Brexit: Deal over Northern Ireland not likely this week, minister suggests

Published

3 years ago

February 21, 2023

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A deal to resolve post-Brexit trading issues in Northern Ireland is not likely this week, a minister has suggested.

Maria Caulfield told Sky News Rishi Sunak is “working really hard” to fix problems with the contentious Northern Ireland Protocol, amid signs of a possible Tory rebellion.

Asked about the prospect of a breakthrough this week she said: “I don’t know about this week, I know that the prime minister is working really hard and working with a number of politicians from across Northern Ireland, politicians within the EU, to try and resolve this.”

Politics live: Rishi Sunak meeting with cabinet as talks on NI deal continue

Later on Times Radio, she urged colleagues to give the prime minister the “time and space” to “thrash out” a deal.

“There isn’t a deal done yet so all these rumours about ministers or MPs not being happy, I haven’t seen the details, we have to give the prime minister that time and space to get these negotiations done,” she said.

“We need to give him the time and space to thrash out the final elements of any final deal.”

The comments came as prominent Eurosceptic Jacob Rees-Mogg compared Mr Sunak’s approach to that followed by his doomed predecessor Theresa May.

He said it was “very similar to what happened” with the former prime minister, where a policy would be presented in the hope that people would “conveniently fall in behind” it.

“Life doesn’t work like that. It’s important to get support for it first before you finalise the details and that doesn’t seem to have been done here,” he said on his ConservativeHome podcast.

Mr Sunak is understood to be discussing ways to reduce red tape on goods passing between Northern Ireland and the UK, as well as some sort of compromise on the so-called “democratic deficit” caused by NI still being subject to some EU rules so that goods can move freely into the Republic of Ireland.

But Mr Rees-Mogg suggested the PM should press ahead with the controversial Northern Ireland Protocol Bill, effectively ripping up parts of the agreement with Brussels, rather than seeking a deal which may not guarantee the return of a power-sharing executive in Stormont.

The former cabinet minister said: “There seems to me to be no point in agreeing a deal that does not restore power-sharing.

“That must be the objective. If it doesn’t achieve that objective, I don’t understand why the government is spending political capital on something that won’t ultimately succeed.”

He said the Northern Ireland Protocol Bill (NIPB) had the support of “the person who had a mandate from the British voters” – Boris Johnson – and he questioned Mr Sunak’s handling of the situation.

“I don’t know why so much political capital has been spent on something without getting the DUP and the ERG (European Research Group of Conservative MPs) on side first,” he said.

Mr Johnson has called on the government to press on with the legislation enabling it to override parts of the protocol without the EU’s permission, and some have interpreted words from Home Secretary Suella Braverman as support for the former prime minister’s position.

She described the bill as “one of the biggest tools that we have in solving the problem on the Irish Sea”.

Why the timetable for a deal appears to be slipping

Tamara Cohen

Political correspondent

@tamcohen

There will be no deal sealed on the Northern Ireland Brexit arrangements today, I’m told.

There were suggestions over the weekend that Rishi Sunak had hoped to brief the cabinet on a deal this morning ahead of a lightning vote in parliament.

That is not on track, with intense talks still underway at official level.

Sammy Wilson, chief whip of the DUP – the largest unionist party in Northern Ireland – gave a flavour of why the pause button had been pressed when he spoke to Sky News yesterday morning.

Mr Wilson said the DUP would not accept having to administer EU laws which would bring about “the break-up of the Union”. He accused the prime minister of negotiating “with an attitude of defeat”.

There are some in Westminster concerned that any plan to bounce the DUP into accepting a compromise when they’ve not had time to prepare their supporters will not work.

A minister told me today that the idea a deal would be struck imminently was “spin” and far from reality, although talks continue.

If unionist opposition hardens, the chances Rishi Sunak can bring Brexiteers in his party with him – some of whom he met for talks yesterday – recedes.

If tough compromises on all sides cannot be made in the coming hours, the timetable is likely to slip to next week, given the year anniversary of the Ukraine war on Friday, or further.

What are the issues with the Northern Ireland Protocol?

The NIPB, dubbed by the EU as “illegal and unrealistic”, was introduced by Mr Johnson but paused by Mr Sunak while he tries to resolve issues with the protocol through negotiations.

