Boris on collision course with Sunak over Brexit bill

Brexit: Rishi Sunak says there is ‘no deal’

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Boris Johnson has warned Rishi Sunak over making a “great mistake” with the Northern Ireland Protocol. In his first intervention on Brexit since leaving No10, the former Prime Minister strongly opposed plans to rip up parts of the agreement. His intervention will raise concerns over a potential Tory rebellion if Mr Sunak’s changes are put to a vote in Parliament.

A source close to Mr Johnson told Sky News: “His general thinking is that it would be a great mistake to drop the Northern Ireland Protocol Bill.”

Speaking on Saturday Mr Sunak said that deal is “by no means done” after he visited Northern Ireland last week for talks with Stormont leaders.

He added: “There are still challenges to work through. We have not resolved all these issues.

“No, there isn’t a deal that has been done, there is an understanding of what needs to be done.”

But the Government has indicated that a successful outcome would mean the Protocol Bill would no longer be required.

A senior Government source said: “If we can find a way to satisfactorily resolve the issues with the Protocol then you wouldn’t need the Bill. But we haven’t resolved them yet.”

But a joint statement with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, whom he met on the margins of the summit, offered a more upbeat assessment.

The pair agreed there had been “very good progress to find solutions” and pledged to “remain in close contact over the coming days”, according to the readout.

Taking office Mr Sunak paused progress on the Protocol Bill, which creates economic barriers on trade being shipped from Great Britain to Northern Ireland, as officials resumed talks aimed at reaching a settlement.

But backbenchers are angered by any compromise with the EU.

Sir James Duddridge, a former Brexit minister, told The Telegraph a deal including a role for the European Court of Justice would be a “wedge” to a real Brexit.

“The PM would be unwise to put his own neck on the chopping block,” he said, adding that “a large number of Brexiteers” would revolt.

A Techne UK survey of 1,624 voters revealed that 53 percent back the Democratic Unionist Party in Northern Ireland oppose a compromise solution which would separate Northern Ireland from the rest of the UK.

The survey showed that a majority of 2017 Remain voters (51 percet) do not want a compromise solution which undermines Northern Ireland’s place.

In a further warning to Mr Sunak’s personal position, among 2019 Conservative voters 61 percent do not back a compromise and only a quarter (26 percent) would back it.

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