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.
“Parliament will have a vote at the appropriate time and that vote will be respected,” he said a press conference alongside the EU chief in Windsor Guildhall on Wednesday.
Asked what would happen if the DUP rejects the compromise, Mr Sunak said: “I think it’s important we give everyone the time and space they need to consider the detail of the framework we’ve announced today.”
Pressed on whether he believed unionists will accept “different treatment” in Northern Ireland cemented by the deal, Mr Sunak said his deal “delivers significant improvements in almost every aspect of their lives” impacted by the protocol.
Mr 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 claimed it ended any sense of a “border in the Irish Sea”.
He also said the deal “protects Northern Ireland’s place in the union” – handing over powers of VAT and alcohol duty from the EU to the UK.
Another key part of it is an “emergency brake” on changes to EU goods rules that can be pulled by the Northern Ireland Assembly, that Mr Sunak said would give the UK government a “veto”.
But MPs have not yet been able to study the full detail of the role for the European Court of Justice, EU state aid rules and other Brussels regulations which could remain in place in the province.
Earlier, the DUP dismissed a report by the Irish News that the party would back the deal. The newspaper, citing a source with knowledge of DUP thinking, said a London dinner was “pencilled in” with supporters tonight to explain the rationale for supporting Mr Sunak.
However, DUP leader Jeffrey Donaldson ridiculed the report, tweeting: “Anonymous sources strike again. 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.”
Tory Brexiteer Jacob Rees-Mogg put Mr Sunak on notice of a possible Tory revolt – claiming that the support of both Mr Johnson and the DUP were vital in getting it through parliament.
But former cabinet minister David Davis and several senior Brexit-backers have told The Independent they expected a rebellion to be limited to only 20 to 30 Tory MPs.
Writing for The Independent, Mr Davis described the deal as a “formidable achievement”, saying he was satisfied there would be a “major reduction” in the power of European judges and a “democratic check” on new EU rules that apply to Northern Ireland.
Sir Keir Starmer – who has offered Labour support to get the deal through the Commons – said it is “almost inevitable” that the agreement will include some oversight by European judges.
“The question will be whether the prime minister has got the strength to sell it to his backbenchers or not,” he said on Monday.
