European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen is meeting Rishi Sunak today to sign a historic post Brexit deal before joining King Charles at Windsor Castle.
The Windsor agreement is expected to resolve the long-running row over the Northern Ireland Protocol – with or without the support of the DUP and Tory hardliners.
If the final text is agreed at protocol talks in Windsor this lunchtime, Mr Sunak will hold a joint press conference with the EU chief this afternoon before he heads to the Commons to deliver a statement.
Mr Sunak received a massive boost when Northern Ireland minister and hardline Brexiteer Steve Baker emerged smiling from No 10 this morning as he told reporters: “I can only say this, the prime minister is on the cusp of securing a really fantastic result for everyone involved.”
His wholehearted support for Mr Sunak made a nonsense of claims that he was on the verge of resigning over the new deal.
Last night, Sir John Major warned ‘neuralgic’ allies of Boris Johnson against trying to wreck the accord. 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.
The DUP is set to accept the agreement, according to the Irish News, citing a source with knowledge of the unionist party’s thinking. A London dinner is said to have been “pencilled” in with supporters for this evening to explain the rationale.
However, DUP leader Jeffrey Donaldson dismissed 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.”
Ms von der Leyen’s meeting with King, initially scheduled for Saturday before being cancelled for operational reasons, prompted anger from Tory Eurosceptics and Unionists in the DUP.
Mr Rees-Mogg said it risked “dragging” the monarchy into a political announcement, while Nigel Farage was accused of ‘sour grapes’ after also attacking the meeting.
A Conservative MP supporter of Mr Sunak said: “Farage is attacking the monarch out of sour grapes. Some people would prefer us to be at odds with the EU.”
Buckingham Palace made clear the King’s meeting was based on government advice. “The King is pleased to meet any world leader if they are visiting Britain and it is the government’s advice that he should do so.”
Former DUP leader Arlene Foster said the timing was “crass” and would “go down very badly” in Northern Ireland while Sammy Wilson, the DUP’s Brexit spokesperson, has described it as “a cynical use, or abuse of the King” – accusing Mr Sunak of “dragging the king into a hugely controversial political issue”.
Mr Rees-Mogg told GB News that any meeting between the two would appear to be “bouncing people” into supporting the deal “and I think that was a mistake”.
He added: “The sovereign should only be involved when things have been completed and accepted … His Majesty should not be involved until there is full support for this agreement.”
Rishi Sunak last met Ursula von der Leyen in November
Despite the Palace saying the audience was based on government “advice”, No 10 rejected claims Mr Sunak had drawn the monarchy into the politics of the Brexit deal with the PM’s official spokesman said the meeting was “fundamentally a matter for the Palace”.
The European Commission also said Ms von der Leyen’s audience with the King was “not part” of the protocol talks, describing the meeting as “separate” to the discussions with Mr Sunak.
Posting a photo getting off the Eurostar, Ms von der Leyen said she was “looking forward to turning a page and opening a new chapter with our partner and friend”.
Deputy PM Dominic Raab made it clear on Sunday that there was “no de facto veto” for the DUP, the unionist party that is still expected to oppose the compromise.
No 10 has not committed to giving MPs a vote on the final arrangements, but Tory Brexiteer Theresa Villiers insisted that doing so is “crucial”. The former NI secretary said she will consider the deal before deciding whether to support it – but stressed the importance of the DUP returning to Stormont.
However, several senior Tory Brexiteers told The Independent they were minded to support the deal and expected Mr Sunak to sign the agreement without the backing of the DUP or European Research Group (ERG).
Former Brexit secretary David Davis said his own “instinct” was to support a deal, and that he expected a rebellion of hardliners to be limited to a few dozen hardliners. “I think the idea of 100 rebels is absolute nonsense,” he said.
The DUP, having set out seven tests, had been expected to scrutinise the deal before deciding whether to support it. Leader Jefferey Donaldson said last week the outline of the deal had passed “three or four” of the tests, but had pushed Mr Sunak to go further.
Tory Brexiteers in the ERG will ask a so-called “star chamber” of lawyers to look through the deal before saying whether they will back it.
But Mark Francois, chair of the ERG, said his group would still not back the deal unless it provided for EU law to be completely “expunged” in Northern Ireland.
Mr Francois told Sky News on Sunday that “less of a role” for the European Court of Justice (ECJ) – but one that upholds the court as the ultimate arbiter in Brexit-related disputes – was not “good enough”, and insisted “We are not stupid.”
Sir John warned “neuralgic” Tory MPs not to sabotage Mr Sunak’s deal with Brussels. The former prime minister lambasted the “pretty poor” Brexit deal achieved by Mr Johnson, and praised Mr Sunak for trying to resolve Northern Ireland’s trade problems.
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.