The mechanism was put in place after Brexit to avoid a hard border on the island of Ireland, which all sides agreed was necessary to preserve peace.

But unionists are unhappy with the trade barriers the protocol has created on goods moving between Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK and believe the arrangement is threatening NI’s place in the union.

There is also anger over the role played by the European Court of Justice (ECJ) to oversee trade rules – which the DUP and some Conservative MPs see as an erosion of the UK’s sovereignty and incompatible with the aims of Brexit.

Mr Sunak held a Cabinet meeting on Tuesday amid growing anticipation that the UK and the EU could be on the verge of agreeing on a new deal.

But the PM is facing up to a potential battle with members of his own party as he seeks to satisfy the demands of both Conservative MPs and Northern Ireland’s Democratic Unionist Party (DUP), who have warned the breakup of the UK “is at stake”.

How could the issues with the Northern Ireland protocol be solved?

Earlier this morning, former Northern Ireland secretary Lord Hain, who was a minister under Tony Blair, spoke to Sky News about the issues the government is facing in sorting out what is happening with the protocol.

The Labour peer said that once the UK left the European Union, “there had to be an external border of the EU somewhere. Either it was across the island of Ireland, which they say would inflame all the old problems, or there had to be checks across the Irish Sea from England, Scotland, Wales into Northern Ireland.”

He laid a lot of the blame for the difficulties at Boris Johnson’s feet, saying the former PM agreed a deal with a border in the Irish Sea which he then tried to deny and sought to undo.

Asked how the issues could be fixed, he suggested that green and red lanes to separate goods destined for Northern Ireland from those at risk of being transported to the Republic and on to the EU could be a way to reduce checks on goods travelling from Great Britain to Northern Ireland.

He pointed to a recent deal between London and Brussels to share real time data on what is coming across that border “so that there can be periodic checks” which would remove the costly and bureaucratic checks that have arisen as a result of Mr Johnson’s deal.

The former minister also explained how Norway – a member of the single market but not of the EU as a whole – is consulted before changes are made to regulations, an agreement he suggested could be mirrored here to address the so-called “democratic deficit”.

As pressure builds on the PM, the Times newspaper reported that some ministers could be prepared to resign if Mr Sunak’s solution to the protocol risks the place of Northern Ireland within the UK.

Number 10 has remained tight-lipped about what is being discussed with Brussels, but a source said that central to Mr Sunak’s focus was safeguarding Northern Ireland’s place in the Union.

Sky News understands Mr Sunak met with key Brexiteers on Monday and this morning, ahead of talks between members of the European Research Group (ERG) of Eurosceptic Tory MPs tonight.

A source from the ERG told political editor Beth Rigby that Downing Street “has over-briefed” on the prospect of an agreement.

The government insisted yesterday that a final deal had not been struck and said “you will hear our position should a deal be agreed”.

Foreign Secretary James Cleverly and Northern Ireland Secretary Chris Heaton-Harris will hold fresh video talks with the EU’s Maros Sefcovic today to take stock of ongoing work on the protocol.

Sir Keir Starmer has urged the prime minister to allow the commons to have its say on any final deal, offering Labour support to secure the approval of any new agreement in the event of any Tory rebellion.

There are hopes that a fresh settlement on post-Brexit arrangements in Northern Ireland will be able to secure the return of powersharing at the Stormont Assembly, after the DUP walked out in protest at the protocol last February.

World

Fierce battle for frontline towns where Ukraine’s soldiers are surrounded

Published

5 hours ago

November 23, 2025

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Fierce battle for frontline towns where Ukraine's soldiers are surrounded

Footage geolocated by Sky News showed Russian soldiers walking through the Shakhtarskyi neighbourhood on the outskirts of Pokrovsk on Thursday.

The video sheds light on the situation in this key frontline area, as Russian forces slowly encroach on Myrnohrad, the satellite town to Pokrovsk, and one of its last remaining outposts.

Videos geolocated by Sky News show fighting intensifying in recent weeks, as Russian forces attempt to gain control of the towns and their network of road and rail intersections.

