LONDON – British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak is traveling to Northern Ireland to meet local politicians as a deal with the European Union over the long-running Brexit trade row looms.
Sunak’s visit – ahead of a flurry of diplomacy planned for later this week – comes amid hopes that an agreement on the Northern Ireland Protocol could be announced on Tuesday next week after six months of negotiations.
First and foremost, the UK prime minister would need to convince MPs in the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) that any reform on the protocol meets their needs. list of demandsAnd then Conservative Brexiters are faced with the arduous task of trying to sell any agreement.
The DUP staunchly opposes the Protocol arrangement, and sees the introduction of checks on trade from Great Britain to Northern Ireland as a wedge between the region and the rest of the UK. It also negates the role of the European Court of Justice. The union (CJEU) is boycotting the power-sharing assembly in the region in protest of the rules governing disputes under the agreement.
It warned in a statement on Thursday night: “There will be no reinstatement of the NI executive unless protocol is replaced with arrangements that unionists can support.”
diplomatic offensive
Sunak’s visit comes ahead of a frantic round of last-minute meetings between the top leaders of the European Union and Britain.
British Foreign Secretary James Cleverly and Northern Ireland Secretary of State Chris Heaton-Harris are expected to hold a lunch meeting on Friday with European Commission Vice President and Brexit point-man Maros Sefcovic, according to an EU diplomat. Šefčovič will later brief EU ambassadors in private session.
Sunak has scheduled a weekend meeting with Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference.
With the No. 10 Downing Street agreement expected to go public shortly after briefing cabinet on Tuesday to reduce the window for leaks, two UK officials warned the draft agreement was not finalised. has been and may yet be different.
Meanwhile, Downing Street says no agreement has been reached and technical talks are continuing.
A Number 10 spokesman said: “While talks with the EU are ongoing, ministers are continuing to work with relevant stakeholders to ensure that any solution fixes practical problems on the ground, delivering on our wider objectives and protect Northern Ireland’s place in the UK internal market. ,
“The Prime Minister and the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland are traveling to Northern Ireland this evening to talk to political parties as part of this engagement process.”
This article has been updated to add a statement from Downing Street. Sean Pogachnik contributed reporting.