Brexit deal, saying that any agreement is likely to include a continued but small role for the ECJ in Northern Ireland.

He also said he wanted the government to improve relations with the EU, “not just Northern Ireland”.

On the UK economy, he said he wanted to return the UK to being a “rock of economic stability” and develop a new model for growth.

In a speech in the City of London setting out his plan to achieve the highest sustained growth in the G7, he said: “We have heard loud and clear about the need for certainty, that basic truth: chaos has a cost, that investors need a clear framework with policies that are always fully costed, fiscal rules - sound and followed rigorously, constraints accepted, institutions respected and not bypassed.”

He added: “A rock of economic stability. Our entire mission for growth is built on that, and don’t doubt it for a second.

“But, honestly, isn’t that the least we should expect? I think so. Britain needs certainty, yes, but also change.”

Sunak must sell deal to his own party - Starmer

Monday 27 February 2023 10:46 , Matt Mathers

Labour leader Keir Starmer said the task now facing the prime minister was to sell the protocol deal to his own Tory MPs.

He said that if he was in No 10 he would "restore trust" between the UK and European Union.

With Rishi Sunak poised to announce a deal on changes to the Northern Ireland Protocol, Mr Starmer said there were practical steps "that could have been taken 18 months, two years ago, but we’ve been stuck in an impasse".

Speaking in the City of London, he said: "The EU and the UK are probably in agreement, or very near to agreement at this stage.

"The question will be whether the prime minister has got the strength to sell it to his backbenchers or not.

"Many people will be frustrated that this is the loop we’ve been stuck in for a very, very long time and it’s not something you would have with a Labour government because we don’t have those divisions in our party on this issue."

Exclusive: Energy giants could be forced to return millions of pounds held in customer accounts

Monday 27 February 2023 10:30 , Matt Mathers

Energy giants would be forced to return millions of pounds held as surplus in customers’ accounts under proposals being considered by ministers, as households brace for another bill hike.

Costs are set to rise by around £500 a year, despite regulator Ofgem lowering its price cap on Monday, as energy bill support from ministers falls.

Ofgem is lowering its cap – the amount suppliers are able to charge – from £4,279 per year to £3,280, effective from April 1. But the amount the average household will have to pay under the government’s “energy price guarantee” is set to increase from £2,500 to £3,000 from April.

Kate Devlin reports:

Energy giants could be forced to return millions of pounds held in customer accounts

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

Monday 27 February 2023 10:10 , Matt Mathers

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:

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

Lib Dems - scrap energy price guarantee and cut bills instead

Monday 27 February 2023 09:44 , Matt Mathers

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".

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

Monday 27 February 2023 09:28 , Matt Mathers

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.

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

Monday 27 February 2023 09:04 , Matt Mathers

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.”

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

Monday 27 February 2023 08:30 , Matt Mathers

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:

Labour will back Brexit deal - Reeves

Monday 27 February 2023 08:11 , Matt Mathers

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:

Lib Dems will back Sunak’s deal - Ed Davey

Monday 27 February 2023 07:57 , Matt Mathers

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:

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

Monday 27 February 2023 07:39 , Matt Mathers

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:

Rishi Sunak warned rushing MPs into Brexit deal vote ‘will go badly wrong’

Sunak to meet von der Leyen later

Monday 27 February 2023 07:37 , Matt Mathers

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:

Rishi Sunak and EU’s Ursula von der Leyen to meet in person on Monday

Rishi Sunak poised to defy DUP and announce Brexit deal

Monday 27 February 2023 07:36 , Matt Mathers

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:

Rishi Sunak poised to defy DUP and announce Brexit deal

Monday 27 February 2023 07:31 , Matt Mathers

Good morning and welcome to The Independent’s live politics coverage.

Rishi Sunak looks set to agree on a new Brexit deal with the EU to solve issues with the Northern Ireland protocol.

He is scheduled to meet EU chief Ursula von der Leyen later for “final talks” on the agreement.

Stay tuned for updates on this story and all the latest from Westminster and elsewhere.

Six key takeaways from NI deal

Monday 27 February 2023 21:14 , Katy Clifton

Rishi Sunak’s new deal is designed to cut bureaucracy and dysfunction between Britain and Northern Ireland following Brexit.

The 26-page “Windsor Framework” lays out the plans for trade, lovement of goods and future legislation.

Here, Joe Sommerlad takes a look at the key takeaways from the deal:

Six key takeaways from Rishi Sunak’s new Brexit deal

Wooing in Windsor: How the Brexit deal was done

Monday 27 February 2023 21:13 , Adam Forrest

The Brexit deal struck by Rishi Sunak and EU chief Ursula von der Leyen in Windsor on Wednesday depended on some delicate choreography involving a luxury hotel, a popular wedding venue and a royal residence.

The blossoming romance between the prime minister and the European Commission president saw the pair dart around the wealthy Berkshire town at a series of events aimed at selling the accord to resolve the Northern Ireland Protocol row.

Take a look below at how the day unfolded:

Wooing in Windsor: How the Brexit deal was done