Gaining control here would give Russia a base from which to access key cities further north that form part of Ukraine’s “fortress belt”.

Russian forces are advancing from all directions, according to the Institute for the Study of War (ISW), with only one small opening to the northwest of Myrnohrad remaining.

Estimated to be only 3km wide by military experts, this withdrawal corridor is patrolled by Russian drone units which monitor the area for moving vehicles and those who may attempt to leave on foot.

Russian forces have been advancing on Myrnohrad since late October.

Video from a Ukrainian unit in Myrnohad, posted on 29 October, shows a Russian vehicle attempting to enter the town from the northeast. The tank is attacked and soldiers attempting to enter on foot are targeted.

Video posted on 3 November shows Russian forces on the ground in the south of the town.

By 8 November, Russian strikes begin to pummel the northeast of Myrnohrad, the location of many of the town’s high-rise buildings, at that time, held by Ukrainian forces.

George Barros, Russia Team & Geospatial Intelligence Team Lead at ISW, told Sky News that Russian strategy in Pokrovsk has been to erode Ukrainian logistical capacity using drones and artillery over the course of several months.

“After denying supply lines and degrading the frontline forces by essentially cutting them off from behind and starving them out in their positions, then the Russians move forward with their infantry and frontal assaults,” Barros explained.

Capture the flag

For a brief period, it looked as though Russian forces had captured Myrnohrad.

Videos posted on 13 November appeared to show a Russian flag flying over the Myrnohrad mine.

However, video posted the following day showed a Ukrainian drone shooting it down.

Both Russian and Ukrainian forces continue to fight for control of Myrnohrad, with videos posted on the 19 and 20 November showing Russian airstrikes on Ukrainian positions in the town, and Ukrainian drone strikes targeting Russian forces on foot.

While the exact numbers of Russian and Ukrainian forces in the area remains unclear, reports indicate that three key Russian units are active in Pokrovsk and Myrnohrad, and are advancing on the towns from the north and south.

A number of Ukrainian units remain inside the towns, including the 145th Assault regiment and the 32nd, 35th, 38th and 155th Brigades. Reports indicate that more Ukrainian units have been moved into surrounding areas to hold the withdrawal corridor open.

Sky News reached out to the Ukrainian brigades still in Myrnohrad, but they declined to comment, citing military regulations.

Strategic significance

Natia Seskuria, associate international security fellow at the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI), explained that the area is important for the Ukrainians to keep and the Russians to take because of its strategic position.

“Situated at a major road and rail intersection in Donetsk Oblast, Pokrovsk has functioned as a central artery for moving troops, equipment, and supplies to Ukrainian units deployed along the surrounding front.”

Russia “would gain a platform to redirect its offensive efforts toward Ukraine’s principal defensive urban centres… including Kramatorsk and Slovyansk,” Seskuria said.

Ukrainian and Russian soldiers in Pokrovsk have fought intensely and at close quarters over the last month.

In late October US-made Black Hawk helicopters containing specialist troops directed by Ukrainian military intelligence entered Pokrovsk to try to keep the town.

But as Russian troops advance, Myrnohrad is becoming the last stronghold of Ukrainian forces in the area.

Uncertain future

At least up until 12 November, there were still civilians living in Pokrovsk and Myrnohrad, despite strikes on buildings in both cities.

A post made on that day by the Donetsk state regional administration estimated 1,200 people remain living in Pokrovsk and 900 in Myrnohrad.

Evacuation is only possible with the help of the military or police, and it is not clear how many have evacuated in the 11 days since.

Barros of ISW says gaining Pokrovsk would increase Russia’s leverage at the negotiating table.

“If the Russians can successfully convince enough international leaders that, okay, the Russians took Pokrovsk, they’re going to take the next thing, and they’re going take the thing, so now let’s negotiate, then that is a strategic victory for the Russians.”

Production by Michelle Inez Simon, Visual Investigations Producer.

The Data x Forensics team is a multi-skilled unit dedicated to providing transparent journalism from Sky News. We gather, analyse and visualise data to tell data-driven stories. We combine traditional reporting skills with advanced analysis of satellite images, social media and other open source information. Through multimedia storytelling we aim to better explain the world while also showing how our journalism is done.

World

Torrential rain triggers deadly flooding and landslides in Vietnam

Published

5 hours ago

November 23, 2025

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Torrential rain triggers deadly flooding and landslides in Vietnam

Torrential rain, flooding and landslides has left more than 100 people dead or missing in Vietnam.

Rainfall has exceeded 74.8in (1.9 metres) in some parts of central Vietnam over the past week.

The region is a major coffee production belt and home to popular beaches, but it is also prone to storms and floods.

Fatalities have been reported in Dak Lak province and the neighbouring Khanh Hoa province.

Footage has been released by local police of a dramatic rescue, involving a drone which airlifted a stranded man to safety from an island in the middle of the Serepok River, Dak Lak province.

The government estimates the flooding has cost the economy around 8.98 trillion dong (£260m).

More than 235,000 houses were flooded and nearly 80,000 hectares of crops were damaged, Vietnam’s disaster agency said.

On Thursday, VietnamNet newspaper said that a suspension bridge on Da Nhim River in Lam Dong province had been swept away.

Video footage posted online showed the bridge being swallowed by the river in just a few seconds.

Naval forces have been deployed to help stranded citizens in Khanh Hoa, the Vietnam News Agency reported, adding that floodwaters had reached record highs in many areas.

Photos shared in state media reports showed residents, including children, sitting on the roofs of flooded houses in Khanh Hoa, Gia Lai and Dak Lak provinces.

A seven-year-old girl was rescued late on Wednesday in Da Lat, the capital of Lam Dong province, after being buried by a landslide, the Nhan Dan newspaper reported.

The landslide, triggered by heavy rain, knocked down and buried part of the house where the girl was staying.

She was pulled out after an hour and a half and was taken to hospital with a broken leg, according to the report.

World

Several airlines cancel Venezuela flights after ‘hazardous situation’ warning

Published

5 hours ago

November 23, 2025

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Several airlines cancel Venezuela flights after 'hazardous situation' warning

Three international airlines have cancelled flights departing from Venezuela after a “potentially hazardous situation” warning.

The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) on Saturday issued an alert to airlines flying over the country, citing the “worsening security situation and heightened military activity in or around Venezuela“.

The US is poised to launch a new phase of operations related to the South American nation in the coming days, four US officials said.

The exact timing or scope of the operations, as well as whether President Donald Trump has made the final decision to act, have not yet been established.

Brazil’s Gol, Colombia’s Avianca and TAP Air Portugal cancelled their flights from the capital, Caracas, in north Venezuela, on Saturday, according to Flightradar24 and the official website of Simon Bolivar Maiquetia International Airport.

TAP Air Portugal confirmed it cancelled flights scheduled for Saturday and next Tuesday.

“This decision follows information issued by the United States aviation authorities, which indicates that safety conditions in Venezuelan airspace are not guaranteed,” the airline said.

The Trump administration has been considering Venezuela-related options to tackle what it has portrayed as President Nicolas Maduro’s role in supplying illegal drugs that have killed Americans.

Venezuela’s president has denied having any links to the illegal drug trade.

Mr Maduro, who is celebrating his 63rd birthday on Sunday and has been in power since 2013, has claimed Mr Trump is looking to oust him and that Venezuelan citizens and the military will rally against any such attempt.

Aeronautica Civil de Colombia said in a statement there were “potential risks” of flying in the Maiquetia area “due to the deterioration of security conditions and increased military activity in the region”.

Spain’s Iberia also said it was cancelling its flights to Caracas from Monday until further notice.

Reports of looming action have been growing in recent weeks as the US military has deployed forces to the Caribbean, amid heightened tensions with Venezuela. The Pentagon referred questions to the White House and the CIA declined to comment.

There has been a huge US military build-up in the region, including the US Navy’s largest aircraft carrier, USS Gerald R Ford, at least eight other warships, and F-35 aircraft.

The build-up in the Caribbean has been rumbling on for months, and Mr Trump has authorised covert CIA operations in Venezuela.

The US plans on Monday to designate the Cartel de los Soles, a Venezuela-based alleged criminal group, a foreign terrorist organisation for what the US sees as its role in importing illegal drugs into America, officials said.